Did you know that more than two-thirds of parents have kids who are afraid of Halloween? No need to worry, though; it’s simple to tone down the scariness while still having plenty of fun. Here are five family-friendly Halloween activities that are spooky-free and sure to be enjoyed by your little ones.
MINI PUMPKIN VOLCANOS
Doubling as a science experiment, this fun activity only needs a few ingredients — most of which you already have around the house. For starters, you will need a few mini-sized pumpkins, baking soda, vinegar, dish soap and food coloring. Start by cutting out the stem area as if you were making a jack o’ lantern. Make sure your opening is small so the eruption will be more exciting. You can clean out many of the seeds, but I think it makes for a more fun mess if you leave some. Next, add a few spoonsful of baking soda, a drop or two of dish liquid and food coloring to your pumpkin. Now for the fun part, add in a small cup of vinegar, and watch the excitement on your little ones’ faces as it explodes.
WITCH SLIME
You can easily whip up a batch of this fluffy slime and give it a Halloween theme by adding purple, green or orange food coloring. You could even add in some plastic spiders. All you need is a half-cup of Elmer’s white glue, three cups of foam shaving cream, one-half teaspoon of baking soda, food coloring and one tablespoon of saline solution. Simply put your shaving cream in a bowl, then add in your desired food coloring. Next, mix in one-half cup of glue, followed by the baking soda. Lastly mix in the saline solution and stir until the slime forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
MUMMY BOWLING
A fun game the family will love can be created by using a simple bowling set, toilet paper and some tape. To create the “mummies,” take your toilet paper and wrap the pins and the ball. You can use tape to secure the toilet paper. For an added touch, you can add some googly eyes. Set up the bowling pins, and watch your little ones have fun as they try to knock down the mummies. It’s super easy and fun!
CANDY CORN TOSS
For this game, simply take small orange plastic safety cones and spray paint them with yellow and white paint to resemble candy corns. For the rings, you use a few glow necklaces that can be found at your local dollar store. You’re now ready to play; divide into teams and start tossing.
VISIT A PUMPKIN PATCH
Spend the day picking pumpkins at your local pumpkin patch. Your kids will enjoy trying to find the biggest pumpkin they can. I would suggest visiting in the daytime, as some patches may have a haunted Halloween night. Once home, your little ones can paint and decorate their pumpkins. They will love that they picked it out and added their own special touches.
These fun activities are sure to bring some excitement and joy to your Halloween celebration!
Ariel Chamberlain is mom and lifestyle blogger based on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Connect with her via Instagram (@thelemonsoflife1, her blog (www.thelemonsoflife.com) or by email at arielc@thelemonsoflife.com.
