Unspooking Halloween

When did spiders become scary? Not to imply that they won't harm a fly—because they do. While teaching toddlers to be cautious with insects and animals is important, they shouldn't fear spiders. These activities will remind you and your child that spiders are just part of nature.

Read: Eric Carle, an award-winning illustrator, wrote The Very Busy Spider. Check it out with your child. Bright illustrations are great for practicing color and shape identification. What color spiders live around your home? Have you seen spiders on television or at the zoo? Why would people think they are scary?

Snack: When pulled apart, a stick of string cheese can become the silken threads of a snack-time spider web. Let your toddler build a spider web with the string cheese, then add black olives or oyster crackers as spiders.

Play: Sing and perform the hand motions to "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" with your child. Then go to the park and do 'the spider' on a swing by sitting your child in your lap, facing you, and wriggling your arms and legs. Count them. Spiders have eight legs, and now you do, too.