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Unspooking Halloween
Making Halloween less scary for little kids
Are you looking for some new "spooky" activities for your young child? Here are several food and play ideas that you and your children are sure to enjoy!
A cool breeze sweeps down streets as autumn spreads across America. School kids pile onto buses each morning and then shuffle home through yards, thick with colorful leaves. Darkness comes earlier each night. It could only mean one thing ... Halloween is near! It's time to plan a trick-or-treat outing and start cooking with cinnamon and nutmeg. There's no need to wait until October 31st to enjoy Halloween. Your family can start the monster-ous celebration early with these seasonal books, snacks, and activities. (And check out this expanded slideshow for even more ideas.)
Spiders Aren't Scary
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
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.
Ghost Fun
Families have different ideas regarding Halloween, ghosts, and scary things. The book and activities below are intended to gently introduce the concept of ghosts and Halloween. Young children can be scared by spooky costumes and decorations. Prepare your child for trick-or-treating by using these activities to talk about the make-believe of Halloween.
Read: Lu and the Swamp Ghost
Snack: For a ghost-snack, gather canned pears (whole halves), raisins, and Maraschino cherries. Cut a jagged or wavy line from the base of the pear so that it resembles a ghost shape. Let your toddler add raisin eyes and a Maraschino cherry sliver smile.
Play: Practice making ghost sounds with your child. What animals sound like a ghost might? Owls, howling dogs, doves?
Related Links
- Article: Halloween Safety Tips
- Advice: Great Holiday Ideas
- Slideshow: Haunting Halloween Baby Names
- Quiz: What's Your Halloween IQ?
- Poll: When will you start taking your child trick-or-treating?
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