As a child, I always looked forward to Halloween. Not just because of the dressing up and candies but also all the fun family activities leading up to it. One of my favourites was carving pumpkins.
Having said that, what I’m about to say makes me feel a bit guilty.
The Zoo doesn’t carve pumpkins.
It’s not because I’m a Scrooge or trying to save a pumpkin. The problem is that after the holidays, you have to do something with them and seeing as I can’t even cook an egg, you can see my predicament.
So, instead of being stuck with 5 lbs of pumpkin mush, we like to get into the holiday spirit by partaking in some of these alternative…
Halloween Activities for the Whole Family.
- Make Halloween decorations such as paper garland from recycled paper or spooky ghosts from tissue paper,
- Go for a walk and collect leaves to use as a Halloween dinner centerpiece,
- Buy a bunch of paper bags and have the kids decorate them using crayons, paint or even stamps. See #4 for reason why.
- Pack individual lootbags with small toys and candies to give away at your house or donate to a local food bank or shelter,
- Put sheets over your head and run around the house moaning and groaning pretending that you’re a ghost,
- Rent a scary movie, read Halloween books or share scary stories,
- Dig in the dress-up box and come up with some unique costumes for the stuffed animals,
- Find a local spooky house or corn maze (we have a free one in our area) and enjoy the last of the Fall weather,
- Carve another fruit such as an apple or pineapple. Best if you do it the day of Halloween so that you can still eat it afterwards. Or see #10 if not,
- If you do carve a pumpkin and don’t know what to do with it, have the kids dig a big hole in the garden and bury it.
I vote for the sheets on head one. Free, easy and very little mess (unless someone trips over furniture because they have a sheet over their head and cracks their face open and bleeds everywhere – but hey, at least mostly on a sheet, not the carpet).
Great ideas – but I don’t think anyone uses the pumpkin after carving it….the hole digging is what will happen around here!
we love watching scary movies. Now that Jr. is 15, we can watch the REALLY scary ones lol. After our youngest is in bed of course…
She loves putting her blankie on her head and crawling around, does that count as a ghost??
My boys love coloring worksheets and making costumes.
Great ideas! I love the dressing up as ghosts and going for a walk and collecting leaves for crafts!
Great list, We love collecting leaves and using them for crafts. Love the idea of using them in a centerpiece
We normally do a few crafts and watch halloween shows/movies.
Love the Corn Maze idea! We take our whole family out for a fun filled Fall adventure at our local Corn Maze/petting zoo/pumpkin patch and we always have a great day! Thanks!
Thank you for all the ideas of activities as we are sure to use several.
So lovely crafts on haloween pumpkins ,my son would try few of them
These are all great ideas! I’ve been looking for some things to do with my grandchildren and these will be fun! I love the pineapple you carved! 🙂
We usually do crafts and watch halloween shows/movies as a family
watch movies about SHARKS! I know they’re your favorite lol
I love all of these… We don’t do carvings yet either but I do try to have a Halloween week so I may just have to add some of these to the list.
Amanda @ The Mommy Mix recently posted…Pumpkins The Fall Mascot
I like #6; could get into quite a bit of mischief with that one!
lots of great ideas here. Thank you so much!
some great ideas here, I’ll recommend that my daughter checks them out for my grandchildren, she’s always looking for ideas to entertain them.
We go to the pumpkin patch together and pick pumpkins and apples. We make pies with them for friends and family
thanks for so many wonderful ideas appreciated
Super list! I am definitely going to do a couple of these activities with my kids this week :)!
I do not carve pumpkins either, for me it is an allergy. Great ideas!
Great ideas! Will remember those for halloween
Nothing like the nontraditional to celebrate the traditional.
Now that I am a Senior, I do not carve pumpkins either. I make sure I have plenty of treats for the 60 ti 100 spooks that come to our home and enjoy their costumes and have them wish us a ‘Happy Hallowe’en.” As long as the treats hold out, we are pleased as ;punch and enjoy the night with the children. Hugs.
We do crafts and the kids wear their costumes for weeks before Halloween. lol
I take my grandchildren trick or treating while my kids hand out treats for the kids 🙂
I love the different Halloween tips and especially am frightened of the pineapple man!! thanks!
Great alternative tips for Halloween! We make a pie out of our Jack-O-Lanterns on Nov 1st so the pumpkin is still fresh. We also only use a chemical light stick inside the pumpkin to make it glow instead of a candle, save burning my fingers! 🙂
We love reading books about Hallowe’en, making Hallowe’en crafts and colouring Hallowe’en pages.
We no longer carve a pumpkin, but our children do with our grandchildren, it is one family tradition that wont end soon. The pumpkin goes in the compost afterwards or in my daughters house, feeds the rabbits. Win, win situation
Dear Darlene,
If I had anyone to eat it (animal or human), I would consider doing it. Do your daughters rabbits need another pumpkin 😉 Almost that time again.
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Dare Candy Company REALFRUIT are the Perfect Snack #glutenfree #Giveaway, CAN, 9/26
Great ideas thanks!~
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