There’s no shortage of fun and spooky things to do with your children in the weeks and days leading up to Halloween. Here are four fun activities the whole family will enjoy.
1. Decorate pumpkins. Carving jack-o’-lanterns is an annual tradition in many families. If your kids aren’t old enough to wield a knife, decorate your pumpkins with paint, stickers and other craft supplies you have on hand.
2. Host a Halloween party. Invite some friends to a haunted Halloween bash. You can bob for apples, play games and have a costume contest. Don’t forget to provide an assortment of spine-chilling snacks and drinks.
3. Have a movie marathon. Pop some corn and settle in for a fright night in front of the small screen. Choose child-friendly Halloween movies for the younger ones and save the gory horror
flicks for after the children have gone to bed.
4. Bake spooky treats. Make some cookies or cupcakes and let your kids decorate them. Use orange and black icing to top the fresh goodies and incorporate assorted scary touches such as gummy worms and black licorice.
These fun family activities are the perfect way to build up to trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
October is the perfect month to read something spooky that weaves together supernatural elements to entertain or scare you. Here are some suggestions for readers of all ages.
Children: There are many books written about witches, monsters and pumpkins aimed at preschoolers and their parents. School-age kids may like The Witches by Roald Dahl. Preteens are likely to be intrigued by the mysteries of Nancy Drew or thrilled by volumes from the long-lived Goosebumps series. You can also try Coraline or The Graveyard Book, both written for kids by author Neil Gaiman.
Teens: If your younger teens haven’t yet been introduced to the wizarding world of Harry Potter, this is the perfect time for them to be initiated. Older teens may prefer something a little different like Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Or try some classic horror stories like Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Adults: If you haven’t read the Gothic classic, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, October is the perfect month. Or, discover why H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe are considered masters of their craft. Stephen King has countless scary stories to choose from and Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles are among the best in the genre. If you prefer whodunnits, you can’t go wrong with an Agatha Christie mystery.
If you’re looking for a way to make your Halloween reading a family affair, choose a story that everyone will appreciate and listen to the audiobook together. It’s the perfect activity to enjoy while munching on Halloween candy.
A Spooky Treat: scary mummies with devilish dipping sauce
This spooky twist on pigs in a blanket is fun to eat and even easier to make. Children of all ages will be delighted.
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 20
Ingredients
Mummies
• 12-ounce (340-gram) package of crescent roll dough
• 10 hot dogs
Dipping sauce
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red food colouring (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C).
2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut the hot dogs in half to make two shorter pieces (or you can keep them whole and make ten bigger mummies).
4. Unroll crescent roll dough and cut it into strips that are about one centimetre wide.
5. Wrap the strips around each hot dog, leaving a portion unwrapped near the end to make the “face.” Place the dough covered hot dogs on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.
7. While the hot dogs are baking, in a bowl combine all the dipping sauce ingredients.
8. Let the mummies cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then serve with the sauce. Enjoy!
