Tag Archives: halloween

Witch’s Broom Treat Bag.

October 24, 2017 – 12:10 pm

2012_witch_broom_treat_bags

What You’ll Need:

Brown Paper Lunch Bags
Scissors
Rubber Bands
Ribbon, String, or Yarn
Sticks (from your yard)
Candy

Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

Create the broom’s bristles by cutting one of the paper bags in 1⁄2″ strips from the very top (where the bag opens) to the very bottom, stopping at the part of the bag that sits flat on the table top.
Lay the cut paper bag flat on the table.Place the uncut paper bag on top of the cut paper bag, so that the bottoms are sitting exactly on top of one another.
Fill the uncut paper bag about one-quarter full with the candy of your choice.
Put the stick in the middle of the uncut paper bag.
Bring the loose strips of the cut paper bag up and around the sides of the uncut paper bag. Holding both bags tightly against the stick (about half way up) secure with a rubber band.
Tie a piece of string, yarn, or ribbon tightly around the paper bags, concealing the rubber band. Trim excess paper bag.

Use bags as favors/place cards at your next Halloween or Thanksgiving party. Simply print your guests names on cardstock, cut out, and attach to the fronts of the bags!

Spooky Tree Centerpiece

October 23, 2017 – 2:41 pm

Spooky_Tree_centerpiece

What You’ll Need:

Black Plastic Cauldron
Floral/Craft Foam
Glass Gems, Rocks, or Stones
Halloween Tinsel Garland
Plastic Skeleton Garland
Twigs from Your Yard
Paint & Paint Brush (Optional)
Glittery Bat Ornaments
Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

First, gather a few spooky-looking twigs from your yard.
Place the floral/craft foam in the center of the cauldron and fill the empty space around the foam with glass gems, rocks, or stones. This will anchor your foam and provide stability for your tree.
Stick the twigs from your yard securely into the foam…make sure you push them far into the foam for stability. Arrange twigs into your desired tree shape. If you want to paint your twigs black or another color, do that next. They will be easier to paint standing upright in the foam. Set the tree aside to dry.
Once the twigs are dry,cover the stones at the base of the tree with Halloween tinsel garland, then place the skeleton garland on top of the tinsel and position the skeletons however you wish.
Decorate the tree with more skeletons, Halloween creepy creatures, or handmade glittery bat ornaments.

Top Ten Activities for Fall

October 18, 2017 – 5:59 pm

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Summer is over, and in many places the air is turning colder. As the weather changes be sure to take advantage of what the fall season has to offer. Even if you don’t live in a place that sees a lot colorful leaves, there are fun family-friendly ways to get outdoors this fall:

• Go apple picking. Sure, most of us can get apples year-round from the grocery store, but there’s nothing quite like orchard fresh apples, picked straight from the tree during harvest season. That crunchy, tangy, sweet apple flavor is at its peak during this time of year. Many commercial orchards will let you pick your own. It’s not only fun, it’s also a great way to show kids where their food comes from. Get extras for canning applesauce, or making pies. When you’re done, warm up with a delicious mulled cider.

• Go on a nature hike. Bring along a field guide to identify different kinds of trees. Look for wildlife collecting food for winter. Explain to kids how animals are starting to fatten up and grow thick, protective winter coats. Watch for migrating birds.

• Collect fall leaves. Press them into books or preserve them in glycerin. Paste them onto handmade paper to create greeting cards, or glue them between two pieces of wax paper to make an attractive sun catcher. Go lightly on the glue, or substitute crayon shavings to add color; use a warm iron to melt the shavings and hold the paper together.

• Take a hayride. Many farms offer hayrides during the fall. This is a great way to kick back and enjoy nature with smaller kids who may not be up for a long walk.

• Visit the pumpkin patch. Don’t buy your Halloween pumpkin from the grocery store. Go straight to the source. Kids will love wandering around the patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. Choose a couple of big ones for jack-o-lanterns, and grab a few smaller ones for painting or general household decorations. Smaller pumpkins make great additions to fall centerpieces. Roast the seeds in your oven with a sprinkling of tasty spices, and grab a few to make pumpkin pies.

• Visit a corn maze. Many farms earn extra income for the winter by turning their cornfields into large mazes. Test your directional sense, and get some fresh air in the process. Corn mazes are fun or all ages.

• Stuff a scarecrow. Dig out an old shirt and overalls, and stuff it with leaves until firm. Add a pumpkin head (from your trip to the pumpkin patch) and you’ve got a great fall decoration.

• Fly a kite. The gusty, brisk air makes autumn a great time for flying kites. Buy one from the store, or make your own from two long sticks, strong paper, and string.

• Have a bonfire. Invite some friends over for a backyard bonfire. The chill in the air makes fall the perfect time to sit together by the warmth of a blazing fire with a nice warm mug of cocoa or cider. Be sure to get any necessary permits from your town first.

• Make a leaf pile and jump in!

Coin Critters.

September 6, 2017 – 6:39 pm

Practice learning American Coins with your host kids.

The skills it builds: coin values, addition, and subtraction

What You Need

Coins
Paper

Marker or crayons

Instructions

Take some coins from your pocket or purse, lay them out on a piece of paper, and have your child draw arms, legs, and other body parts to create a creature.
Then help her total up the value of the coins and write it beside the creature. Add or take away coins to form new shapes, and figure out the new sums.

Caramel Apples

September 6, 2017 – 6:27 pm

Make some caramel apples with your kids to get into the carnival vibe and enjoy some yummy treats.

apples All you need are apples, cubes of caramel, and milk!

Remove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top.
Butter a baking sheet
Place caramels and milk into a microwave bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.
Roll each apple with caramel sauce and place on sheet to set.

PS – You can use treats like nuts, cookies, etc. to add some extra flavor! (Always check for allergies before serving)

Spider Web Snacks

October 16, 2013 – 11:56 am

Spider Web Snacks

Here is a fun Halloween treat of the season. Who knew eating spider webs could be so yummy?! These are easy, inexpensive, and cute!

Ingredients:

– pretzel sticks

– white chocolate/bark candy coating

– chocolate (baker’s, candy coating, or chips would probably all work)

– raisins

– baggie or pastry bag

– wax paper

Directions:

Lay out your pretzels on the wax paper in “starburst” arrangements of 6 or 8 pretzels (it’s a good idea to put it on a cookie sheet for transport stability).

After melting your white chocolate/bark coating, place in a baggie and cut the corner off (or use a pastry bag). Start piping your chocolate in the middle of the pretzel arrangement, making sure to coat all the pretzels.

Continue piping outward around the pretzels, until you have a web. Then, place two raisins in the middle for the body of the spider.

Melt your regular chocolate and pipe over the raisins. I found that the spiders turned out better when I piped the legs of the spider first and then did the body. Place in the fridge for a few minutes until the chocolate is hard. Then, gently peel back the wax paper.…and eat!

Top Ten Outdoor Activities for Fall

September 17, 2013 – 12:13 pm

• Collect fall leaves. Press them into books or preserve them in glycerin (recipe below*). Paste them onto handmade paper to create greeting cards, or glue them between two pieces of wax paper to make an attractive sun catcher. Go lightly on the glue, or substitute crayon shavings to add color; use a warm iron to melt the shavings and hold the paper together.

• Take a hayride. Many farms offer hayrides during the fall. This is a great way to kick back and enjoy nature with smaller kids who may not be up for a long walk.

• Stuff a scarecrow. Dig out an old shirt and overalls, and stuff it with leaves until firm. Add a pumpkin head (from your trip to the pumpkin patch) and you’ve got a great fall decoration.

• Fly a kite. The gusty, brisk air makes autumn a great time for flying kites. Buy one from the store, or make your own from two long sticks, strong paper, and string.

• Make a leaf pile and jump in!

*Bring a mixture of two parts water to one part glycerin to a boil in a saucepan, and pour the solution into a heat-safe container. Drop in the leaves, and gently submerge them with a wooden spoon. Place the container in a cool, dark place for up to seven days. Remove the leaves when you begin to notice a slight change in their coloring, and blot them dry with a paper towel

Halloween Ghost Jug Decorations

October 29, 2012 – 1:52 pm

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Stationed on a walkway or porch, these homemade lanterns will extend a ghostly greeting and good-bye to all your holiday visitors.

Materials

Clean plastic gallon milk jugs
Black permanent marker

Craft knife
String of 50 clear low-wattage holiday lights

Instructions

Draw ghost eyes and mouths on the jugs. Tip: Leave the caps on while you do this, so the jugs don’t dent.
Use the craft knife to cut a half-dollar-size hole in the back of each jug (a parent’s job).
Arrange the ghosts near each other and string the lights between them, stuffing several bulbs into each of the jugs.

Halloween

October 29, 2012 – 1:32 pm

Jack-o'-Lantern_2003-10-31 Ghouls and goblins will take over the night.
But even scary creatures need to be safe and celebrate Halloween right.

Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and automobile collisions.
The Red Cross wants your family to have a safe Halloween so we’re providing these tips:

The Lucky 13:

1. Map out the route that you plan to roam, so adults are assured you will find your way home!
2. From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, everyone should remember to bring their flashlights!
3. If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don’t go inside.
4. When you get ready to put on your disguise, use face paint instead of masks, which will cover your eyes.
5. Always remember, before you embark, to wear light-colored clothing to be seen in the dark! (And remember to use reflective tape, even on bikes, and brooms and the edges of your cape!)
6. Whether you walk, slither or sneak, do it on the sidewalks and not in the street.
7. As you roam through the neighborhood collecting your treats, please look both ways before crossing the street! (And speaking of streets, the corners are the place for trick or treaters to cross no matter their pace.)
8. Wigs, capes and costumes are flammable attire, so avoid open flames to prevent a fire!
9. Use a glow stick instead of a candle so your jack-o-lantern isn’t a safety gamble!
10. You may fly on a broom or a space ship from Mars, but please be on the lookout for drivers in cars! (Between parked cars is no to hide, be sure that you’re seen whether you’re a clown or a bride.)
11. Monsters and zombies should stay off the lawn, and only visit homes with their porch lights turned on!
12. You may be dressed as a werewolf, a cat or a frog, but be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.
13. For additional information on how you and your family can be prepared for emergencies on Halloween or on any day of the year, please visit www.RedCross.org

It’s time for Goblins and Ghosts!

October 17, 2012 – 11:29 am

Going trick-or-treating?

Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters

	Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
	Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
	Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
	Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

	Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.
	Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
	Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
	Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
	Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
	Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
	Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
	Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.
	Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.