It's almost here again: Halloween. The end of October means it's time to swap those romcoms for horror movies, feast on pumpkin soup, and find a few more spiders here and there (even though they're not real, they only function as decoration). All first times are special, and so is the very first - or one of the first times - Halloween for your child. Whether you're a Halloween fanatic yourself or not, it might be nice to give your child the chance to form their own opinion about Halloween by not letting it pass by like any other day. Then you get to decide how creepy that Halloween party is going to be. And yes, of course, a party equals a costume, refreshments, and fun activities. Does that sound like a good deal? ;) Then be sure to get some inspiration for a successful Halloween for your kids below!
Costumes
Since it will be one of the first times or maybe the very first time your child experiences Halloween, of course, the question is not whether to make a costume (or buy one, but making your own is way more fun ;)), but which costume you want to make. Will it be an adorable spider, a chaotic tornado, or a miniature uncle?
Yikes. Spiders, we hate them. But then again, you just can't resist this little spider, can you?
The award for most adorable granny of all time goes to...your mini! Of course, this costume can easily be adapted to a grandpa as well.
You probably have an empty flower pot somewhere in the yard. Is it made of plastic? Then you're in for a treat. Craft it.
Is bad weather coming? With this tornado costume, it probably is. But yes, inside your mini is still all sunshine ;)
Melt. This is just too sweet, even for little ones. Tired of all that Halloween stuff? As you can see, lying down and taking a nap in between is also no problem with this mushroom outfit.
Making this mummy costume yourself? A fun activity for a free afternoon. Reach for the scissors and an old white sheet. Time to get creative.
Tin man-or woman? This is where those cardboard boxes already in the scrap paper come in handy. Oh yeah, and get out the roll of aluminum foil, too.
Snacks
Good, you've laid an egg about that costume by now. Then it's now high time to tick-picking out the snacks off your to-do list. If you ask us, it's a good idea to alternate savory snacks with sweet ones. Because yes, after savory you get a craving for sweet. Here's how it works.
Want to give a healthy touch to your Halloween snacks? Then prepare these simple candy peppers with cream cheese, puff pastry, and grated cheese. Top each snack with 2 black olive slices and you have a scary mummy!
A pizza always goes down well. How to get those spiders so pretty? Again, black olives. Yes, they are good for many things.
Halloween party with a "mummy" theme? So place a bowl of these mummy tortillas on the snack table.
This is another simple but super original Halloween snack! Make the egg filling by mixing egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and avocado. Ketchup should not be missed for decoration, of course.
Time for sweet? You will definitely score with these Oreo spiders. For this, you need Oreos, licorice laces, M&Ms, dark chocolate, and chocolate spread.
Mix chocolate chip cookies, marshmallows, almond slices, and red icing and you get...Dracula teeth. Genius.
Ready to really put a smile on your mini's face? Then it's time to make these colored pancakes with eyes. You've been warned because you might think it's a shame to eat your own portion. Well, it is a work of art after all.
This fruit snack shows that healthy can definitely be creepy too. Top combination for this day.
Activities
Will Halloween be a fun day with the family, or will you have all kinds of friends over? Either way, plenty of Halloween-worthy activities.
- Trick or treat
Have the kids walk by the doors dressed up, ring the bell and ask for candy with a sweet face. Like many other traditions, this Halloween tradition came over from America. As fun as it sounds, it is still not very popular in the Netherlands. Are you therefore afraid that not everyone will appreciate it and that you might even be looked at crookedly? Then this is the moment when that Whatsapp group with the street comes in incredibly handy, no matter how irritating you normally find it. Ask your neighbors if they want to join this tradition and prepare a bowl with some goodies for the kids. That way the tradition might come more alive in this little country after all.
Celebrating Halloween but still snuggling up at home? Time to grab those Halloween snacks, fire up Netflix and choose a (not too scary) Halloween movie.
Looking for a quiet Halloween activity for which you can still get out and about? Then score tickets to a fun Halloween show, like this Piet Piraat Halloween show. No doubt a fun experience for your little one!
- Halloween crafting
Spending time creatively is definitely also an option on Halloween, as there are an awful lot of Halloween creations that you can easily craft with your mini. Chances are you have a lot of supplies still in the craft box. Craft first, then decorate the house. Maybe not your kind of decoration, but hey, it's only for a little while ;)
- Sleepover party
Invite some of your mini's friends over to your house for a sleepover. Then they can run around in their costumes, and soon enough you will see their energy level drop to zero. Then you'll have peace of mind again ;)
- Halloween feel-game
You can also fill the day (or evening) with games, such as a feeling game. Fill some bins with food or objects and let the kids guess what's inside. Think of cooked spaghetti that could pass for worms and an egg that could be slime. Tip: fill another container with water and keep some towels handy so the kids can wash their hands in between.
- Halloween scavenger hunt
Time to get some fresh air? Then head out into the garden with the kids and let them get active with a scavenger hunt. Think of enough assignments and hints you can give them beforehand. And remember: above all, don't make it too scary! Otherwise, your mini might end up sleeping in your bed the next few nights.
