Halloween Fun: Spooky things to do with the kids
We can’t believe that Halloween is almost here and that the kids are breaking up for half term ALREADY! Here at Banjo HQ, we’ve been thinking about what spooky Halloween events that you can attend with your little one. Here are a few of our favourites, along with some free Halloween games that you can enjoy at home:
Apple bobbing
This is so simple – all you need is a big container full of water with some apples in it! Get the kids to put their hands behind their back and try to grab the apples with their mouths! We would recommend having a towel nearby as you’re all going to get a little wet. Did you know that this tradition began as a British courting ritual, popular among young ladies and their potential beaus? Wow! Here are some other games that are alternatives to apple bobbing too.
Pumpkin picking
There are so many places where you can take the family and pick your own pumpkin this Halloween. We love how many varieties there are and,when you get them home to carve, that’s when the fun really begins! Here is a link to a few of our favourite pumpkin-carving designs for maximum creativity. Make sure to tag us in any pictures using #bemorebanjo so we can admire them!
Halloween trails/mazes
Lots of places have spooky Halloween-themed walks but we particularly like the National Trust events – have a look here. It is also worth checking out local farms/parks near you as there may be Halloween trails and mazes which your kids will enjoy. Here’s another article with some great recommendations for mazes and other events. We particularly love how spooky Drayton Manor can get!
Spooky comic book
Why not grab some paper and pencils and make your own spooky comic book? Here is our quick guide which you can use as a starting point -just add vampires, zombies, witches or ghosts for a scream-filled adventure!!
Swap scary stories!
This is so simple but really effective! Make a den with cushions, blankets and lots of space for plenty of cuddles. Grab some torches and turn off the lights. Spooky! Now, share some scary stories with each other (obviously age appropriate!) and watch their imagination flow as they build on your ideas. It’ll be so amazing to hear what they come up with!
Trick or treating
We know how much fun dressing up is and visiting your neighbours to trick or treat. Try and have a look at the houses as you walk around to make sure that the homeowners would want visitors too – just look for a pumpkin or halloween decoration in the window. Also, have a think about what trick your little one can do too? Maybe they can say BOO really loudly, pull a scary face or jump out from behind you! It’s always fun to have a little chat with them about the trick too but, we think they’ll probably just get a treat.
Halloween films
Any excuse to watch a family film together is a winner in our eyes! Check out our five Halloween family-friendly favourites:
Muppets Haunted Mansion – Disney +
New this year (and only 50 minutes long!) watch as brilliant Gonzo accepts a challenge to spend the night in a spooky mansion! Lots of fun!
The Addams Family – Prime
They’re creepy and they’re kooky! There are lots of different versions of The Addams Family but we really like this animated version. Very funny and we think the kids will love it.
Paranorman – Netflix and Amazon Prime
This film follows the story of a boy who can communicate with the dead, and he uses the power to unravel a town-wide mystery! This is stop-motion animation at it’s finest.
Casper – Amazon Prime
This classic from 1995 (we feel very old right now!) is about the daughter of a ghost therapist. She’s recruited by the friendliest ghost of all time to help him handle some unfinished business! We’re sure it’ll bring back a lot of memories!
Haunted Mansion – Amazon Prime
Eddie Murphy is the lead in this film where the family inherits a haunted house! There will be lots of jumping but the kids will be laughing too!
Check out other family friendly film recommendations here.
Zombie rocks
Go for a walk to find some rocks to bring back home. You may even find these on the Halloween trails! Grab some paint (neon colours are great!) and add zombie designs onto the rocks. Can you do witch rocks? Vampire rocks? Have a play around and let their imagination run wild!
Toilet paper mummies
We couldn’t not mention the classic toilet paper mummy costume! So cheap to do but the kids will LOVE it! Get them to wrap you up, wrap them up and make sure you take lots of pictures. This could even be the costume for when you go trick or treating? Just make sure it’s not raining!
We really hope that you enjoyed all our suggestions for enjoying a spooktacular Halloween this half term. We’ll be adding other Halloween blogs soon and huge congratulations to Debbie Durrant who has won an AMAZING £100 Halloween hamper from Marks & Spencer! Have a look at our other blogs here, where you can find lots of different activities for your little ones including free printables!
Have the BEST Halloween!
Lots of love, Banjo HQ x
