Halloween Party - Englewood, FL

Instead of bobbing for apples in water which is dangerous for young kids, take fishing line and thread it through marshmallows. Then tie a knot on the end. Hang the lines from the ceiling and the kids have to eat the marshmallows with their hands behind their back. Also, you might want a simple craft project with halloween stickers, printed coloring pages or even the sticky foam pieces from the craft store. Ghosts made from Kleenex are always fun and aren't scary for little ones.

Kudos to you for wanting to take on such a task. I think it would be too overwhelming for me, so I have no advice for you there other than good luck!

I wanted to give you my two cents, however, on the holloween candy issue. I really dislike giving my kids candy other than for an infrequent special treat. Last year was the first year we took them trick-or-treating (they are now 4 and 2.5) and we told them ahead of time about the "Switch Witch" - you leave your candy out for her and she takes it and leaves you a new toy in its place. We usually let them keep a lollipop or two and I'll have purchased ahead an inexpensive toy I know they'll like and they get to find it waiting for them the following morning. The switch witch will only come when kids are sleeping, though! Hope this helps...

T.,

You are a woman after my own heart. I love Holidays even when the kids are young.

For the driveway. You can make paper bag cut outs and put some cand inside the lunch bags and illuminate your drive way. As it gets closer to halloween you can often find the paper bags already cut out in stores.

For the kids. Buy small pumpkins and let them paint faces on them. These can dry while htey are out trick or treating.

Make crafts. Michaels usually has a lot of kits that you can make 10 crafts all the same sor all the kids. Or if you like to internet shop try www.orientaltrading.com They usually have great stuff. Another great resources is www.familyfun.com They have great ideas but you have to do the shopping. I subscribed to there magazine when my kids were littlier.

Do fun food too. Publix usually has cute cookbooks in the check out line that are only a few dollars and have ideas for thinkgs like punch with frozen hands made out of gloves floating in them.

Bobbing for apples is always a good activity.

If you have a pick up truck or a trailer when you go trick or treating hall them all around in this. You can even put ahy in it for a hay ride. Take a cooler costumes and walking make you hat and thirsty.

When you are done trick or treating you can come nack to your house for Ice Cream Sundays. You can allow the kids to pick a candy or two and put them on the ice cream sundays.

You can also have a fire and roast marshmallows, Use chocolate from trick or treating for your smores.

Good Luck and do not think any ides is too much. Kids love over the top.

I fondly recall a block party, where neighbors made treats (not all sugar, but healthy snacks) and we collected large boxes and made a "dungeon"...it was so much fun to have all the neighbors dress up, have treats, and climd through the maze. Since you have a long driveway, perhaps this will make a fun event for you and the neighbors.

you could do a lot of pumkins, and have games like pin the wart on the witch or bob for apples.
let me know what you come up with, i could use the same advice myself, i want a halloween party.

Real simple, if they are all leaving to go Trick or Treating they won't be there long any way. Are you planning on feeding them? If so do hot dogs. Cut out cookies are great for them to frost and decorate. They seem to be a hit at any party. You could have orange, yellow, white and chocolate frosting. Then halloween decorations for them to put on. Sprinkles, etc....
You can have them decorate their own pumpkin, that also was fun for the girls at any age. Just get some small pumpkins, markers, maybe some stick on eyes, etc..
A pumpkin hunt is a lot of fun. You can buy the plastic pumpkins at the dollar tree like 12 for a $1.00. Buy some little treats or put coins in them. Hide them all out in the yard and let the kids find them.
Instead of dunking for apples we let them do an apple pick when they were little. Fill a tub full of water, put numbers on the bottom of the apples. They pick an apple and get a prize.
If you talk to the other parents and are going to have enough events there to the kids to do they more than likely will stay there and enjoy the evening instead of taking the kids out trick or treating.
You could also tell each parent how many children are expected and have them bring enough treats to trick or treat each child. They can trick or treat each other. It's a lot safer than taking them out.
The sucker tree is always a great hit at all parties. A fishing pond, basketball toss, bean bag toss. Set it up like a small carnival. The kids will love it. You might even consider getting a bounce for the back yard.
But I wouldn't over do it this first year and add to it each year as your child ages. You will soon be known as the best house to be at for Halloween....
Oh, don't forget to make the popcorn balls. They are always a hit.

Hi! Great idea. I plan to do a Halloween themed b-day party for my daughter one of these years. Take some bowls and fill them with the following one put peeled grapes in, one boiled spaghetti and in the 3rd not quite set up completely jello. Cover them and put a slit in so the kids can put thier hands in and guess what's in there. Creepy, but not scary. You can also have the kids make graveyard sundaes. Crush up some oreos for dirt and get some gummy worms. Let the kids layer the dirt and worms with ice cream. You can also make little tombstone cookies. I also make spiderweb cupcakes. Frost cupcakes with white frosting then make circles with black food coloring gel then drag a toothpick through the circles and viola spiderwebs! You can have a costume contest and make a spooky punch with dry ice too.

This is completely in response to your limiting candy wants. I know many Mama's who trade the candy for a toy. Or ration it to one piece a day. The first year we took our son TnTing, I did the toy trade deal. He 22 1/2 months old and I wasn't allowing candy until he was 3. We went because I knew he would enjoy it and since he had never had candy before, he didn't care that he didn't get any-not sure he even knew what it was. Last year, he got one piece a day and then I decided he would only get a piece if he pooped on the potty. Worked like a charm.

Not sure what we will do this year about candy. I think give him a choice. Either trade the candy for an item he wants or the one piece a day thing. Or might let him select a few pieces to keep (one a day still) and trade the rest for a toy.