Grammy on the Go
By Karen Shadrach
Holidays are looking different this year, but what can we do with the grandkids to make Halloween special without trick-or-treating? A few communities have decided to allow trick-or-treating, but if you still feel uncomfortable, there are other options. I would say that the kids’ favorite things about the holiday include dressing up in a costume and availability to candy! We can provide them with both, without going door-to-door throughout the neighborhood.
First… let them dress up! Either put together a costume from clothes they already own or purchase a new costume. Second… let the party begin!!
Halloween’s all about pumpkins and spooky stuff, so decorating together would be a fun thing to do. Carve or paint pumpkins and place them around on tables. Hang black and orange balloons, or buy the lit-up balloons that will glow in the dark. Use battery candles or neon light tubes to light up your pumpkins indoors. You can place cheesecloth over balloons for ghosts. Next, add some spooky music, or (our kid’s favorite) play the Monster Mash and Purple People Eater for them to sing along and dance. Create a photo wall by hanging streamers and other spooky decorations for the kids to pose in front of for a fantastic Halloween picture.
An easy, themed Halloween dinner can include making your own Jack-o-lantern or monster pizza using pepperoni and veggies for facial features. Also, you can roll up hot dogs in Pillsbury crescent rolls to make “mummies.” Baking Halloween cookies or cupcakes together provides both an activity and a special treat.
Now for the important candy gathering… If the weather cooperates, you can hide the candy outside. This idea will also work indoors. Using reflective tape, wrap a piece around each bar or box of candy and place them in your yard, either directly on the lawn or on top of a bush/tree branch. Let the kids use flashlights to find their candy treasures. They will love this hunt and the darkness will make this into a spooky adventure.
Another fun outdoor activity is to have a scavenger hunt. Hide a list of items and have them individually, or in teams, if enough are participating, find the items with clues. For younger children who cannot yet read, give instructions or clues out for one item at a time and then check back to you for the next item on the list.
Maybe you have one special neighbor or friend you can visit to show off your costume and share some of your candy. I am sure those that stay at home to hand out the candy to trick-or-treaters are missing that experience, also. If your grandkids have battery ride in cars/tractors, you could take them for a ride around the block in their costumes. I would not allow them to ride their bikes, however, as their costumes could become stuck within the bike frame or wheels.
You can wind down your Halloween evening with a campfire, followed by a movie. Roast marshmallows for s’mores. These make a great chocolate treat! S’mores can become fancier with cookies n cream chocolate bars and the addition of fruit, such as cherries, roasted inside of the marshmallows. The campfire is also a great place to tell and share spooky stories. Older grandchildren would also love to watch a scary movie with you. Younger children would enjoy watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown or E.T.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so you can spread out these ideas and others you may have over the weekend. Enjoy, and make it a special Halloween!
