Have a spook-tastic weekend!
Wednesday, October 26th, 2022
It is that wonderful time of year again where the witches and goblins are out on show and there are magnificent displays of pumpkins everywhere. For some young children they love all the lights and the spooky witching wooing noises, the vibrant colours from the face-paints to dress-up.
For others this can be completely overwhelming to see all the scary facemasks, the loud noises from the fireworks that are been released throughout the month of October. This can often be supported with a little and often approach. Showing children that it is ok and been reassuring to their needs.
Young children love sensory play and Halloween is a fun time for this. The textures can be all squishy, sticky, slimy and wet. This sort of play is really beneficial and calming for any child but in particular young children really adore it. There are plenty off-the-shelf products out there. However, from a sustainability point of view it is very easy to achieve this using in the cupboard stables that you may have in your kitchen press.
Sensory Activity -wriggly worms sensory play
1. Cook spaghetti according to packet instructions.
2. When it’s cooked immediately rinse it under cold water in a colander.
3. Separate the spaghetti into ziplock bags. {1 bag per colour}
4. In each bag add a few drops of food colouring and a cap full of vinegar.
5. Seal the bag and mix the colour around by lightly scrunching the bag.
6. Once the spaghetti is coloured, rinse it under cold water again to remove any excess food colouring.
A really simple activity to do. Using some cooled cooked spaghetti or pasta. Place this on a tray or into a Ziploc bag. You can try hiding some little plastic spiders, or some objects for your child to find. Your little one will love trying to remove these from the bag. It is a fun activity to do with your child. Watching their facial reactions is great fun!
Baking fun
Baking is also a good activity to do with your child. There are lots of great ideas out there. This non-baking activity is a nice one to share with your child as you can allow them the freedom to get creative with their decoration skills.
Oww gooie Marshmallow Pops
Marshmallows
300g’s chocolate to melt
assorted sprinkles
Lollipop sticks
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Insert a lollipop stick into each marshmallows.
Melt chocolate carefully.
Working with one marshmallow at a time, spoon the melted candy over the sides of a marshmallow and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Immediately coat with festive sprinkles. Place
marshmallow on prepared baking sheet until the chocolate coating is set.
Repeat with remaining marshmallows.
Pumpkin Carving
Over the last 10 years Pumpkin carving has become a popular Halloween activity in Ireland. Pumpkins are readily available in our local supermarkets. However, for some the tradition of going to a pumpkin farm to pick their pumpkin is now an annual Halloween tradition and a fun way to create family memories. Especially when the children are young.
The traditional scary faced pumpkin is almost a thing of the past. Today, we see lots of creative artworks out there. Here is a quick easy how to help you carve your pumpkin guide.
What you need
- Pumpkin
- Metal ice scoop
- Printed template
- Washable markers
- Pumpkin carving tool kit
Step-by-Step Directions
Pick Your Pumpkin
Plan your design in advance. If you are going to do a pumpkin with more detail try and get a pumpkin with a flatter surface, firm and have stems attached.
Cut and scrape
Rinse off your pumpkin, using a sharp knife cut an opening in the top or bottom of the pumpkin. Using your metal ice cream scoop or a large spoon scrape the flesh of the pumpkin out.
Draw your design
To create your design there are lots of templates out there available on the internet. You could select, one print, stick to your pumpkin and cut using the carving tools. Alternatively, if you want a authentic personalised designed pumpkin, using a washable marker or a white board marker – freehand draw your design. Then using the carving tools to carve your design.
The most important think is to have fun! The children will have great ideas and suggestions for the design so keeping it simple will go a long way!
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