New Ways to Celebrate Halloween With Your Kids (That Don't Involve Trick-or-Treating)

There are some people who feel like the only way to celebrate Halloween with their children is to take them trick-or-treating. However, that is entirely misleading. There are tons of ways parents can help their children celebrate the holiday without having to knock on strang doors. There is nothing wrong if a parent would choose to not participate in trick-or-treating. They most likely have a valid and logical reason.

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If they would like to still celebrate the Halloween season with their little ones, they could try alternatives such as throwing a little party or having a Halloween movie marathon session. Continue reading to find out more fun ways to celebrate Halloween with the kids that don’t involve trick-or-treating!

DECORATE THE HOUSE FOR HALLOWEEN & GET THE WHOLE FAMILY INVOLVED

Decorating the house and yard for Halloween can be a fun-filled family activity. From infants to grandparents, practically everyone can get involved. You can make it even more fun by creating some of your own decorations.

Decorating the house can quickly be turned into a memorable Halloween family tradition. Each year, you can have each of your children create a keepsake that they can cherish throughout the years. As they get older, it could be their very first set of decorations for their own houses.

A HALLOWEEN MOVIE MARATHON

Watching Halloween movies may very well be the best thing about this time of year! There are so many different spooktacular to choose from! For parents with younger children, there is the option to watch age-appropriate films; however, if you have older children and don't mind getting scared, you can throw on some great horror movies!

There are also usually some awesome Halloween-themed movies on TV that usually start airing at the beginning of October. So, instead of taking the children trick-or-treating, try having a Halloween movie marathon instead!



PLAN & THROW A SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN PARTY

This Halloween, you and your family can plan and throw a family-friendly party instead of trick-or-treating! It is a great way to spend some time with your loved ones and closest friends. It's the perfect way to have an amazing time while being able to socialize.

Try assigning your children certain tasks to get them involved in the party planning too. While preparing the food yourself is an option, to save time and money, guests can be asked to bring along one of their favorite dishes.

CREATE & BAKE HALLOWEEN GOODIES

Trick-or-treating isn't the only fun way for kids to get yummy holiday goodies! Why not try baking or creating your own Halloween goodies for the entire family to enjoy? Most craft stores even sell the meltable chocolate along with an astonishing variety of moldings to create your own lollipops and candies.

Assuming they are old enough, children should be asked to assist with the kitchen fun. Plus, if your child has allergies to any food or is on a special diet, making your own delicious treats is a safer alternative to going out trick-or-treating!

HAVE A HALLOWEEN THEMED FAMILY GAME NIGHT

To have some holiday fun with the little ones -- if trick-or-treating isn't your thing -- you can plan an action-packed Halloween themed game night. You can either try playing some traditional store-bought games or try searching the internet for age-appropriate games to play.

For those feeling particularly creative, you can even invent your own Halloween games to enjoy with your loved ones! Why not invite some close friends over and make an entire night of it?

Source:  https://www.moms.com/halloween-parents-children-fun-activities-trick-treat/

Make Your Family Day At Disney Stress-Free

Disney is both the happiest place on Earth and the most magical (depending on which park you visit), but it may not always seem that way when visiting with little ones. Luckily, there are a few tricks parents can learn to help them and their toddlers enjoy a happy and magical day at Disney!

Visiting Disney parks for a day can get costly quickly, and dealing with a cranky child while spending big bucks can mean grumpy parents, too. But it doesn't have to be this way! You can take your toddler to the wonderful world of Disney and enjoy your time as a family. Simple tricks such as not skipping nap time and taking time to splurge on your own treats can make your day at Disney fun for everyone.

We rounded up a few of our favorite ways to make your day at Disney (and your toddler's) stress-free!

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PLAN AROUND NAP TIMES

If your little one needs a nap every day around 1 p.m. it's probably best not to line up for a ride at 12:30 p.m. After all, just imagine how cranky your toddler (and you) will be having to finish the line and ride during nap time.

Instead, it's a good idea to plan breaks around your kid's nap times and head back to your room for a bit or find a way they can sleep on the go. For example, bring a fan to attach to their stroller while they catch up on their rest.



TAKE SNACKS AND EVEN MORE SNACKS

Snacks at Disney are amazing, there's no denying that, but they're also quite costly. Instead of splurging all day on over-priced treats, pack some of your toddler's favorites in order to have a more budget-friendly visit.

It's fun to have a few treats while at Disney, but as parents, you know how much and how often kids can eat. A lot! Toddlers will be just as excited to get a pack of goldfish crackers or fruit snacks as you will be to save money on similar treats at the park.

BE PREPARED TO BE EXTRA PATIENT

Visitors to Disney know they will most likely be spending a good part of the day standing in lines and walking through crowds. Patience is simply a part of the Disney experience!

As parents, especially when taking toddlers, you will want to plan on being a bit more patient than usual. Pushing a stroller through a crowd, having an over-excited toddler, and trying to figure out where to go next can lead to a stressful visit for parents unless mentally prepared.


GO WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE

Disney is not immune to the weather. It may seem like its own little world, but Disney parks definitely experience some extreme temperatures! The parks located in Florida and California can see severe heat (including humidity in Florida!), which makes for an uncomfortable visit for anyone.

Toddlers and young children are especially affected by hot temperatures as they don't handle discomfort as well as adults. Braving the rain may not seem like a big deal to adults, but kids won't want to spend time being soaked. Do yourself a favor and try to go when the weather is a bit nicer, such as springtime.

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LOOK UP DISNEY'S PARK RULES BEFOREHAND


The park has a few rules that may affect families with young ones, such as the size of strollers allowed in the park. Some items, such as glass containers (except baby food jars), are also not allowed. Wagons are also prohibited, which may surprise families with children who are not familiar with Disney parks.



Things such as balloons and plastic straws are not allowed in Disney's Animal Kingdom, which may be inconvenient for families trying to visit more than one park a day. Of course, these are just a few examples of rules that may affect families. Going over the entire list is a good idea prior to your trip to avoid having to throw out any valuables!


SOURCE: https://www.moms.com/make-your-day-at-disney-with-toddlers-stress-free/

Halloween time! 10 Pumpkin Recipes Kids Will Love

Kids already know Halloween is all about costumes and chocolate. But there's one main thing that many people enjoy about the fall season, and that's pumpkin.

It's the time for Pumpkin Spice Coffee's, warmer clothing, and putting Pumpkin into everything and anything that you can. But while you love pumpkin, your kids might not.

Thankfully, there are many great ways to prepare this food so the whole family can enjoy it.

PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE

Smoothies are a great way for children to get nutrients and ingredients that they might not want to eat... and since pumpkin is so healthy (it has Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Potassium), it's a good idea to put this food into a smoothie.



Everyone loves a nice, creamy smoothie, and this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie from Saving Room For Dessert is perfect for the fall season. With vanilla almond milk, canned pumpkin puree, banana, Greek yogurt, and more, your children will be so happy.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

What's better than a muffin? Making a batch of muffins with your kids... and using the blender. These Pumpkin Muffins from Cooking Light are perfect for families since they're simple to make and won't take much time.

This recipe has ingredients like maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, and rolled oats. These are things that you might have in your kitchen (and if you're out of a few, they can be found at any grocery store). These are great for snacks and breakfast.



APPLE BACON PIZZA WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE

Frugal Nutrition's Apple Bacon Pizza With Pumpkin Sauce has sweet and savory flavors that kids love (apple and bacon)... plus it's pizza, so it's family-friendly. You'll make the pumpkin sauce from milk, pumpkin puree, and other delicious ingredients. Your children will adore this so much and ask you to make it a lot, so it's definitely going to become a weekly tradition to make this pizza recipe.