Happy Halloween! . PBS Parents

Halloween is an exciting time for kids and kids at heart. And, it's the only night of the year, when we happily await ghosts and ghouls at our door! We have lots of ideas to entertain your little goblins this Halloween: Help them whip up a creepy treat in the kitchen. Consider planning a costume parade. Or, how about finding fun, non-candy items for trick-or-treaters? Whatever you decide, we wish you a safe and "spooktacular" holiday!

Activities

Have a ghostly good time with these activities.

Celebrate Halloween with Cyberchase. Hear a spooky song, print coloring pages and find lots more ghoulish fun!

Halloween Fun

Spooky Recipes from Zoom

Costume Ideas

Tricks for a Fun and Healthy Halloween

Think out of the bag (of candy, that is) this Halloween. Check out these ideas and activities that go beyond loading up little ghouls with sugary sweets.

Make a "Buddy" Costume!

If your child is a fan of Dinosaur Train, why not turn him into Buddy for Halloween? Jim Henson's Creature Shop has created sew and no-sew options. Take a look.

Safety Tips

The happiest Halloweens are the ones that don't involve injuries. Help ensure a safe Halloween for your trick-or-treaters with the following tips:

Only go to houses that are lit.
Make sure everyone has flashlights with fresh batteries.
Add reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
Always walk on sidewalks. If there aren’t any, walk on the left side of the road, facing oncoming vehicles.
Remind children of safety basics, such as never talking to or getting into a car with strangers.

Get more tips from the PBS KIDS safety expert, Caillou.

Share a Not-So-Scary Story

Since Halloween is on a Saturday this year, kids will be able to continue their celebrations over the weekend. Carve out some time to share a Halloween story with your child. Here are some not-so-scary tales to consider.

Alternative Halloween Treats

There’s no law that says candy must be distributed on Halloween. Bring smiles to costumed-kids by offering them non-edible treats. Try to find these items in bulk from online party supply stores for extra savings:

Glow sticks
Rubber bracelets
Trading cards
Stickers or temporary tattoos
Brightly colored pencils
Rubber insects