Family Concerns

Most children like all things Halloween. As adults, we assume it’s because Halloween means candy and children generally love candy. But many children love more than just the abundance of candy at Halloween time. They really get into the ghoulish aspect of the holiday and delight in the displays of goopy brains and squishy body parts.

Halloween games, therefore, can be really fun and goopy, if you wish. The children will go with it, don’t worry.

First up, a brain game. There’s a fun game on store shelves where you pick through a rubber “brain” to figure out what’s in it. You can create this easily yourself. Make some jello and fill it with a variety of items, such as gummy worms and other gummy candies, some small candy and trinkets and other items. Tell the children to root around in the bowl of jello (call it a “brain” if this will get the children more interested) to figure out what’s in it. It’s goopy and messy and children love it. Better still, color the jello black so it’s too dark to see what’s inside and it looks more like goopy brain matter (the way kids see it, anyway).

In that same, or similar vein, children love the spaghetti game. Be sure they are wearing a smock over their clothes or are wearing play clothes before playing this game. Make a big bowl of spaghetti and fill it with all kinds of items, such as plastic bugs, gummy worms and other items that might feel a bit strange. Make the children feel around in the bowl of spaghetti and identify the items they feel. Once they are done and cleaned up, have them list as many items as they can remember. Whoever gets the most items listed (and right) gets a prize. Spaghetti, anyone?

Of course any Halloween game or activity is much more fun if you are have a scary face painting design painted on your face. There are so many designs to suitable for the halloween holidays. For example how about a skull, ghost, witch, or an alien. And, you’ll be pleased to know that learning to face paint is not that hard. Even if you think you are not artistic. All you need is to follow along to step by step instruction.
face painting patterns
face paintings
face painting designs

And, of course, practice, practice , practice those face painting designs. But you’ll find you are never short of volunteers to sit for you. In fact, you are likely to find that you’re the most popular mom in the neighborhood.