Fun Activities that are Perfect for Halloween

You knew fall was coming when pumpkin spice lattes came back. Next thing you know, the leaves are changing colors and there is a chill in there air. Now it's time to decorate for Halloween. This exciting time of year is filled with so many different activities for adults and children alike. Get into the Halloween spirit and have fun with your grandchildren doing these spooky activities.

This exciting and colorful outdoor activity only comes around once a year. Round up the grandchildren or take a relaxing walk through the pumpkin patch yourself. Many pumpkin patches feature fall activities and events for the whole family. You won’t want to miss this opportunity for some fun. Check out your local patch, or see one of these remarkable locations:

• Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence, New York. Weekdays are free at the Great Pumpkin Farm and there is a costume contest the final weekend before Halloween. A hay maze, petting zoo, playground, and pumpkin parade are just a few of the excitements this festival offers.
• Autumn at the Arboretum in Dallas, Texas. At this festival adults dressed in costumes pay children’s admission price. The Pumpkin Village in the Arboretum has a record number of 75,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash. It features old Texas town houses that are made of pumpkins!
• Papa's Pumpkin Patch in Bismarck, North Dakota. This pumpkin patch has hauled in over 400,000 pounds of pumpkins this season. There are endless activities at this pumpkin patch. Papa’s has a pumpkin cannon, mazes, an obstacle course, horse-drawn hayrides, pony rides and zip lines just to name a few. It even has a “corn crib” that is like a sandbox but filled with corn kernels!
• Nash Ranch in Redding, California. This ranch features over 30 varieties of diverse pumpkins, winter squash, gourds, and decorative corn. The pumpkin patch and festival includes a farm animal petting zoo, hay maze, bounce house obstacle course and slide, pony rides, train ride, and play area. There is a craft fair every weekend and also a haunted house this October for those not faint of heart.

A corn maze is another fall event you do not want to miss. Many farms have stepped it up this year to compete with the “maze craze” excitement in recent years. Most of these mazes have a pumpkin patch to explore too. No need for you to miss out on anything this year. Find your local corn field that puts the “maze” in “amazing.” These farms have some of the biggest mazes in America:  

• Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, California. Cool Patch Pumpkins was recognized in 2007 by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the World’s Largest Corn Maze. Today the corn maze is 60 acres, beating their 40 acre record.
• Anderson Farms in Erie, Colorado. This 30-acre maze has three games to choose from as you find your way through the twists and turns. In the Farm Scene Investigation you will have a chance to collect evidence, find the location where the crime took place and the weapon. The farm also features a “Terror in the Corn” maze and “Zombie Paintball” wagon ride.
• Great Vermont Corn Maze in North Danville, Vermont. This farm advises arriving early to be able to solve this tricky maze. Past “mazers” were surprised by how complex this maze was and how easy it was to get lost in. With 10-12 foot high corn stalks you will have a blast finding your way through this maze.
• Richardson Farms in Spring Grove, Illinois. There are 5 separate maze games through the 33 acres of corn at Richardson Farms. This maze features a farm scene investigation, hidden checkpoints and a quiz questions maze game. Are you up for the challenge?  

You'll realize pumpkin carving isn’t what it used to be when you see the intricate designs many professionals create, such as the artist Ray Villafane. Villafane brings pumpkin craving to another level with his amazing pieces of art. The Arizona-based artist became especially popular after he participated in the Food Network’s show, "Outrageous Pumpkins". These types of carvings are inspiring, but you certainly don’t have to be a professional to have fun with this activity. Gather up the grandchildren and make this a family activity.

Tips for carving great pumpkins:

• Choose the right pumpkin. It is important to choose a pumpkin that is fresh, with a sturdy stem and no bruises. Picking one with a flat bottom that doesn’t roll helps too.
• Cut the lid at an angle, not straight up and down. This will create a cone shape so it will not fall inside your pumpkin. Also cut a little notch so it is easy to put into place.
• Draw the design you want with a dry erase marker. If you don’t like your work you can erase it! Take as many tries as you need for your pumpkin masterpiece.
• Remember to save those seeds. Add a little salt and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake the seeds at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Stir occasionally and you will have a tasty snack when they are done.

Halloween decorations are as fun to make as seeing your grandchildren’s reaction to them! Get in the Halloween spirit and create any of these easy DIY decorations:

• Glowing eyes. All you need for this decoration is some toilet paper rolls and glow sticks. Cut some scary looking eyes into the toilet paper roll and hide them in the bushes with the glow sticks inside to scare some trick or treaters.
• Bloody handprints. Mix some Elmer’s glue with red food coloring for this terrifying decoration. This mixture will cling to just about any smooth surface. Cover your palm with the red glue and press against any surface you want to decorate. Windows make an especially creepy spot for the handprints.
• Floating ghosts. This decoration couldn’t get any simpler. All you need is small white garbage bags, plastic shopping bags and some fishing line. Ball up some shopping bags and drape a garbage bag over the ball with the excess underneath. Tie some fishing line (or string will work) just below the ball to create the ghost’s neck. Connect the little ghost to a tree with fishing line to get the floating effect.
• Window silhouettes. These decorations can be easily made with black cardstock or cardboard that is painted black. Cut out some spiders, ghosts, witches, or anything else that will send a chill up your spine. Hang of the cutouts with a little tape and turn on your lights to have the house come alive. 

A scary movie marathon is the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit. Catch up on old classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Exorcist, The Shining, Carrie, Psycho, Halloween and Phantom of the Opera. Or check out some newer horror flicks like The Awakening, The Babadook, The Visit, Orphan, Black Death, Let the Right One In, 28 Weeks Later, or one of the many Paranormal Activity movies. Have fun and don’t forget to check under your bed when you go to sleep!

Have a blast this Halloween with any activity you choose to do. Adults and children alike can enjoy figuring out a corn maze, picking out and carving pumpkins and making some spooky decorations. Halloween is a time to get the family together for treats and traditions. Have fun and enjoy this October 31^st. 

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