Top ten unique kids Halloween party games

Halloween party games for kids are just as fun to invent as they are to play. They can be spooky, silly or just plain gross. If you have smaller children it's probably best to keep them out of the scarier games. Everything is real to them. Older kids can play any of these. Use discretion with the young ones.

1. A long tale of terror

All the players sit in a circle in the dark. The host starts the story with a single sentence, such as "The black cat crossed Jason's path." A flashlight is passed from player to player. As each player adds a sentence to the long tale of terror, they shine the flashlight up at their face (which they may contort in any way they want). Game is done when the story is done.

2. Bowling for ghosts

Decorate toy plastic bowling pins to look like ghosts. This is done by gluing on cheesecloth sheets. Use small pumpkins as balls to make it challenging. Each child gets three chances to knock down the ghosts. Candy prizes are given for each strike or spare.

3. Mummy wrapper

Split your party guests into teams of two. Each team is given an equal size roll of bathroom tissue. One member of each team is the mummy. The other is the wrapper. The object of the game is to get the whole roll of tissue onto your mummy first. Make it clear that eyes and mouth are not to be covered.

4. Crazy Halloween make-up contest

Each player gets a Halloween make-up kit and a small hand held mirror. A timer is set for ten minutes. Players rush to make themselves into monsters. When the timer goes off everyone votes for the scariest face.

5. Last balloon standing

Each player writes their name on a balloon which is tied to their leg with a 3 foot long string. The host or hostess yells go. Everyone must try to pop each others balloons while mimicking monsters. The last balloon standing wins.

6. Haunted Halloween treasure hunt

This game is played outdoors in the dark. Each child is given a treat bag and a flashlight. They must find the hidden treasure (Halloween candy and party favors). The game ends when all the treasure is found. Encourage lucky treasure finders to share with their not so lucky friends so no one is left out.

7. Slimy parts

Slimy home made body parts are passed around with a spooky description of each. For example, "Here's Johnny one eyes other eye, lost when it popped out from fright". The players can only feel the body part, which is in a paper bag. Everyone tries to guess what it is made of.

8. Make the zombies laugh

One player is "it". Everyone else walks around in complete silence with arms outstretched. "It" must try to make the others laugh. Once a player laughs he joins "it" in trying to make the Zombies laugh. The last zombie to laugh wins.

9. Witch ghost chase

Each team starts with 10 white balloons (the ghosts) and pushes them, one at a time, player by player, in a mad relay race with a witches broom. If a balloon pops it's the next players turn. The team to get the most ghosts over the finish line wins.

10. Monster tag

One child is the monster. The monster is blind folded and cannot see his victims. When the monster growls the victim he is closest to must scream. This is how the monster catches his victims. You are caught if the monster touches you. The last surviving victim is the winner.

Traditional little boys Halloween costumes from the dollar store

Halloween is here. Your budget demands cheap Halloween costumes for kids. What can you do with 5.00 or less to spend on a little boys Halloween costume? Head to the dollar store. You'll find all kinds of accessories that can be used for costume making. Combine dollar store items with regular clothes to make cute boys Halloween costumes.

Note: These days, we aren't so gender specific with our costumes. Girls could certainly wear them too.

Construction worker

The dollar store has hard hats and other construction items. Purchase a cheap tool belt with plastic tools and a yellow hard hat. Blue jeans and a plaid shirt make the little boys construction worker Halloween costume look authentic. Total cost for this Halloween costume is well under 5 bucks.

Fireman

The dollar store sells all kinds of play hats. Purchase a red fireman hat to start with. Check for a cheap plastic disposable rain coat in yellow. If you can't find a yellow one, get a can of spray paint and paint a clear one yellow. Use the same yellow spray paint on a pair of old pants. Black boots or shoes complete the fireman costume.

Cowboy

Yee haw! Most little boys and girls have played cowboy. A cowboy hat and pretend gun belt with gun can always be found at the dollar store. If your little cowpoke has a pair of boots, slide those on. Cowboys wear blue jeans and plaid shirts just like construction guys. Sew on a bit of fringe here and there if you like. Don't forget the blue paisley bandanna for an authentic touch.

Pirate

The dollar store has no shortage of pirate accessories. From eye patches to swords and such they've got abundant pirate accessories for little boys. Tuck a pair of brown pants into boots. Add a shredded over sized t-shirt for good measure. Fasten a black belt around the waist of your little swashbuckler. This dollar store Halloween costume looks like a million bucks.

Vampire

The dollar store carries fake blood, face make up and fangs for little boys who want to be vampires on Halloween. Some dollar stores even have capes. If your dollar store has no capes, you can make one from a scrap piece of fabric. Little boys wear white shirts, bow ties and black pants with this dollar store Halloween costume.

Super cute homemade super hero costumes for dogs

There are some really cute homemade Halloween dog costumes out there. Pet owners seem to get a kick out of dressing dogs up for Halloween and other holidays. Halloween stores carry a huge variety of super hero costumes for dogs but a homemade costume is more fun for creative pet owners. Here's a few ideas for homemade super hero Halloween costumes for little dogs.

Superman

If your dog has a little blue bodysuit coat, you can turn it into a homemade superman outfit he can't take off. Purchase a superman insignia at a craft or costume store. Sew or glue it to the front of the coat. Stitch a red bandanna "cape" to the collar of the coat in the back. Now you have a one piece indestructible homemade super hero Halloween costume for your little doggy.

Batman/Batgirl

Use a little gray dog body suit for this homemade super hero costume. Sew or glue a bat insignia to the front. Bat girl gets a little black skirt for her costume. These can be bought or made easily with just a bit of black fabric and some elastic. A black bandanna super hero cape is sewn to the neck of the body suit in the back. You can find little headband bat ears for doggies in most craft stores.

Wonder Woman

This homemade super hero costume is super sweet. Use a little red dog shirt for the top. Sew or glue a gold wings insignia to the front. A tiny blue skirt with white stars is made with some elastic and a star bandanna from the craft store. Use a red and white striped bandanna sewn to the back of the shirt as a cape. Make a headband by sewing a gold star applique to a white little dog headband.

Zorro

Zorro is a simple super hero costume to make. Zorro is dressed all in black with a black cape. Use a little black body suit as the base for this homemade costume. Sew a black bandanna cape to the back of the neck. Cut a large lightening Z out of gold fabric and sew to the front of the body suit. Zorro usually wears a black cloth tied mask. Cut holes in a back bandanna so your little dog can see. He may or may not keep the mask on.

Spiderman

For the Spiderman super hero costume, you'll need a red hooded little dog body suit. Believe it or not, these are pretty common pet store items. Glue or sew a Halloween spider applique on the front center of the suit. Spiderman is one super hero who has no cape. He does have a spider web on his suit. Draw a spider web outward from the spider on the front of the suit with a felt tipped marker. Draw another web on the back so people will recognize your little super hero.

Quick, last-minute teen Halloween costumes using common household items

Why would you want to make a Halloween costume using household items? Because you don't have time to do anything else. Your teen's been invited to a Halloween party at the last minute. It's the party of the year. All the cool kids will be there. Your teen simply has to go. What to wear? Here are five quick costumes that use items you have on hand.

Fat chef

White pants, a white shirt, red tie and an apron can be found in most homes. Don't forget to stuff a pillow in their shirt for plumpness. Put an old beret (or a chef's hat if you have one) on their head. Glue a disposable serving tray (with disposable champagne glasses glued to it) to their shirt sleeve so that when they raise their arm, it'll be in carrying position but if they get tired, they won't lose it.

Guess who's for dinner?

It's your teen on a platter. This costume begins with a red checked plastic tablecloth glued to a cardboard square. The square is the table the tablecloth plays itself. Cut a hole in both for your teen's head. Make a platter out of cardboard, spray painted silver. Cut the same size head hole in the platter. Glue the platter to the center of the table, lining up the holes. Use make-up to turn your kid into the goriest dinner entree ever. Don't forget to accent the table with other glued on disposable dinnerware, salt, pepper and wine glasses.

UFO witness

Why is it they always find the craziest people to interview whenever there's a UFO sighted? Dress your teen up like a goofy Billy Bob or big haired Bobby Sue. Have them carry a UFO magazine in their pocket or open play purse. Make a tin foil hat to ward off the aliens. For an even better effect, dress a sibling or friend up as a reporter. Just give them a play microphone with the TV channel written on it. Have them wear a suit and interview your witness.

Old-school robot

All you need are some buttons, a lot of cardboard boxes with center holes cut in them and a can of silver spray paint. Paint all the boxes. Let dry. Kids wear the larger ones on their body, smaller ones on arms and legs. Glue buttons on to operate the robot. For a special touch, tie an old rabbit ear TV antenna to their head or have them carry an old remote.

Prevent Halloween tooth decay with these handy tips

Are you concerned about tooth decay caused by kids eating too much Halloween candy? Afraid the tooth fairy will pay an unexpected visit on Halloween? Wondering what you can do to prevent tooth decay from too many Halloween goodies? Keep your kids cavity free on Halloween with these smart tooth decay prevention tips.

Limit consumption

Just because kids bring home a full bag of candy, doesn't give them license to eat the whole thing right away. Keep Halloween candy in the freezer . Limit kids to just a few pieces a day, or even a few pieces a week. This makes sense not only for preventing tooth decay but for weight gain prevention too.

Toys not sugar

Are you truly concerned about tooth decay? Consider throwing your own Halloween party. Offer some small toys as treats, instead of sugary candy. Kids may rebel from a complete lack of candy. Try to keep it to a minimum to prevent tooth decay.

Sugar free treats

Make that minimal candy sugar free to prevent tooth decay. There are many tasty varieties of sugar free candy on the market today. Consider other options such as dried fruit, punch made with real fruit juice and other healthy snacks.

Concentrate on activities

Try to make the Halloween activities so much fun that kids aren't even thinking about candy. Plan a haunted house, carnival games and even a pinata with toy prizes instead of candy. Have kids help with decorations and entertainment too.

Avoid soda pop

Candy isn't the only tooth decay culprit on holidays like Halloween. Sugary drinks, especially carbonated ones can multiply tooth decay problems. The acid in soda pop wears down tooth enamel, causing a greater risk for cavities and other dental issues.

Drink water

Teach your kids to drink water between high sugar Halloween treats. Even fruit juice shouldn't linger on teeth. It may not be possible to brush teeth after every snack when away from home. Drinking plenty of water will rinse most of the sugar from teeth.

Brush and floss often

Kids should know to brush and floss between meals and snacks. Halloween is a great time to reinforce this tooth decay prevention technique. Consider buying kids a new fun electric toothbrush for Halloween. Electric toothbrushes can help kids with developing coordination do a better job of brushing. Kids love to use them too, which means they are more likely to brush.

No-sew Halloween costume - Thing One and Thing Two

Thing One and Thing Two Halloween costumes are the perfect choice for twins or siblings close in age. They make a great best friend or couples costume for adults too. Even teens love this idea. Plus, they're extremely simple to make. No sewing is required to bring these Dr. Seuss characters to life. You might even have the main body of the costume already. How easy is it to make these no-sew costumes? It's simple as one, two, three.

Thing One and Thing Two are red in color.

In fact, they're red all over. How do you accomplish this without sewing? Use footed red pajamas as the main part of the Halloween costume. Your kids may already have some. Are they getting a bit small? That's OK. Cut out the feet. Now kids can wear sturdy, comfortable shoes for trick or treating.

How do you make that famous blue hair?

If you're really ambitious, you can use knit hats and some blue yarn. Just poke each strand of yarn through the hats. Knot it on the inside so it doesn't pull back through. If this sounds like too much work, you can buy blue wigs. Justify your purchase when you make those troll doll costumes next year.

How will people recognize Thing One and Thing Two?

Cut circles from an old white t-shirt. Write on them with bold black marker, "Thing 1" and "Thing 2". Pretty easy, right? How do you attach the circle to the costume without sewing? Use fabric glue or iron on tape. Too complicated? Use safety pins. Pin from the inside of the red pj's so pins don't show.

Bonus ideas:

Glue fishbowls to the wigs of Thing One and Thing Two.

Use artificial (dries solid) water from the floral department of a craft store. Let it dry almost completely before adding your plastic fish. That way, he can appear to be jumping out of the water.

Bring Thing One and Thing Two to the party in a box.

An old shipping crate works great. They'll have to get to the party before everyone else and hide in the box. Still, the grand entrance will be worth it. It might even earn them first prize for best costume.

Grown ups can join in the fun by dressing as The Cat in the Hat.

After all, someone has to open the box. You'll need a red and white striped tall top hat, a black t-shirt and black pants. You'll also need white gloves for your hands and a big red bow to tie around your neck. Use Halloween make-up to draw yourself a cat face.

No-sew budget Halloween costumes kids can make

Store-bought Halloween costumes were not part of the equation back in the day. How did kids come up with creative, realistic costumes on their own? It wasn't as hard as you might think. In fact, many kids still make their own original costumes now. A wide variety of costumes that can be created with very little money and no sewing. Here's a few ideas kids can read through to get them started.

A pirate costume is one of the easiest.

Tuck stretchy pants into boots. Wear a white shirt that's miles too big. Cinch it around the waist with a wide belt. Tuck a fake knife or sword into the belt. Can't afford to buy a sword? Cut one out of cardboard. Cover the "blade" with aluminum foil. Button the cuffs of the shirt. Use scrunchy pony tail holders to cause a puffy shirt effect on the sleeves. Tie a colorful rag around your head. Wear gold hoop earrings. Toss some bulky chains around your neck. Tie a bag of fake coins to your belt.

Lady pirate? Simply add a layered skirt.

Be a bag of jelly beans for Halloween.

Take a body size clear plastic bag from the dry cleaner. Cut holes in the non-open side for your feet. Step into the bag, putting your feet through the holes. Fill with multicolored balloons. Tie at the top of your shoulders on each side. Wear a ribbon sash proclaiming Jelly Beans. Add a goofy, colorful hat with jelly beans glued on for fun.

Sherlock Holmes is on the case with this no-sew costume.

Wear a trench coat with a plaid scarf around the neck and tucked in at the front. Add a plaid beret type hat. Put a long curved smoking pipe between your teeth. Carry a magnifying glass. Talk about Dr. Watson and Scotland Yard a lot in a British accent.

Little girls love to be fairies on Halloween.

Dress in green tights and a long sleeved matching shirt. Tie a piece of elastic around your waist. Tie multicolored strips of tulle to the elastic. Tie a flower ribbon garland in your hair. Add wings from the dollar store. Spray them with spray glue and sprinkle them all over with fine glitter. Wear ballet shoes or jelly shoes sprayed with glue and glitter too. Flit off to your party.

Old school nerds make great Halloween characters

Wear plaid pants that are too short. Add dress shoes and non-matching socks. Wear a short sleeved dress shirt with a bow tie. Don't forget your pocket protector and pens. Wear goofy black glasses with a big nose attached. Pin a sign on your back written on notebook paper that says "kick me". Tape a piece of bathroom tissue (crepe paper) to the bottom of your shoe.

Be a cereal killer for Halloween.

No, I did not spell that wrong. Wear an old trench coat. Glue small snack size cereal boxes all over it. Spray paint plastic knives silver. Stick the knives into the cereal boxes. Drip craft paint blood splotches on each box. For an added touch, hold a bloody plastic knife in your hand too.

Want to be a three headed monster for Halloween?

Stuff 2 scary rubber whole head masks with tissue or newspaper. Glue on fake rubber eyes. Pin the bottom of each head securely to your shirt on each shoulder. Wear another creepy mask on your head. Cut three slits in a large, long black piece of fabric or sheet. (one slit for each head). Put the fabric over your heads. Put your heads through the slits.

It wouldn't be Halloween without a dead bride or two.

Wear an old wedding type dress and veil that has been dragged through the dirt and shredded. Paint your entire face, neck and hands with white Halloween make-up. Rub blue and black make-up circles around your eyes. Wear bright red lipstick. Paint your nails black. Have a friend sprinkle baby powder into your uncombed hair while you close your eyes. Tangle a giant fake spider into your hair. Put a fake noose around your neck.

Make cheap, green Halloween trick or treat bags using household items

Halloween comes every year. Why not make a cheap, green, reusable trick or treat bag? It seems wasteful to use plastic Halloween bags that end up in the trash. Make a cloth Halloween trick or treat bag that's ecofriendly, cheap, re-usable and unique. Kids will love their special handmade trick or treat bags, no matter how you make them.

Shopping bag

Most grocery stores sell cheap shopping bags for as little as a dollar. Use these as a base for your green trick or treat bags. Cover the store logo with Halloween fabric or some cute Halloween patches from a craft store. If you don't sew, use fabric glue or iron on tape to adhere the fabric and patches to the bag.

Pillowcase

An old plain colored pillowcase can be turned into a cheap green trick or treat bag. Purchase two small brass rings from the craft store. Fold each corner of the open end of the pillow case over one of the rings. Sew or glue the fabric in place. Tie colorful string through the rings for handles. Decorate as you did the shopping bag.

Discount fabric

Each year when Halloween is over, you'll find great clearance bargains on decorative Halloween fabric. You'll need about a yard to make a cheap green trick or treat bag. Turn the fabric inside out. Sew, glue or use iron on fabric tape to make the side seam. Turn the open side under and hem the same way. Turn right side out. Use the same handle method as with the pillowcase bag.

Old T-shirt

Turn an old short sleeved t-shirt inside out. Sew, hem tape or glue the bottom together. Turn it back right side out. Loop the sleeves over two 3 inch brass rings. Sew, fabric tape or glue sleeves to the body of the shirt. These hold the string handles. The open neck is where the candy goes in. Decorate this treat bag with Halloween patches, appliques and lettering.

Mesh laundry bag

This one is plain and simple but easy for toddlers. It holds itself open. Use a Halloween colored mesh laundry bag from the dollar store. Thread an embroidery hoop into the bag where the string is. Leave the string in the bag. A toddler can carry this trick or treat bag by the string or the hoop. It stays open for filling.

Little girls Halloween costumes from the dollar store

Many little girls love to play dress up. Halloween is the perfect excuse for them to dress in costumes. The dollar store offers so many dress up items. The potential for Halloween costumes is endless. Why buy expensive costumes when the dollar store has so many accessories for a dollar? Buy accessories that compliment what little girls already have in their closets for fabulous Halloween costumes.

Note: These days, we aren't so gender specific with our costumes. These costumes mostly appeal to little girls. However, there's no reason a boy couldn't wear them if he so chose. Plus, some could be adapted as masculine costumes.

Angel
Being a beautiful angel with wings is every little girls fantasy. Check your little girls closet for that fancy white special occasion dress she only wore once. No fancy dress? How about a plain white slip or cotton nightie? Add a set of wings and a halo from the dollar store. Sprinkle a little stardust (glitter) from head to toe and you have an angelic angel costume for pennies.

Ballerina
The dollar store has all kinds of little cheap tutus for dress up and play. Slip on a pretty pink one over a pink leotard and tights. Put hair up in a pretty bun and add a shiny dollar store tiara. Use white slip on socks with no cuff as ballet shoes. Get out the glitter again to make little girls sparkle from head to toe in their new ballerina Halloween costume.

Fairy
Little girls delight in dressing up as colorful fairies for Halloween. Dress your little girl in green or brown leotard and tights. Use several bright colored tutus from the dollar store to create a layered effect. To make fairy slippers use cuffed bright colored green socks with bells sewn around the cuffs and to each toe.

Pirate girl
Boys aren't the only ones who like dressing up as pirates for Halloween. Little girls can be pirates too. A fancy white blouse and dark ruffled skirt are the base for this Halloween costume. Use a large black belt at the waist. The dollar store provides you with a sword and holder. Tie a black cloth around your little girls head. Add hooped dollar store play earrings to complete the look.

Gypsy
Those dollar store hooped play earrings can be used for a gypsy costume too. Gypsy girls wear the same type of fancy white blouse sported by little girl pirates, Add a colorful ruffled skirt. The gaudier the the better. The dollar store also carries play tambourines for the gypsy Halloween costume. Add bright red lipstick and other colorful makeup for the perfect finishing touch.

Kids frightened of Halloween night activities? What to do?

The streets are seething with frightening creatures. Has something gone horribly wrong? Most kids delight in dressing up as ghouls and goblins. Others are frightened of Halloween. Maybe an older brother or sister told them about Bloody Mary. Maybe they're just too young to understand Daddy's in that monster costume. He hasn't become Swamp Thing, he's just pretending. Whatever the case, you can ease their fears. Halloween is supposed to be fun for kids, not a traumatic experience.

Have a preventative chat.

That ounce of prevention serves well for parents in many situations Halloween is one of them. If Halloween is a new experience for your kids, or if they were frightened last year, sit down and have a talk before Halloween night. Don't get into all the old legends and origins. Present Halloween as it is now. It's just a fun night for kids to dress up in funny or scary costumes, go to parties, carnivals or trick or treating.

Have a talk with those siblings, too.

Make it clear they're not to frighten little brother or sister with tales of scary Halloween creatures. Make sure kids know vampires, ghosts and demons are fictional as well. They may be passing on fears to younger siblings in order to deal with their own uncertainties. Now might be a good time to do a little research with older kids to take the mystery out of Halloween stories.

Too late for prevention?

Kids already frightened of Halloween? It's still not too late for that talk. Have older siblings join you. Kids frightened of Halloween by siblings might be more likely to believe the perpetrator of the rumors. Have siblings fess up to trying to scare the little ones to corroborate your reassurance.

Get them involved.

Take the scare out of Halloween costumes by making them too fun to be scary. Let little ones help plan the scariest outfits for Mom, Dad and siblings. Have them help you decorate the yard. When they know what goes into costumes and decor, they won't be so frightened by the final effect. Do have a talk about Halloween safety. Use fun catchy rhymes and songs to help them remember safety rules. Don't make it so scary they become even more frightened.

Avoid sheltering your child from Halloween fears.

Halloween comes every year. You can't shelter them for the rest of their lives. Eventually they will have to learn to face their fears. Experiencing life first hand is the best way to alleviate fear in any situation. Halloween is no exception to the rule. Show kids the fun side of Halloween. Soon, they'll be looking forward to it, rather than being frightened by it.

Is it OK to eat a jack-o-lantern after Halloween?

Is it OK to eat your jack-o-lantern after Halloween? Well, that depends on where it's been and for how long. You can make a pie from your Halloween pumpkin, provided it's in good condition. What does that mean, exactly? What are the factors involved in deciding whether or not your jack-o-lantern has passed it's expiration date?

Did you carve it?

Naturally, cutting into your Halloween pumpkin in any way accelerates the expiration date. If you want to make a pie from your Halloween pumpkin, you may wish to decorate it, rather than carve it. That's the best way to insure freshness. Un-carved pumpkins make awesome Halloween yard decor just as they are. Pile them up, line them up or put a mask on them for an edible afterwords solution.

What if you really want a jack-o-lantern?

You only have one pumpkin. You want a lighted jack-o-lantern, but you'd like to make a pie too. Wait to carve your pumpkin until just before you display it on Halloween. Use an electric tea-light so no wax drips inside your future pumpkin pie. Once the celebration is over, pop the pumpkin in the fridge or cook it right away.

Wait! Did you buy a pie pumpkin?

There is a great difference in taste between a pie pumpkin and a pumpkin grown for carving. You can carve an eating pumpkin, but you can't always eat a carving pumpkin. Some are dry and stringy. If you plan to eat your jack-o-lantern after Halloween, make sure it's the right variety.

How do I make pie from my Halloween pumpkin?

Pumpkin pie is made from the inner flesh of the pumpkin squash. The easiest way to cook your pumpkin is to remove the seeds and "guts" from the pumpkin leaving the flesh and outer shell. Cut into large pieces and bake at 350 degrees until soft enough to separate the flesh from the shell. Mash the flesh. Use it as you would canned pumpkin in any pumpkin recipe. Discard the shell or add it to your compost pile.

Tips:

*Put an inch of water in the pan when baking pumpkin to avoid scorching and retain moisture.
*Never eat a pumpkin that's been carved and exposed for longer than two hours.
*Don't forget to save the seeds. They're excellent roasted.
*Seeds can also be re-planted next year.

How to make scary Halloween sign posts

Scary Halloween sign posts that point the way to the cemetery and other ghoulish locations are easy to make. Start with a plain fence picket. Paint it black. Dig a hole for the picket in the desired location. Hold the picket in the hole while stamping the dirt firmly back in.

Use random pieces of board to make the directional signs. Half pickets work great as the pointed end shows the way to each spooky location. When decorating your signs be sure some are pointing one way and some the other way before you begin.

Paint the boards in black to match the sign post. Let dry. Paint wording in white to show better. Make up scary streets for the Halloween sign post signs. A few good ideas are murderers row, insane asylum, cemetery road or witches way.

Use your imagination to make each scary Halloween sign post board unique. You can use a broomstick for the witches way sign, add a tombstone or ghost to the cemetery road sign, or add a dripping bloody knife to the murderers row sign. Drip a little blood red paint down some of the signs too.

Once your sign boards are dry, nail them to the black fence picket in random directions. If you have objects in your Halloween yard that the signs represent, try to point to them with the signs. Nail a scary object such as a skull, skull necklace or shrunken heads to the picket above the signs. Poke a candle into the ground to illuminate the sign board on Halloween.

Halloween costume tips and tricks for warm climates

Whether you choose to go traditional, modern or funny, just about anything you can think of can be made into a warm weather Halloween costume. What can kids wear trick or treating or to that tropical Halloween bash that doesn't leave them sticky, sweaty and miserable?

Lighten up on those layers.

When it comes to material, go with cool, lightweight, breathable fabrics, such as cotton or tulle. Avoid long Halloween costumes that cover the whole body or wrap tightly. Use fewer props. Kids will tire quickly from carrying them around in the hot weather. Be sure they're well hydrated. This keeps them cooler in higher temperatures.

Little girls have it pretty easy.

When it comes to choosing a Halloween costume for warmer weather, they have the most options. There are many dainty, lightweight choices for them. Fairies and ballerinas can dress in tiny tutus or frilly little short dresses. No masks are required, which also keeps the heat to a minimum. Another minimal costume is a hula outfit. A cut-off shirt and small shorts can be worn under a grass skirt. Add a lei and a pretty tropical flower in their hair. They're ready to face any heat wave.

Boys may want to dress as a pirate.

A pirate costume can be modified for warmer weather. Substitute an open vest for the usual puffy shirt. Have kids wear rough, ragged cut off shorts. Trade the boots for flip flops. Another great warm weather Halloween costume for boys is the surfer dude, life guard or beach bum. Have them wear colorful Hawaiian baggy shorts, sandals, sunglasses, a whistle, and a fake tan. Make them a lightweight, fake cardboard surf-board.

Planning to dress up your pet for Halloween?

If you live in a warm climate, keep it simple and small. Pets are already covered with fur. They don't need extra layers, especially in warm weather. Think of their comfort and their dignity. Add a little bow tie or tutu if you must, but don't get carried away.

Halloween costume safety tips for small children

Keep it short

Long, flowing costumes and dangling accessories are dramatic but can cause injuries due to falls. Keep Halloween costumes at a length just below the knees or shorter to avoid this safety issue. Trick or treat bags shouldn't touch the ground. Costume accessories like chains should be secured to the costume and above the knee to prevent kids from tripping over them.

Nix the sharp edged objects

Halloween costumes, masks and accessories should have a smooth surface for safety. Avoid hard plastic masks with sharp edges. Opt for make up instead. If a mask is an intricate part of the trick or treat costume, use a soft rubber mask. Never use real or realistic looking knives or other weapons as part of a Halloween costume. Not only is this hazardous, there is a risk of someone mistaking your child as a threat.

Make it simple

The more elaborate a costume is, the more potential safety risks it carries. Active kids can easily become entangled in the parts and pieces of a complicated Halloween costume. Try to keep the costume down to one or two pieces if possible. Take the time to think about any possible safety concerns. Correct them before trick or treating starts.

Avoid constricting or binding Halloween costumes.

Be sure elastic is not too tight. If it is, and can't be helped, use scissors to cut the underside of the elastic for safety and comfort. Keep strings tied securely but not overly tight. Watch for dangling strings that could get caught up in something and cause choking or injury. If possible, avoid costumes that utilize strings altogether.

Go allergy free

Wearing Halloween make up for trick or treating is normally a good alternative to wearing a mask. Unfortunately some kids are allergic to costume make up. Test make up by applying a small patch a couple days prior to trick or treating. Keep make up away from the eyes and mouth. Use caution with rubber masks too. Some kids are allergic to latex.

Increase visibility

Halloween safety includes seeing and being seen clearly. Choose masks with unobstructed vision. Better yet, use make up, a half mask or even nothing at all on the face. Halloween costumes tend to lean towards black, which is hard to see in the dark. Make sure kids wear reflective or glow in the dark clothing and carry a light stick or flashlight while trick or treating.

PG Halloween jokes

Looking for PG Halloween jokes you can share with your kids? A sense of humor is vital in parenting. Nothing like a corny joke to diffuse a difficult parenting day. Costume too tight? Kids not invited to the Halloween party? Use humor to lighten the mood. Here's some old familiar favorite kid friendly jokes for Halloween.

What do skeletons say before they eat?
Bone Appetite!

What kind of streets do Zombies live on?
Dead ends.

What do ghosts like to wear?
Boo Jeans.

Why don't mummies have more friends?
They're just too wrapped up in themselves.

Why do vampires need mouthwash?
Bat breath.

What runs all around the cemetery without moving?
The fence.

Why do monsters like dancing?
Because they're boogie men.

Why do ghosts go to bars?
They like the boos.

What do birds give out on Halloween?
Tweets.

Why did Dracula quit Little League?
They wouldn't let him be bat boy.

How can you tell a vampire's eating your donuts?
All the jelly's sucked out.

What did one ghost say to the other?
Do you believe in people?

What kind of dog does Dracula have?
Bloodhound.

Who went with Frankenstein to the prom?
His ghoul friend.

Why don't mummies go on vacation?
They might relax and unwind.

What do you call a witch who likes the beach?
A sand witch.

When is it bad luck to meet a black cat?
When you're a mouse.

Where do zombies go swimming?
The Dead Sea.

Why did the ghost get arrested?
No haunting license.

What's a zombies favorite midnight snack?
Ghoul scout cookies.

What do witches call their garages?
Broom closets.

Why don't pretty women like Dracula?
He's a pain in the neck.

What do you call a spirit who gets too close to the fire?
A toasty ghosty.

What's a ghosts favorite dessert?
Ice scream.

What might a witch ask for in a hotel?
Broom service.

What do you get when you cross a vampire with a snowman?
Frostbite.

What do you call a ghost with a broken leg?
A Hoblin' Goblin.

What do you call a skeleton who won't work?
Lazy Bones.

What did the ghost say to the invisible man?
Long time no see.

What is a spirits favorite carnival ride?
The roller ghoster.

What do you call two recently married spiders?
Newlywebs.

What do Italian ghosts eat for dinner?
Spookghetti.

Why do witches fly on brooms?
Vacuum cleaner cords don't reach far enough.

Why is Dracula such a good artist?
Because he likes to draw blood.

Who did the lonely gravedigger invite to his party?
Whoever he could dig up.

Where do werewolves live?
Howlywood.

What kind of mistakes do ghosts make?
Boo boos.

Funny Halloween costume idea: Spaghetti and meatballs

It's Halloween and you're looking for a funny original costume idea. No witches and ghosts for you. You need something special. How about being a dish of spaghetti and meatballs? Better yet, how about being the victim of an angry waiter who has dumped a plate of spaghetti over your head? Here's how to make a funny costume that no one else has.

Step 1 – The plate

An actual plate is too heavy. Paper plates are too light. We'll be using two cardboard circles. Use a real plate to trace two same size circles onto a piece of cardboard. Cut the circles out. Spray paint the circles white on both sides. You'll be gluing the two plates together, but not before adding the spaghetti.

Step 2 – The spaghetti

Punch lots of small holes in one of the cardboard circles. The circles should be big enough to thread yarn through. Use 4 foot lengths of cream colored and red yarn for the spaghetti. Thread the yarn through the holes and back out. Glue the circles together so that the spaghetti for the spaghetti and meatballs is hanging down randomly on one side of the plate in varying lengths.

Step 3 – The meatballs

What's brown and round and sort of looks like a meatball? A brown pom pom from the craft store makes a perfect meatball for this hilarious Halloween costume. Glue several brown pom poms to the bottom of the plate. Sew random brown pom poms to the strands of yarn spaghetti. You now have a plate of spaghetti and meatballs to place upside down on your head.

Step 4 – Keeping it on

There are two ways to attach the plate of spaghetti and meatballs to your head. The craft store sells blank barrettes for decorating. These can be glued to the underside of the plate and used to fasten it into your hair. The other way to keep this funny Halloween costume on is by using several of the spaghetti strands and tying them under your chin.

Step 5 – Finishing touches

Remember, you were dining out when the waiter dumped the plate of spaghetti and meatballs on your head? If you are a woman, wear a nice dress like you would to a fancy restaurant. Men should wear a suit. Now use fake blood from a Halloween costume make up kit to make random splatters of spaghetti sauce on your face and you are ready to give people a funny surprise at the Halloween party.

Funny Halloween costume idea - Zombie pizza delivery guy

Confuse everyone at the Halloween costume party with this funny costume. The pizza man is late and the pizza is sliding out of the box but that's not all. The pizza guy was attacked by zombies and has turned into one. Not only that but the pizza is so old, there are worms crawling out of the box. The late pizza delivery guy Halloween costume is really simple to put together.

Uniform
The late zombie guy is wearing traditional pizza delivery clothes, but with an extreme amount of wear and tear. Shred the bottoms of an old pair of blue work pants and a red polo shirt. Dirty up a blue baseball cap then use a piece of steel wool to rough it up. This Halloween costume should look like it's been through tough zombie times.

Pizza box
Next time you get a pizza delivery, save the box. Make sure all the bits of pizza are removed from the inside of the box or the late zombie pizza guy costume might have authentic rotting pizza. The box will hold the fake rotting pizza you will be making for the Halloween costume. If you can't save a box you can buy and decorate one from a party supply store.

Rotting pizza
To make the rotting pizza for this costume, you will need a pizza sized cardboard circle. Paint the circle red on one side and let dry. Now cut up tiny pieces of cheese colored yarn. Spray the pizza disk with spray glue and spread the “cheese” around leaving some hanging off the edges. For the pepperoni, glue on wood circles that have been painted red.

Finishing the zombie pizza
This pizza is rotten so get yourself some gummy worms, preferably green and glue them all over the pizza. Make holes in the box and glue a few worms coming out of the box. Now glue the rotten pizza in, leaving it hanging out at the bottom. Glue the whole thing under the arm of the late zombie pizza delivery guy so he doesn't have to carry the box all night.

Finishing the costume
Use typical dead guy make up on the zombie (you). White, black and green make up smeared randomly on the face works great. Drip a little fake blood from the corners of the mouth. Don't forget to use make up on other exposed areas of skin to match the face. Make a name tag for the Halloween costume. Try something like 'Zombie Pizza Delivery : If It's Late, It's Free'. Now go gross out all your friends with your funny, yet disgusting Halloween costume.

Funny fruit Halloween costumes

Silly homemade fruit Halloween costumes can be made or altered any way you wish to give them a unique look. Use artificial fruit and garlands from a craft store to make fruit themed costumes for Halloween.

Fruit tree
Make an apple, orange, peach or pear tree as a Halloween costume. Wear brown pants for the trunk and a green long sleeved shirt for the tree top. Fasten artificial fruits of your choice to artificial leaf garlands. Wrap the garlands randomly around the arms, and torso leaving the legs uncovered to represent the trunk.

Grapevine
Don a climbing grape vine costume this year for Halloween. Wear all green clothing. Purchase two small, light-weight trellis pieces from a garden store. Wrap them with grapevine garland from a craft store. Glue on artificial grapes. Attach twine between the two trellis pieces like signboard straps. Place the trellis signboard over your head. Wear a funny hat with grapes glued on.

Banana bunch
Be a bunch of bananas for Halloween. Wear a yellow sweat suit with artificial bananas hung from the shirt torso. To hang the bananas, use a small drill to make holes through the tops. Loop a wire through each hole for hanging. To hang the bananas place a safety pin on the underside of the shirt and poke through, catching the wire loop on one banana. Start at the bottom of the shirt. Work your way up and around until all the bananas are hung.

Pumpkin butt
Wear a leaf green sweat suit for this funny fruit costume. Use a carve-able artificial pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern or purchase a plastic Halloween jack-o-lantern treat pail. Cut either jack-o-lantern in half. Glue to the rear end of the sweat pants. Wrap a leaf garland around your head as a headband.

Fruit bowl balancing girl
Use a dollar store sombrero as a base for the balancing fruit bowl. Cut a hole in the top center. Glue in a lightweight plastic bowl. Glue artificial fruit into the bowl and around the edges of the sombrero rim, allowing grapes to dangle down. Wear a colorful sari dress and sandals to complete this funny fruit Halloween costume.

Fun Halloween costumes for twins

Halloween costumes should reflect your twin relationship whether you're salt and pepper or bread and butter twins. Halloween is a perfect time for twins to dress alike or as opposites in costume. Here's some fun and different costumes for twins of all kinds. Use as is or add your own variations for a more elaborate look.

Peanut butter and jelly twins

Peanut butter and jelly stick together. So do some twins. Shape and staple cardboard or poster board into a tube for the jelly jar and peanut butter jar Halloween costumes. Staple shoulder straps to each jar. Spray paint the peanut butter jar dark tan and the jelly jar purple. Let dry. Paint a label onto each one using craft paints.

Devil and angel

One of these twins is a bit mischievous. The other is sweet and kind. Make the Halloween costume fit your opposite personalities. The angel is easy. It's just a toga, wings and gold garland headband and belt. Face glitter makes this costume complete. The devil gets a set of horns, red face makeup, long robe, pitchfork and a forked tail. All these things can be found at your local party or craft store.

Peas and carrots

Forest Gump was right, peas and carrots may be opposites but they're great together. Make the peas and carrots costume using cardboard or poster board stapled into tubes to make canned vegetables. Staple on shoulder straps. Paint both tin cans silver with spray paint. Make a colorful label for each canned vegetable and glue it to the can.

Geek and freak

One of you is goth. The other is a nerd. Twins don't always follow the same path in life but they still go to Halloween costume parties together. The goth twin dresses in black with pale face and dark makeup. The geek girl wears a plaid school uniform, crooked pony tails and huge black glasses. The geek guy wears too short pants, short sleeved shirt with pocket protector and huge black glasses.

Siamese twins joined at the hips

This one will have friends of twins laughing hysterically. It's the perfect Halloween costume for inseparable twins. Buy a super huge skirt or pants from a thrift store and put them on together. Do the same with a huge shirt or blouse. Each of you sticks one arm out and leaves the other inside the blouse. Wear scary make up to be evil Siamese twins if you wish.

Fun and cheap homemade pizza Halloween costume

Halloween is about creativity. Turn your favorite pizza into a cheap homemade Halloween costume. I'm not suggesting you glue a real pizza to your shirt. Use cardboard, poster board, craft foam and other cheap supplies to make a cool homemade Halloween costume that looks like a pizza.

Costume base

Cut two large circles from a cardboard box. These will be sign board type pizzas for the front and back of the Halloween costume. Cut two long strips of cardboard and staple them securely between the two circles as shoulder straps for the sign board. Lay the whole thing out flat to add homemade toppings. Glue same size red poster board or red foam board circles to the front of each cardboard circle. This is your pizza sauce. Let the glue dry.

Crust

You can make a realistic pizza crust using cheap self drying clay. Roll the clay out into a tube and twist it into two ropes to go around the outer rim of each pizza. Twist the two ends of the rope together. If the dough rings are too small for the pizzas, stretch them out. If they're too big, cut them down to size. Let the clay dry. Glue it to the pizzas so that it looks like pizza edge crust. Let the glue dry before adding other ingredients.

Cheese

Shredded foam makes interesting cheese for the pizza Halloween costume. You can also use off white pieces of cheap yarn. Spray a thin layer of glue to the red "sauce." Add random pieces of fake cheese. For a browned cheese effect dip a cotton swab in brown diluted craft paint. Dab here and there on the “cheese.” Let dry.

Pepperoni and sausage

Pepperoni can be made by painting small cardboard circles red. You can also use cut out red craft foam circles. To make sausage use shredded foam. Roll the foam in diluted grayish brown craft paint and let dry. Glue the pepperoni and sausage onto the pizza using foam glue or a glue gun for best results. Now you just need to add assorted vegetables to your costume.

Assorted veggies

Cut black olive slices from black craft foam. Use red craft foam for red peppers, green for green peppers. Cut the craft foam up into little squares for the peppers. Glue all the veggies onto the homemade pizza Halloween costume by spraying the pizzas with glue or gluing them on one by one using foam glue or a glue gun. Let dry. Slip your costume over your head.

Easy Cousin Itt Halloween costume for kids

Fans of the Adams Family will remember Cousin Itt as the short little fellow with all the hair. Making a Cousin Itt costume would be quite easy since his entire body was covered with a long flowing mass of blond hair. Cousin Itt also wore a derby hat, sunglasses and gloves. This Halloween costume works best on small kids due to the smaller amount of wigs needed.

Materials:

A sheet for the head and body.

Extra long blonde costume hair wig

Cheap round kids sunglasses

Derby costume hat

White costume gloves

Instructions

Start by making a basic sheet ghost kids Halloween costume.

Drape an old white sheet over the child's head. Make felt tip marker centered dots where the eyes and mouth will be. Mark the spot where the sunglasses will go through the sheet and over the ears as well. Use the same marker to make a dotted cutting line around the bottom of the sheet about 6 inches above the ground for safety.

Take the sheet off the child. Cut out eye holes the size of the sunglasses lenses. Cut the mouth hole the same size for breathing. Cut slits where the sunglasses bows will slide through the sheet onto the ears. Don't worry, the hair will cover the hole when the costume is complete. Cut the excess length off the sheet.

Drape the sheet back over the child. Drape the wig over the sheet. Place the sunglasses on the child, sliding the bows through the slits and over the child's ears. It may be necessary to glue or pin the wig onto the sheet for stability.

Cheap, no sew Hawaiian princess kids Halloween costume

Some little girls love to play dress up. If your child is tired of being a princess or fairy every year, a Hawaiian princess is a nice change. Your little girl will love swishing around in her pretty grass skirt on Halloween. This costume is inexpensive, charming and easy to put together from dollar, craft and party store items.

Check the luau aisle at the dollar store for inexpensive Halloween costume accessories. Don't waste money on a whole costume from a costume shop. Some craft stores will carry things like Hawaiian princess leis. Sometimes these items have to be purchased during the summer but some party departments carry them year round.

Grass skirts are quite inexpensive at party supply and craft stores. I've also seen them in summer at the dollar store. It is possible to make your own grass skirt using a scarf with tulle or chiffon fabric lengths attached to appear like grass. These are tedious work for Mom. Save time and money by purchasing a ready made grass skirt for the Halloween costume.

All the above stores will usually carry a coconut bra for the Hawaiian Princess costume. I don't recommend that small children wear this without something under it. The plastic tends to chafe and there is no reason for a child to become an adult that soon anyway. A flesh colored leotard works quite nicely under the coconut bra to prevent chafing and keep things PG.

Your little Hawaiian princess will need a flower in her hair. Check craft stores for tropical artificial flowers. The flower itself can usually be detached from the stem quite easily. Craft stores also carry plain metal barrettes that can be used to make an easy hair decoration. Simply use a hot glue gun to glue the flower to the barrette.

A Hawaiian princess sometimes wears flower leis around her wrists and ankles like bracelets. The inexpensive leis bought at the dollar store can be used for Halloween costume bracelets and anklets too. Just cut them down to size and tie them. I don't recommend the fluffy plastic leis. The ones that look like actual flowers are not as scratchy to wear. Some craft stores sell ready made bracelets and anklets.

Halloween is not always famous for balmy Hawaiian like weather. Be sure to outfit your little Hawaiian princess with a nice warm pair of tights under her Halloween costume. Slip a pair of sandals on over the tights, or if it's really cold, shoes and a coat may be necessary despite protests from your little Hawaiian princess.

Your princess may prefer a strand of flowers in her hair, rather than the one large flower. It's quite easy to braid a length of flower garland into the hair. Just center it in the front and hold it with one of the hair strands while braiding. This adds a unique finishing touch to the costume.

Cheap, easy, scary Halloween yard cemetery

Every Halloween cemetery need realistic gravestones!

Halloween decorating doesn't have to expensive. Construct a frightening graveyard on the cheap this year using dollar store and household items. Kids will be passing ghosts, witches and other Halloween scares to claim their treats. It's not necessary to break the bank for Halloween decorating. Make your Halloween yard scary by using cheap or free items. trick-or-treaters will be talking about your awesome scary cemetery yard for weeks after Halloween.

 Realistic tombstones

Styrofoam packaging divider rectangles painted with gray spray paint make excellent tombstones. The spray paint will melt the foam in places, making the cemetery tombstones look weathered. Use stencils to spray black paint lettering into the graveyard markers. The letters will be indented and look very realistic. Use a bit of red here and there to represent scary bloody hand prints or drips. Poke bamboo sticks into the ground. Impale the tombstones onto the sticks to keep them upright.

Note: You can also buy fake tombstones at the dollar store.

Hanging spooky skeletons

Buy lifelike white skeletons at the end of the Halloween season on clearance. Use gray spray paint to accent them here and there with an aged look. Tie a rope around their necks and hang them from the trees. To make the rope look like a noose, learn to tie a noose knot or simply wrap a second rope around and around the first.

Lighting the cemetery

The area where the tombstones are can be lit with cheap old lanterns on hooks. To avoid fire danger, use electric tea lights in all lighted objects. You can even put them behind the eye holes of scary creature masks. The path to the house winds through all the scary stuff. Light the path with scary jack-o-lanterns, torches (made from cheap glass votive holders glued to poles) or just the tea lights themselves.

Cheap accessories

String spider web with spiders everywhere. This cheap stuff is one to three dollars a bag depending on size, type and quality. It stretches forever and adheres to most objects easily. You can do a huge yard with two or three bags. Other cheap items are plastic bones, mice or rats. Fake plastic bats can hang from the trees. Consider a black Halloween cat and crows as investments too. All the items except the spider web can be used every year.

Cheap scary creatures

You can make all kinds of scary life sized monsters for the Halloween cemetery in your front yard. Use crossed stakes or double shepherds hooks as the base for your cheap scary cemetery creatures. Dress them in flowing capes or sheets. Slide old rubber Halloween masks over the top of the stake or shepherds hook. The horizontal part of the cross or hook becomes the arms. On a windy fall night, these can be quite frightening.

Live monsters

The best monsters are the adults of the house dressed in scary costumes. Wander about the scary cemetery creating Halloween ambiance for all the trick-or-treaters. Reach into a bowl of slimy eyeballs (grapes in tapioca pudding) and scoop it into your mouth as kids pass you on their way to the front door. Little monsters might enjoy scaring their friends too!

Scary music and lightening

Halloween sound effect CD's can be purchased at most retailers for a dollar and up. These feature creaking doors, howling beasts and crunching bones to name a few. Screams and maniacal laughter will echo through your front yard cemetery. Most party stores carry a cheap strobe light that will mimic lightening in the dark corners of the yard.

Spooky signs and symbols

Those who remember the movie "The Blair Witch Project" will remember the scary human stick shapes hanging from the trees. Make these by tying sticks together with twine. Spooky signs can be made with old wood boards nailed to wooden stakes and pushed into the ground. Write things like "Enter at your own risk" in dripping red paint on the signs.

Cheap, easy homemade funnel cake Halloween costume

Why not make a funny funnel cake costume for Halloween this year? It's certainly unique. Cheap craft supplies make it easy. Everyone will drool over this costume. After all, who doesn't love funnel cake? Here's a step by step guide.

The outfit

First you'll need something to wear. Black slacks with a white short sleeved shirt will have you looking like a food service worker. Add red suspenders and a paper hat to make this costume authentic. A red bow tie makes for a comical touch. The idea is to look like someone passing out a funnel cake at a carnival.

The table

Cut out a large cardboard square as a table base for the funnel cake. Cover the "table" with a cheap red checked plastic tablecloth by stapling it to the cardboard and cutting off the excess fabric. Punch two holes and put a string through. Hang the cardboard around your neck. This is the base of the costume that keeps it stable.

The plate

Trace a huge circle onto a piece of white poster board and cut it out. The funnel cake for this costume is really big so it needs a big plate. Use a small round lid to trace scallops around the edge of the "plate". Cut out the scallops. Use a glue gun to adhere the plate to the table. Let the glue dry before proceeding to the next step.

The funnel cake

Cut out or purchase a Styrofoam circle, slightly smaller than the plate as the funnel cake base. Use a cheap foam cutter or Exacto knife to cut random holes and pieces from the foam. Glue the funnel cake base to the "plate". Let dry. Glue small pieces of Styrofoam peanuts to the foam circle for texture. This is best done with a glue gun or foam glue. Let it dry before proceeding to the next step..

Finishing the funnel cake.

Lightly and randomly spritz the Styrofoam circle and peanuts with light tan spray paint from a distance of about two feet. This gives a fried look to the funnel cake by adding color and melting the foam peanuts ever so slightly.

Funnel cakes have powdered sugar frosting. Spray the funnel cake with spray glue, taking care not to get any on the plate or table. Dump a mound of actual powdered sugar on top of the glue. Shake off the excess.

Cheap, easy scary entrances to your haunted house

Strike fear into your Halloween party guests by building a scary entrance to your haunted house or yard. It's cheap, easy and sometimes free. All you need are a few things you have laying around the house, yard or garden, combined with some inexpensive Halloween store items.

Scary wooden gate

If you have an old door, trellis or fence section in your yard, you can make a scary wooden gate for your Halloween yard. The more your wood is banged up, the better. Use red craft paint to make bloody hand prints. Drip a little down the door. Write a warning on your gate with the "blood" paint as well. Brace the scary haunted house yard entrance gate at an angle, so it looks like the gate is open. You can do this with a couple 2x4 pieces of wood.

Spider's lair

To enter the yard, your guests must first walk through the spiders lair. Create the entrance to the lair using a garden gate bower and spider web. Wrap the bower in web, then stretch it out on each side to form a path. You can do this easily with the use of stakes. As you extend the web, twist it and wrap it around the next stake. Be sure to place a large spider on top of your spiders lair and plenty of small cheap ones along this frightening Halloween entrance.

Curtain of doom

Frame the doorway of your haunted house with a scary curtain of doom. You can buy cheap scary cloth for this or shred an old sheet. Use a cheap craft store scarecrow with a witch mask to hold the curtain open. Place the other arm in a beckoning gesture. Give your witch a cauldron of steaming dry ice for effect and to block the view into the haunted house.

Torch-lit path

Light the way into your Halloween haunted house with torches or candles. Make a "safe" entryway for your guests. Keep the rest of the yard completely dark other than a few highlighted tombstones and spooky monsters. To highlight the monsters and tombstones, place a tiny electric tea light candle at their feet. You can also have one monster holding a lantern. This scary entrance to your haunted house or yard will leave your guests wondering what else you have in store for them.

Carve a lighted Halloween pumpkin treat holder

Looking for a unique Halloween treat holder for trick or treat goodies? Carve a Halloween pumpkin to make a lighted container for Halloween treats. Your treat holder will be like no other because you choose your own design. Whether it be frightening or friendly, this lighted carved pumpkin Halloween treat holder will be a hit.

Choosing a pumpkin

You'll need a uniformly rounded pumpkin with as few flaws as possible. The pumpkin should be large enough to accommodate a rounded serving bowl, with a few inches to spare in all directions. Remember, larger pumpkins are easier to carve, as there is more room to manipulate them and cutting errors are easily corrected by enlarging the size of the hole.

Marking the pumpkin for carving

You'll need to draw your pumpkin face design on the pumpkin with a watercolor pen or marker. This lidded Halloween treat holder should have a uniform edge. I like to mark out a scalloped edge prior to cutting off the lid of the lighted pumpkin. Do this by tracing half of a circular object, such as a jar lid, repeatedly around the top edge of the pumpkin, where you want the lid to separate from the holder.

Cutting the lid off the pumpkin.

Using a pumpkin carving knife, carefully cut along the scalloped lines drawn for the lid. Use a sawing motion and go slowly. Slant the cut toward the center of the pumpkin while cutting by pointing the knife down and center. Once you have gotten all the way around the pumpkin, gently pull off the lid, using the stem as a handle.

Removing the pumpkin goo

Use your hands to remove all the loose seeds and pulp from the pumpkin. If you wish to roast the pumpkin seeds, set them to one side. Use a metal spoon or pumpkin scraping tool to scrape the inside and cover of the Halloween treat holder. This will remove all the residual goo from the pumpkin. Now you are ready to carve the face of the pumpkin.

Carving the face

Now that the pumpkin treat holder is hollow, it will be easier to carve a face into it. Use a small short paring knife or a pumpkin carving tool for this task. Cut around the face design on your marked lines. Use a slow sawing motion to prevent errors. Pull out each cut piece and discard as you go. The holes should form the design of the finished lighted face.

Preserving the pumpkin

It may be a few days prior to Halloween when you finish making the Halloween treat holder. If so, it will be necessary to preserve the pumpkin so it does not rot or cave in. To do this, you will need a small can of acrylic spray from the craft store. Shake the can and spray evenly to coat both the inside and the outside of the pumpkin. Spray and dry outside to avoid fumes.

Lighting the pumpkin

Once the Halloween treat holder is dry, you will want to practice assembling and lighting it. Place an electric lighted tea light on the center inside bottom of the pumpkin. Invert a small rounded votive candle holder over the electric tea light. Now set your chosen serving bowl gently atop the candle holder and place the lid on the lighted Halloween treat holder.

Adjustments

Check the Halloween treat holder to see that light shines through and the bowl is stable. If the bowl does not sit evenly and allow the lighted Halloween treat holder stability, it may be necessary to add more supporting votive holders to hold it up. If the light is not shining through, try a different size bowl.

Halloween night

On Halloween night repeat the test to be sure all is well. Now fill the bowl with Halloween treats and place on a stable surface. Place the lid on the lighted Halloween pumpkin so that the light is brighter. Now you are ready to greet trick or treaters with your one of a kind, lighted Halloween pumpkin treat holder. Happy Halloween!