Halloween

Low Cost and Easy Homemade Costumes For Children

2009-09-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

You can save some money by making a low cost and easy homemade costumes this year for Halloween. Instead of buying or renting a costume for your kids, or yourself, make one. Let your children help you, let them see what goes into making a costume, it will be fun for them and you and at the same time it will teach them a valuable lesson.

Easy Homemade Costume Ideas

Of course, the usual scary Halloween themes include lots of dead creatures, Zombies, Vampires and Ghouls or Monsters...The puppet from Saw, Texas Chainsaw Mask, Darth Vader or Frankenstein. Creatures from the otherworld roam the night, the Werewolves, Witches and Demons.

Get Out Those Old Sheets

Of course we also see, each Halloween, hundreds of sheet creatures, Ghosts. Kids dressed up in sheets with arm and eyes cutouts. and the most important cutout of all...the mouth, so they can eat some candy! An old sheet and a little imagination plus the tools of the costume season...fabric paint, costume makeup, pens, markers and lipsticks add a little creativity to the most simple homemade Halloween costume. Treat bags made out of old pillowcases work out just fine too.

Not every ghost is white...you can add color with your markers or patches to add a little bit of a unique design to the standard ghost outfit. Black and orange are the perfect accent colors since they are the standard colors of Halloween. Why not make your ghost look as good as you can!

Which Witch?

Witch costumes are another easy homemade costume to make in a hurry. Fabric cut into a large circle, cutouts for the head and arms work like magic to costume your little Witch. The most important part of the Witch costume is the hat. Everyone can immediately recognize a Witch by her hat. You can buy this most important costume feature at your local costume store, or online at one of the costume web sites. Or you can take on the challenge of making a witch's hat yourself. A homemade Witch hat consists of two parts. The brim and the cone and you can make both from card board. Make sure they are glued well so they last through the rigors Halloween trick or treating is going to put them through.

Witch masks are available, but green face paint can work even better. Get some body safe costume makeup glue and fasten a corn flake to your child's face...that's how you make a costume wart. Give this Witch a glam look or you can easily turn it into a very fashionable Gothic Witch costume with some white, black and gray costume makeup. You can go any way you like with the lips...make them a dark color or bright red. You've got a broomstick at your house, or you can find a Witchy looking one at the local craft store. The craft store broom is likely to be smaller than a household tool, and that will be the safest bet. Now all you need is the candy bag, so this Witch can go and fill it up with Halloween goodies!

Scary Homemade Costumes

Ghouls, Zombies and Skeletons are all very easy homemade costume ideas. Start out with a pair of black overalls or sweats with a long sleeve black top. Paint bones onto the clothing with some fabric paint or cut out bone shapes from white paper and glue them onto the outfit. Glow in the dark paint will add a spooky look to this scary costume. Use an old pillow case for your skeleton's head or get out my favorite thing...the Halloween costume makeup again. White colored hair spray will change your child's lovely hair into a ghostly or ghoulish head. White makeup with dark accents will finish off the look. Ghouls and Zombies bring us back to that Gothic Costume look. Use old clothes for these outfits, make them raggedy looking, torn or patched to get that real look...dark colors and the black, gray and white make up combo again. Gothic costume face painting usually begins with a very white makeup applied all over the face and neck area.

Gryffindor? What's Gryffindor?

Wizard costumes are hot this year thanks to Harry Potter. The Gryffindor logo, scarf and tie are super hot sellers so far this early in the season. An old bathrobe can easily be turned into a Wizards robe, and it's all the better if this robe has a hood. If not you will have to make a Wizards hat from card board or buy one at your local costume store. A magic wand is easy to make with a dowel or a stick and some star shaped paper cutouts. Paint the stick white, gold or silver and make the star glitter. Some Wizards have beards, some don't. Harry and the students at Hogwarts don't. So if you are making a young Wizard's costume, you won't need the facial hair. If you have any rope or drape tassels you can use them as a belt...and of course you will need a treat bag. Find some Gryffindor clip art to make that Gryffindor logo for your homemade costume. Or find a design with snakes to make it a Slitherin house costume.

Time To Choose A Homemade Costume Theme

There are so many fun ways to make an easy homemade Halloween costume for your child or for yourself. It only takes a little bit of imagination to come up with some really interesting and fun costume accessories too. So have fun designing, making and watching your children dress up this year in homemade costumes. It's a great family project and you know your gang will have the most unique kids costumes out in the trick or treat routes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jillian_Gallo

2009-09-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

How to Have a Safe Halloween

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This how-to is about keeping children safe while trick-or-treating. Halloween is a time of fun and in a good community, things will generally be fine. However, it always pays to take precautions on a cold, dark night when kids are running around streets where there are also cars, potholes and ghouls in the backyards...

Steps

Start safety considerations with the costume:
- Provide highly visible costumes for your child. Bright colors, reflective parts or tape are key elements to ensure that your child can be easily seen at night. If your child has a dark costume, add reflective tape, tags or buttons.
- Ensure that the costume fits well and is comfortable. A costume that is dragging or shoes that are too big are just setting the scene for a tripping child. And nothing is as miserable as blistered feet and blocks to go to get home when a child has ill-fitting shoes. Sew up loose ends, baggy sleeves or legs and choose shoes that fit well.[1]
- Make sure that children do not wear anything that obscures the vision. Masks are best left for the party back at home unless an older, responsible person is holding the child's hand while crossing roads. Or, make sure masks have very large eye holes for children to see through clearly.[2]
- Leave the sharp and pointy props at home in case they accidentally stab someone in the eye or a child falls on them.[3] If you do want to have some props, make sure they are soft, without sharp edges, flexible and bend when pushed.[4]
- Keep kids warm and dry. Watch the weather forecast to be sure the costumes will be suitable for the conditions. Nothing worse than having a cold the day after Halloween. Even candies cannot cure sore throats and runny noses.
- Use non-toxic make-up only. Check the ingredients of make-up used on children very carefully to ensure that it doesn't contain ingredients harmful to children. Also take care when applying false eyelashes, eyebrows, nails etc. - anything that sticks to a young child's skin may cause pain on removal.
Think road, driveway and path safety. Children must be highly visible to people driving cars. In addition, a child must be able to clearly see where he or she is walking - some paths leading up to house doors are poorly lit, have stairs or uneven surfaces that children can trip on. Provide a source of light to help.
- Give your child a flashlight. Flashlights are very important if children are going to make their rounds in the dark, particularly when crossing roads. There are special Halloween ones if you'd like but ordinary ones will do just fine. The type of flashlight with a bright orange cone is especially visible to drivers.
- Add glowsticks. Although glowsticks should not be relied upon as a light source, as an addition to a flashlight, they can help to make your child highly visible.
- Tell children that they must only cross roads at lights, corners or pedestrian crosswalks.[5]
- Discourage kids from riding their bikes or skateboards. Well lit areas with good sidewalks may seem safe, but many parents drive their children around, and so there is much more driveway traffic than usual.
Check the town trick-or-treating hours. Some towns have set times for trick-or-treating and if they do, make sure to follow these and have your child home on time.
Consider physical and emotional safety issues. Young children may be scared by some Halloween displays and should never trick-or-treat unaccompanied. If you do not accompany older children, you should be aware of where your children intend to trick-or-treat and set some basic ground rules about house visits and return times.
- Ensure escorts for young children. Young children are those under 9.[6] Have an adult or older teen siblings go along trick-or-treating for children in this age group. If there is a group from your neighborhood, it may be safer for your children to go with them, there is safety in numbers.
- Forbid children from ever entering a house. Unless it is the home of a relative or very close family friend, make sure that your children understand to never enter a home during trick-or-treat. Even where a child enters the house of a relative or friend, the adult accompanying them should go in too.
- Set a route and a time of return. Do this if your kids are old enough to go out by themselves. This will allow you to backtrack them if they are late.
- Look at the possibility of getting walkie-talkies if your kids are going out alone. This is especially important in rural areas where there may be some distance between houses.
- Tell children to keep away from unleashed dogs that are barking incessantly, baring their teeth or growling. If a house has not leashed its dog for Halloween and the dog is making a ruckus, take this as a sign that the inhabitants are not interested in trick-or-treating. Better a safe child than a bitten one.
Consider candy capers. Stories of poisoned candies and treats abound. Although most accounts of poisoned candy/concealed needles have been proven false,[7][8] it is always better to be safe than sorry to avoid any villainous urban legend copycat. Be vigilant and keep your child safe.
- Tell children to bring the candy home first before eating it.[9]
- Make sure that the candy the child eats is wrapped. Go through candy given to younger children and discard anything that is opened or tampered with. Explain to older kids to do the same thing.
- Also be aware to remove any treats that are too small for children under 3. Anything that might pose a choking hazard should be discarded.[10]
Try something different from homes for trick-or-treat. If you live somewhere that you feel is perhaps a little rough or is perhaps just too dark or far for your child, consider looking for alternatives run by businesses or organizations:
- Check the local schools and churches to see if they have a special program running. Something like a Halloween Carnival or Fall Festival might be occurring as a substitute for trick-or-treating.
- Look at local shopping malls. They might have store-to-store trick-or-treating.
Think manners. While not necessarily safety, manners can prevent the potential for belligerent responses from tired and grumpy old adults. Encourage your kids to be respectful to everyone, regardless of whether they get their treats. Sure, the tradition is "trick or treat", but many people choose not to recognize this holiday at all, and hard feelings can result from a small prank. And teach kids to be gracious for what they do receive.[11]
Consider health safety. Finally, last but not least, consider your child's health. Teeth, immune systems, body weight and general health are all impacted by too much sugar. Treats should be fun but should not be overdone. Help your child keep a health diet by:
- Sitting down with your child and dividing up the treats. Ask your child to identify any treats he or she doesn't like and have those discarded immediately. Why eat something you don't like just because you have it?
- Schedule treat eating time to avoid snacking on candy throughout the day. Insist that meals be eaten as always and allow treats only after meals have been eaten.[12]
- Ensure that your child cleans his or her teeth thoroughly after eating the treats. Children under 10 should be assisted in cleaning their teeth.
- Ask your child to consume water at the same time as having treats. Not only is this healthier than soda and therefore less of a sugar overload but it also helps to fill them up and slow down the rate at which candy is being gulped down.

Tips

Stay on streets which are closed to traffic on Halloween, if your town does this. If they don't, start a petition to get them to start.
If you get trick-or-treaters, make sure your house is well-lit, and remove any obstacles (wet leaves, toys, etc.). Make sure that there are no naked flames located near children's costumes because even though your child will be well-fitted, other children may not be...
If you decorate with lit jack-o-lanterns or outdoor electrical or electronic decorations, make sure they are safe. Electronic and electrical items may short out in damp or wet weather, and cords can cause a slip or tripping hazard.
Carrying a cell phone is a good idea in case something does happen and you need to call for help or, just want to locate your friends/children.

Warnings

Make sure when the child goes up to the door of the home, that he/she is visible at all times.
Be careful with capes. They can be easy to trip over and can catch fire from jack-o-lanterns.

Things You'll Need

Parental, guardian, older sibling or trusted friend supervision
A brightly colored costume
Reflective tape
Flashlight
Glowsticks (optional)
Suitable shoes
Rain or wind protection gear
Walkie-talkies or cell phone plus phone numbers keyed in already
Trick-or-treat bag/bucket/box/basket large enough to fit all that candy!

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Have a Safe Halloween. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Of course Halloween is for Kids!

2009-09-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

I'm still a Kid!!! And always will be. But I have to admit that it is a lot of fun to watch my children and grandchildren get all excited about Halloween. I don't know it it is the excitement of getting all dressed up as our favorite imaginary friend, scary monster, princes, cowboy, clown or whatever their imaginations come up with. Who cares, as long as it is fun and safe.. Please make sure it is safe. I have put together a bunch of stuff to help you out with the holiday from a few interesting articles, Halloween costumes, Halloween costume ideas, Homemade Halloween costumes, Halloween costumes for couples, Halloween recipes and anything else I can come up with. I will probably update with new Halloween ideas as I find them so be sure to check back often. Happy Halloween!

Great Halloween book here. Freak Out Even The Most Strong-Hearted Buddies! Secrets To Creating Halloween Crafts Like A Pro! You will Love It!

Printable Kids Halloween Activities To Make Halloween More Fun Than Ever Before. Includes Puzzles, Mazes, Halloween Games, Math Worksheets, Coloring Pages And Much More. Ideal For Home Or School. Kids Halloween Activities

2009-09-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

How to Celebrate Halloween

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Celebrating Halloween is more fun when you decorate the outside of your home with lots to scare those who dare walk up to your door. All lit up at night, a decorated home welcomes all the little ghosts and goblins. With the addition of some scary music, the little ones will giggle with delighted terror as they knock on your door, yelling, "Trick or Treat".

Steps

Buy a new costume each year. Shop around until you find something new to wear. If the store is at the other end of town, catch a bus or ask to borrow the car if you can drive. Or you can save the money on the bus or gas and make a decent costume yourself and doing it can be part of the Halloween fun and tradition. You sure do not want to wear the same outfit that you wore last year because that would make you look the same as last time; make sure that you pick something either scary, or just suits the theme.
Put on your ghoul makeup and join the ghosts and witches going house to house saying Trick or Treat. Remember only to visit those with porch lights on or Halloween decorations. These are clearly people happy to give you something and this is where the Halloween spirit explodes with vitality. Take a very big bag along or an even larger empty plastic pumpkin bucket to carry all the goodies that you get from every house.
Remember that Halloween would not be the same without bobbing for apples. Put apples in a tub of water, and with your hands behind you, grab the apple with your mouth. It is not as easy as it sounds, but it's fun getting all that water on your face. Just watch out for the water that goes up the nose at the same time. Another method is to tie strings to the stems, and hang them from beam at different lengths.
Look at all the candy that came out of your bag. This is the best part of Halloween, checking out the goodies to stuff yourself with. Also check the candy some people might put hazards into it with a needle or such. Watch out for hard candies, these can break your teeth if you bite too hard.

Tips

Remember that Halloween is not the same without having pumpkins sitting outside your house. Pumpkins to look at, and pumpkin pie to eat. That's what makes Halloween so great.
Dress up your house too! Halloween decorations are so much fun and can be bought or made, adding to the big fun of the holiday, a good tradition. You can also invite your friends over to help make and put up your decorations. This is fun and adds to the excitement!

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Celebrate Halloween. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

2009-09-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

How to Be a Sock Monster for Halloween

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Haven't you always wanted to be something unique for Haloween? Something that nobody else will be? A SOCK MONSTER WILL DO THE TRICK-or-treat!!

Steps

Get a full-body suit of Velcro!
Pull out tons of socks, of different sizes, shapes, colors, ect.
Attach the socks to your velcro suit.
- Make sure you cover a lot of the suit.
Get a bag(for your CANDY!) made of velcro.
Put some socks on the bag too.
Enjoy your home-made, unique, cute, not-scary, Haloween costume.

Tips

Make sure you don't use stinky socks.
It's easier to use yours, your brothers, sisters, moms, dads, ect. socks instead of buying new ones.
Get unique socks such as Fuzzy socks, socks with the slots for your toes, different colors.

Warnings

If you want to be something scary, the sock monster is not for you, the sock monster is something cute, not scary.
Don't get your velcro suit stuck to anything such as carpet, or you'll be stuck too!
Take this into consideration: It's going to be hard in the suit of velcro, because you might stick to a lot of stuff, so be careful!

Things You'll Need

Full-body suit of Velcro
A lot of socks of different shapes, colors, brands, kinds, ect.
A trick-or-treat bag of velcro.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be a Sock Monster for Halloween. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Halloween Geek?

2009-09-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

How to Be a Geek for Halloween

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

These are the suppiles you need to be a geek:
•Tan pants or shorts
•A short sleeved button up collared shirt with a pocket on the front
•Nasal spray, tape & calculator (optional but funny)
•Big, geeky glasses (about $4)
•Ugly clunky shoes (brown or black)
•A briefcase

Steps

First, Put on the pants or shorts. If wearing the tan shorts, put on really ugly un-colorful socks that come up high. Then, put on the shirt. Button it up to almost the top. Put on the socks & shoes. Put on the glasses. If you want, wrap some tape around the nose of the glasses. Also, you can put an empty bottle of nasal spray in the front pocket of your shirt and occasionally take it out and pretend to spray it up your nostrils. Just leave the calculator in the front pocket of your shirt, but put it in there so people can see it clearly. Carry around a briefcase instead of a candy bag & put the candy you get in there.

Tips

•Try to make a geeky face all the time.
Make snorting noises when you laugh.
Pretend to be afriad of the opposite sex.

Warnings

•There are no warnings. Just have fun being a geek!

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be a Geek for Halloween. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.