Even More things to do Half Term/Halloween

DIY Halloween hacks that are so easy it’s scary

Recycling old milk cartons, filling discarded orange peel with sweeties and freezing toy spiders in ice cubes. Just three ways you could save cash but still enjoy a spooky Halloween.

The money saving team at PromotionalCodes.org.uk compiled 12 of the best Halloween hacks and they are devilishly genius.

Darren Williams from PromotionalCodes.org.uk said: “We all love Halloween but every year it is becoming more popular and can be an expensive holiday for families.”

Here is the top 12 PromotionalCodes.org.uk Halloween hacks:

1. Spooky lighting Use old jam jars, decorate with red or black yarn and add a tea light to create the glow.
2. Flying bats Use some black card or black felt and cut out the shape of bats. Use double sided sticky tape or string and place around the room.
3. Spooky milk cartons Use a black marker pen to draw a scary face on an empty milk carton then fill with fairy lights inside using tape to create a glowing ghost effect.
4. Candy orange pumpkins Cut the top off an orange then scoop out the insides (which can be used as you please), carve a spooky face in the front of the orange and fill with sweets of your choice for a trick or treat.
5. Spider ice cubes Buy a bag of small plastic spiders and place one in each section of an ice cube tray. Freeze and place in drinks when ready.
6. Glowing plastic cup lights Draw scary faces on an upside down plastic cup using a black marker then add an LED tea light inside for a glowing effect.
7. T-shirt to Harry Potter robe Use an over-sized black T-shirt and cut down the middle to create a cloak for your kids. Finish off with sewing button at the neck to hold the cloak together and decorate with the house badge of your choice.
8. Monster rocks Use stones from your back garden and paint with a colour of your choice then add some googly eyes with black paint.
9. Umbrella to bat wings Disassemble a black umbrella and get rid of any unwanted wires. Cut down the middle of the material to create two separate wings then stitch from the wrist to the underarm to create extending wings for a costume.
10. Strawberry ghosts Dip strawberries in white chocolate or icing then add eyes and a mouth with milk chocolate once dry. You can add a food colouring of your choice if you wish.
11. Bewitched table Dress your table legs with old striped tights and stick with masking tape then place the bottom of the table legs in a pair of old ragged boots. Add a dark table cloth on top to cover the tape.
12. Toilet paper eyes Take old toilet paper rolls and cut eyes in them. Add a glow stick or LED tea light and place in or out the house. For the best effect use in dark lighting.

The Keep Calm range from HOWND – a trio of all-natural products designed to soothe anxious dogs at Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali

Top tips and must-have products to help keep your precious pooch calm from the UK’s leading ethical pet care brand

 ·      Keep Calm – tasty wellness treats with organic hemp and camomile to help soothe anxious pooches

 ·      Keep Calm body mist – lavender infused mist for creating a relaxing atmosphere for dogs

 ·      Keep Calm Conditioning Shampoo – aromatic naturally fragranced lavender shampoo to help calm your dog

Evenings during the autumn months are noisy. Weeks of loud bangs and crashes from fireworks, a steady stream of trick or treaters ringing the doorbell and Diwali celebrations can be unsettling and scary for our furry friends. Keeping our precious pooches calm can be stressful for their owners too.

Help is at hand as the team at HOWND, the multi award winning, ethical pet care brand, has some top tips to use alongside its specially created KEEP CALM range  of three different products designed for calming anxious dogs.

 HOWND’s top tips to for anxious and agitated dogs now and at any time during the year:

 Wear them out – make sure they get lots of exercise during the day, so they are tired in the evening, at least a couple of walks and definitely one before it gets dark and the noise starts. Autumn is also a muddy time of the year so give them a relaxing bath with HOWND’s Keep Calm Conditioning Shampoo.  Also try and feed them before dusk so they don’t get too anxious to eat.

Make your home and especially their bed extra cosy – Line your dog’s bedding with their favourite toys and a piece of your clothing to help them feel safe and protected.Keep your home calm, keep the lights low, no noisy music or loud television to excite your dog in the evenings. If you have young children let them watch the fireworks from an upstairs window or a different room.  Spray HOWND’s Keep Calm Body Mist around the home and on the dog’s bedding for the ultimate chilled out human and pooch experience. 

Indulge and distract them – a new puzzle toy will help distract them from the noise and keep them busy if they are not sleepy.  It’s the perfect time for a tasty treat too.  

And for owners, try and act normal. Dog owners know better than anyone that dogs are quick to pick up on our moods so modify your behaviour when your precious pooch is feeling anxious. Talk to them in exactly the same way as you would normally – keep smiling, give them lots of attention, and they will feel reassured.

Children’s Activities at Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 0TW

Pre-booking required for all activities except where indicated. Children under eight must be accompanied by an adult.

Wed 24^th and Fri 26^th October Trails and Tales (2-4yrs)

Enjoy the story of ‘Room on the Broom’ and go for a walk around the park to bring the story to life. Return to create artwork linked to the story. 10-11.30am or 1.30-3pm. Cost: £7.50 per child

 Sun 28^th October Spooky Spiders, Wizards and Witches

Drop in for Halloween activities and enjoy a trail around the grounds. Ideal for younger children.1-4pm. Cost: adults £5 children £2. No booking required.

Gatton Park, Rocky Lane, Reigate, RH2 0TW

01737 649068. events@gatton-park.org.uk

Book online at: www.gattonpark.com

Frighteningly Fun Ideas for Kids Halloween Activities

Keep your little ghouls and goblins entertained this All Hallows’ Eve with a spooktacular pack of Halloween playPROMPTS (£5.75) – 25 cards featuring quick and easy Halloween themed play activities which make great ‘sugar free’ alternatives to Trick-or-Treating!

Using everyday items found around the house (or sourced cheaply from a poundshop), each playPROMPT activity can be set up quickly yet will keep kids entertained for ages making them ideal for providing inspiration for party planning, ensuring a hassle-free Halloween and five minutes peace for parents (because as much as we love our kids we all need some me time).

Create a monsterific bath with a few drops of green food colouring, carve a fearsome face in an orange pepper (pumpkins can be a bit tough for little hands) or pay a visit to your local library and pick out some spooky stories.

Fun and educational, the colourful packs of cards featuring messy, sensory, creative and imaginary activities have been devised by early years specialist and mum to one, Claire Russell, and are designed not only to keep little ones entertained by also help them to learn, boosting speech and language development, encouraging physical development and stimulating their imaginations.

Halloween playPROMPTS are suitable for children aged one plus.

For further information please visit www.playhooray.co.uk or follow Claire on social media at: www.instagram.com/play.hooray and www.facebook.com/playhooray.uk

 

Goth Girl and The Sinister Symphony by Chris Riddell

Paperback, £6.99 Macmillan Children’s Books ISBN 9781447277965

Introducing the final paperback to complete the Costa award-winning Goth Girl series, Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony. A hilarious twist on a well-known classic novel, with unforgettable characters, pun-filled plot and Riddell’s signature illustrations.

Summer has come to Ghastly-Gorm Hall, and Lord Goth is holding a music festival to celebrate. Renowned musicians from throughout the land are desperate to be included in the line-up, but who will be the headline act of ‘Gothstock’? It is the perfect read with a winning gothic combination of music, mayhem, fashion and zombies.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/chris-riddell/goth-girl-and-the-sinister-symphony/9781447277965

 

 

Museum of London

Night owls Halloween sleepover. Museum of London Docklands

Oct 26 £60

In celebration of all things spooky, the Museum of London Docklands is opening its doors after dark for Halloween for all families brave enough to spend a night at the museum. Grab a flashlight and tiptoe your way through the museum, before nestling down for the night in the galleries. We’ll settle your nerves in the morning with a film and some breakfast… if you survive the night.

Celebrating the circus, Museum of London

Sat 20 – Sun 28 Oct 18

Discover the science behind some of the circus’ most spectacular tricks in this family-friendly workshop. Learn how to make a spring-loaded cannon work, perfect the pressure for a bed of nails and much more!

Half term at the Museum of London Docklands

Sat 20 – Sun 28 Oct

There is a full range of free events and activities taking place during the half term themed around Roman Dead, which closes on Oct 28.

www.museumoflondon.org.uk

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