If you are anything like me, you might want to plan a few fun Halloween/Fall activities for your kids, but have little time (or often motivation) to do so. As a working mom, I could not understand this struggle more and I know most moms feel this way no matter what the home life situation is. I’ve rounded up five super easy activities you can do with little to no prep work and that will work for most kids ages 1-5. You will look like a total hero mama to your kids without expelling a bunch of actual effort.
Pumpkin Painting
Yes, messy. Yes, a little prep work and effort. BUT – much, much, much better than carving pumpkins in my humble opinion! When we do this, I put down a disposable tablecloth (or sometimes my Gathre mat) and use paper mache pumpkins. This way I can keep them for the following year if I’d like. You can also totally do this with real pumpkins, which is what we’ve always done for our young children in lieu of carving pumpkins. Bonus mom points for planning this activity on a day you expect to give them a bath anyway. After painting, its straight to the bath!
Pumpkin Wash
If your kids like water as much as my son does, this one is sure to be a big hit. Literally all you do is put smaller sized pumpkins (usually can be purchased in a bag of 5 or so at your grocery store) into water with bubble bath or dish soap. Give them a brush and let them go to town. You can do this inside or out depending on the weather. We even use our outdoor water table for this activity.
Fall Playdough
Do you have a million pesky leaves falling down by the minute in your yard right now? Grab a handful and use them with your playdough! You can use those small pumpkins as well. This is such a fun way to change up the playdough play. I really think all kids over the age of one can get creative with playdough setups as long as you are watching them to make sure they don’t sneak a taste. I like to do playdough in these bins to contain the mess and make cleanup easier.
Bake Pumpkin Cookies
Ok, I’m not talking about anything extravagant here. Buy the pre-made cookie mix at the grocery store or Target, add water, let your kid stir, and bake! No, they probably won’t be as delicious as some from-scratch recipe, but your kids won’t care and mine always love being included in baking of any type. If you are feeling extra adventurous, let them decorate with frosting (also store bought) and sprinkles after baking.
Skeleton Q-Tips
This one is a cute activity for the older kiddos, especially those you are letting experiment with glue. Draw a skull and let your child create the skeleton body with q-tips and then glue into place. You probably already have these supplies on hand, which is always a bonus. I know my daughter was thrilled I actually let her use glue!
