(BPT) – It’s the spookiest time of year! Halloween is fast approaching, and parents everywhere are busy making costumes, buying treats and hanging decorations to celebrate the season. As a parent, you want to make every holiday fun, but it can be difficult to come up with new ideas year after year. If you need help figuring out how to switch things up this Halloween, check out these four spooky tips.
1. Whip up seasonal treats
While candy is the most popular and well-known Halloween treat, homemade goods are a fun way to bring the spirit of the season into your home. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant and time-consuming. Your kids will appreciate the effort you put in and how it tastes more than anything. Find some spooky cookie cutters shaped like ghosts, monsters and pumpkins for the occasion.
If you want to make an easy yet eye-catching Halloween treat, check out Kellogg’s Rice Krispies recipe for Pumpkin Treats. All you need is a box of Rice Krispies Shocking Orange Colored Cereal, marshmallows, green frosting, chocolate caramel pieces and butter to make these delightful grinning pumpkin treats.
Rice Krispies Shocking Orange Colored cereal isn’t just useful for this recipe. You can also use the colorful cereal to make other creepy Halloween or fall-themed treats. Because it’s the same classic crispy taste families know and love, your kids will be sure to love the Shocking Orange version of their favorite treats just as much as the Original.
2. Plan a candy scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts aren’t just for Easter. Hide individual candies or bags of treats around your home for your kids to find. You can even include small prizes like spider rings or stuffed monsters in harder-to-reach areas. If you have children of different ages, let your younger children go first so they can find candy hiding in more visible and easier-to-reach areas. Then, let your older kids have a go.
Don’t be afraid to hide candy outside. Your backyard provides even more places for your kids to look for treats and prizes. To make it challenging for older kids, have the scavenger hunt at night and give them flashlights to look for the hidden candy and toys.
Parents beware: Remember to make a map for yourself, so you don’t find stale candy hiding in your home next year.
3. Make spooky decorations
While there are plenty of Halloween decorations you can buy in stores near you or online, making your own decorations at home can be fun. Even if your family doesn’t normally do arts and crafts as an activity, you can start this Halloween and make it a family tradition.
Keep it simple for younger kids and make paper plate ghosts, bats and spiders or use construction paper to make black cats, pumpkins, mummies and more. If you have any Mason jars, fill them with fake spiders or eyeballs and battery-powered string lights for spooky decor you can place around your home and bedrooms.
If you want to keep it simple and classic, just head to your local grocery store and pick up some pumpkins and carving tools to make jack-o-lanterns. You can freestyle your own creations or pick up stencils to create fun and festive outdoor decorations for your porch or lawn.
4. Make breakfast time into a creepy meal worth celebrating
Breakfast time can be chaotic. Why not break up your morning routine with a little festive fall fun? Consider serving up creepier versions of your family’s favorite go-tos, like ghost-shaped pancakes or pumpkin-infused muffins.
For a simpler option that’s perfect for the busiest mornings, pour a bowl of Rice Krispies Shocking Orange. The cereal is bright and vibrant right out of the box — no modifications needed! Just add your favorite milk or milk alternative, or even opt for chocolate milk to give each bowlful an added Halloween hue. Your kids will delight at how bright their breakfast is without any extra prep from mom and dad.
Make this Halloween the spookiest ever. Using these tips, you can have fun and make memories at home with your kids this Halloween season.
For more inspiration on edible Halloween fun and perfectly festive cereal or snacks, check out www.ricekrispiestreats.com and follow along on social media @KelloggsRiceKrispies.