P
erhaps your family, like many others in the greater Des Moines metro area, is planning to romp from house to house on the evening before Halloween, known to locals as ‘Beggar’s Night.’ Or maybe you’re heading out to a neighboring town on Friday to trick-or-treat on the actual night of Halloween itself. In either case, it seems as though the festivities of Halloween have been extended, at least in our area, to include two days of Halloween fun (after all, even if you only have plans for one of the two nights, you probably can’t avoid every person who decides to celebrate on the other night).
With all this extra Halloween time on your hands, you might be wondering what else you can do with your family when you aren’t trick-or-treating. Here are five Halloween activities that are perfect for the mini princesses and pirates in your life:
Curl up with a kid-friendly Halloween classic.
Check out the Reader’s Digest list of 9 Great Halloween Books for Kids, and then get reading! Or watch a kid-friendly Halloween special, like the Peanuts’ It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Parents will love revisiting this Charlie Brown special with its portrayal of American Halloween traditions and the sincerity of children.
Encourage your child’s generosity.
As mentioned in this article from WHO, the spirit of giving can be a part of Halloween fun. Cut down on the extra buckets of Halloween candy by having your kids select their favorite treats and then donating the rest to American troops. You can participate in a candy buyback like the one that will be hosted by Plaza Dental in West Des Moines, or you can donate your candy directly to Operation Gratitude. Either way, you can tell your little ones that they are sharing their ‘hard earned’ candy (at least in their eyes) with the men and women who protect our homeland.
Attend an outdoor Halloween festival.
Take advantage of the beautiful fall scenery and let your kids release some of their energy in the great outdoors as you enjoy activities at an event such as Family Halloween at Living History Farms. This event features horse-drawn wagon rides, storytellers, special Halloween displays, and trick-or-treating for kiddos 12 and under.
Participate in a Post-Candy Fun-Run.
Feeling jittery from a few too many fun-size candy bars? Get rid of some of that energy (and burn off the extra calories) by participating in the Halloween Hot Chocolate 5K and 5-Mile Race held at Principal Park in Des Moines on Sunday, November 2nd at 9:00am. Adult participants can choose to either run a 5K or a 5-Mile course, and kids can participate in a short fun-run starting at 10:00am. Upon finishing the run, each participant will be able to enjoy chocolate and a cup of hot chocolate. That is, if you haven’t already had your fill of chocolate for the weekend!