Halloween Safety for Kids of All Ages

My soon-to-be teenager has always loved Halloween … almost more than she loves Christmas. For years she started planning her costume for the coming October in early spring. [Apparently she’s not alone in this habit!]

While she worried about the theme du jour, we worried about safety! We wanted her to have fun, but also be safe. When she was a preschooler, Halloween safety meant we traveled door-to-door with her. Now, she reminds us that she is “too old” for us to go with her. So Halloween safety means making sure she knows – and follows – the rules. Read More

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

Well, here we are with days to go and no costumes chosen yet. Here are some awesome last-minute Halloween costume ideas for all different ages! Read More

5 Steps to a Cooler Halloween Costume That Saves You Money, Too!

Books, TV, and pop culture are great places to get inspiration for Halloween costumes. But something strange happens every Halloween: Costume manufacturers promote “sexy” versions of pop culture characters for girls (not only sexy princesses but sexy snowmen and turtles!). Boys don’t get treated much better with gory costumes from TV shows that are in no way age-appropriate (Walter from Breaking Bad for kids?). This kind of off-target marketing to kids seems to work, though, since folks are expected to spend more than $8 billion on costumes and decorations for the holiday. Read More

DIY Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids

Let me guess, your kids love Halloween. And why shouldn’t they? They dress up in fun costumes and get more candy in one night than they see in the rest of the year combined. Of course, your kids probably aren’t aware of how expensive those cheap plastic costumes can be. This Halloween, why not make your own? Read More