Family Fun Ways to Count Down to Halloween

When will we buy or make my costume?

When is the Halloween party at school?

When is the fall festival at church?

When can we carve our pumpkin?

When is "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" coming on?

When can I wear my costume?

When do I get to go trick or treat?

If you've ever heard three or more of these questions, then you may want to consider creating a count down to Halloween system.

There are several of ways you can help kids count down until Halloween or other special events in October.

Calendars:

Of course you can always fill out a calendar and draw icons for special events like church harvest parties, school Halloween parties or special costume events you are attending as well Halloween. You can even add family pumpkin carving night or a Halloween crafts night. Simply buy a pack of Halloween stickers and let your little ones add a sticker to mark off each day in the count down until Halloween.

Count down chain:

Another way to count down to Halloween and Halloween parties is to make a count down chain. If you begin the last day of September, you can add 31 links for each day in October. Go green and make your strips out of newspaper or magazines. If there are other special events in October, make a note on the strip before you link the chain together. Kids can take turns removing the chain links and reading about what is happening today.

Halloween books:

Another fun way to count down to Halloween is to pull out all of your Halloween related books and then stock on up many more at the library. Make a special pile and read a Halloween book a day until Halloween. Everything doesn't have to be about trick or treating or costumes. Be sure to pick up some non-fiction books on pumpkins or fall too. Let your kids decorate a special box or basket in orange and black for their special Halloween story time books.

Candy jars:

Of course you can get a head start on the candy eating by filling a jar for each child (and maybe the parents too) with 31 small candies like candy corn or Hershey's kisses and taking out one per day until the big candy day.

Post It notes:

Post It notes inspired our newest count down idea. Simply separate off a set of 31 Post It notes. For this idea, children can have their own count down system. Have them number the notes 1 through 31 for the days in October and add special events like Halloween parties or fall festivals. Each day a Post It is removed to help count down until the big boo day.