Halloween Drink for Kids: Swamp Water

Halloween is time for all things fun and creepy. Don't stop at candy and costumes; serve your kids fun Halloween treats like Yummy Mummies and this simple, spooky "swamp water" punch. My kids love this stuff; it's super easy to make, gross enough to please the kids but not bad enough to make you want to vomit, and can be easily increased to serve any size party.

To make Swamp Water punch, you'll need a gallon-sized pitcher or a large punch bowl or mixing bowl; a large spoon; one packet of grape and one packet of lime-flavored unsweetened powdered soft drink mix like Kool-Aid; 1 3/4 cups of sugar; a few scoops of green sherbet; and some gummy candies like worms or bugs.

Fill the pitcher halfway with cold water, or add 1/2 gallon of cold water to the bowl. Add the soft drink mix and sugar, mix well.

Chill one hour or until almost ready to serve.

Just before serving, add the sherbet and gummy candy to the punch.

Some Gross Variations

Use red soft drink mix, strawberry or cherry sherbet and gummy body parts like eyeballs to make Dr. Frankenstein's Leftover Parts Punch. Add some crushed strawberries for realistic "guts."

Freeze grape Kool-Aid in ice cube trays and float them in the swamp water to keep it cold.

Wash some plastic bugs in hot water, and put them in ice cube trays. Fill the trays with water and freeze until solid. Add the bug-filled ice cubes to your Swamp Water or Leftover Parts Punch.

Peel green grapes, freeze and add to your creepy punch. They'll resemble eyeballs floating around.

Stick gummy worms, bugs or body parts on the ends of cocktail toothpicks and stick them in the kids' cups for a fancy look. Make sure the kids remove the garnish before trying to drink, and don't put the toothpicks in their mouths.

Add a quart of lemon-lime soda or flavored seltzer water to turn the swamp water into a bubbly, fizzy potion.

Caution: never give gummy candy or frozen grapes to children under three years. Don't allow children to put plastic bugs in their mouths.