Three ways to keep the kids entertained this Halloween

For most adults past their twenties, Halloween passes by without much fuss – unless you have children, then it is a whole different ball game! Fate seems to favour the children this year, as Halloween falls in half term, meaning there will be a whole week for the kids to get excited! Halloween can be quite a stressful time for parents, but luckily, there are some ways of relieving this stress, which we have taken a look at below: Get outside At some point, the kids will probably suffer from “cabin fever” from being in the house, which can call for a change of scenery! Head outside and get some fresh air, whilst admiring your surroundings, or even venture out at night for a spooky ghost walk if your kids are a bit older. The current weather forecasts give good weather for half term, which is a bonus! As we are now well into autumn, witnessing the beautiful pallet of autumnal colours will delight the little ones, as well as the chance to spot the wildlife that comes out at this time of year. Being situated in such a beautiful part of the country, our Devon holiday cottages are a perfect place to be during this season. Autumn is when the deer rut, meaning you might be lucky enough to spot two males competing for alpha status. Squirrels are also scampering about, harvesting the fruits and seeds to store for the upcoming winter, so there is a lot to see outdoors! Limit the E numbers Halloween usually means one thing: sugar. And lots of it! Having the kids jacked up on sugar and bouncing off the walls is not an ideal scenario, and the crash that comes after can be just as bad. Limiting the amount of sugar consumed by your little ones will be better for everyone in the long term. We’re not saying don’t give them any sweets, as with most things, it is better in moderation. Look up ways of making other foods “halloweeny”, and giving out healthy snacks, with special treats like chocolate and sweets coming at the end of meals. Keep them busy As we have said previously, forecasts are looking promising for the half term. However, this is England, and the weather is extremely changeable! So it has started raining, what do you do? Searching the web for rainy day activities can help you come up with some great ideas. Why not make your own playdoh, or do some cooking together? If you are celebrating Halloween, you could create your own costumes, which is a great way of getting the kids involved, as well as saving some money on what can be extortionately priced costumes! If you are staying with us in North Devon, check out one of the many local activities that can accommodate rainy days. Places such as The Big Sheep and The Milky Way offer a great, affordable day out, and will be running Halloween themed events.