Tatty Bumpkin Halloween Ideas!

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist

Here are a few ideas to help your child be 'bendy, giggly, clever and strong' this Halloween.

4 Fun Ideas for a Bendy Body

1. Ghost print walk! Make your very own spooky steps around the house! See http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2012/10/2-ghost-footprint-games.html

Be sure to tape your footprints to the floor to prevent spooky slips!

2. Build your own den.  Build a den this Halloween half term either inside or outside -  see   http://nurturestore.co.uk/building-dens for ideas.

3. Build a little an elf or fairy den! Occupational Therapist Angela Hanscom observes “making fairy teepees is meaningful to the child, is a form of play, and inspires their imagination” http://www.balancedandbarefoot.com/blog/fairy-teepees

4. Go for a ‘Woodland Walk’. The Woodland Trust lists it’s best autumn woods! See https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/news/latest/top-autumn-woods/. On your walk - collect some autumn leaves for…. see next bit!

3 Tricky Ideas for Clever Fingers

These activity ideas are good for a range of ages.

We hope you enjoy them but remember to keep safe and supervise young ones closely. Some of the activities are not suitable for very young children as they involve small craft pieces which might be swallowed.

1. Awesome Autumn leaves! The Woodland Trust has some great ideas for autumn leaf activities along with some handy pdf downloads See http://tinyurl.com/n3g466w

2. Make a splendid spider’s web. A great ‘spidery’ idea for toddlers and young children promoting their hand skills, eye/hand co-ordination, proprioception and concentration skills not to mention their persistence!  http://tinyurl.com/omdf9at

3. Send a secret leaf message. Find a wondrous leaf – write/draw your secret message on it – then leave it for someone special - or make some fantastic leaf art in the woods... 

3 Tasty Ideas to keep you Strong

1. Scary Skeleton!  Vegetables may never seem boring again – to make your own scary skeleton see http://www.brit.co/healthy-halloween-recipes/

2. Spooky ‘Owly’ Snacks. Simple idea to make a snack sensational!

3. ‘Good for you’ Banana Ghosts and Tempting Pumpkin Tangerines. Freaky fruity ideas from http://creativeandhealthyfunfood.com/healthy-halloween-fun-food-ideas/

2 Brilliant Books Ideas for a Clever Mind

1. Scaredy Squirrel! After all that activity why not settle down with a good book The ‘Scaredy Squirrel’ books are great fun and all about ‘having a go!’ See http://tinyurl.com/l5taydb

2. Non-scary Halloween book. If Halloween is all just a little too scary for your little one why not try ‘The Bumpy Little Pumpkin’ by M. Cuyler and W. Hillenbrand and choose the pumpkin YOU like best!

And Finally –Six Scary Jokes for a Giggly Halloween

1. What does a ghost do to stay safe in a car?

He puts on his sheet belt.

2. What is the best way to speak to a monster?

 From a long distance away!

3. How do you make a witch itch?

 Take away the W

4. Why didn’t the skeleton go to the ball?

Because he had no BODY to go with. (That is so old!)

5. Why do witches wear name tags?

So they will know which witch is which.

6. Why do people like vampires so much?

Because they’re - FANGtastic!

Love Tatty Bumpkin!