Sharing the Halloween spirit with kiddos (+ a Target giveaway!)
Hi friends! This post is sponsored through my partnership with Bitsy’s Brainfood and includes an awesome Target giveaway!
Even though I think Liv has always *enjoyed* holidays, she really has the hang of it this year. She is looking forward to Christmas, her birthday, and won’t hesitate to tell you what she’s going to be for Halloween. (“You have to guess first!”) I’ve always been a fan of the holiday season, and find that it’s even more enjoyable and magical with a little one. It’s so much fun to share traditions with her, create our own, and share in the holiday spirit.
(Liv’s first Halloween as a little sushi roll.)
Since Halloween is on the way, here are some of the things we’ve been doing to enjoy this season:
Crafts
Martha Stewart I am not -in fact, if she saw my caramel apple abomination in the fridge she would die laughing- but I love doing simple crafts for each holiday.
Some of our favorites:
Mummy jars. Our babysitter got this at the One Spot in Target and brought it over to do with Liv. She said they have a ton of different Halloween characters.
Painting pumpkins. We had a pumpkin painting party when Liv was itty bitty, and last year, painted pumpkins on the patio.
This easy and whimsical bat craft.
Simple cut and glue work: I cut out the pumpkin, stem, eyes, nose and mouth, then gave her a glue stick and she put him together.
(Proud mama moment: Liv only needed help making the “V” and the “A” in her name. Blown away!)
Fun with food
Injecting some spooky spirit with these little mandarin orange “pumpkins” and banana ghosts
Cake batter rice crispies
We’re officially obsessed with this recipe, and added Halloween sprinkles to the latest batch
Decorating
For us, just dragging things out of storage is exciting!
While I don’t go too over-the-top with Halloween decor (Christmas is another story), it’s fun to have some Autumn-esque touches here and there.
Pumpkin patch
It doesn’t feel like fall until you’ve made it out to the pumpkin patch! There’s a nearby town called Julian that we’ve been wanting to check out, too. Not only can you pick your own pumpkins and apples, but word on the street is that they have the best pie.
Music
I’ve had way too much fun introducing Liv to “The Addams Family,” “Monster Mash” and “Thriller.”
Costume parties
Oh wait. That’s every day around here.
Books
Some of our favorite Halloween books:
Pinkalicious: Pink or Treat
Franklin’s Halloween
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse!
Picking out treats!
Liv was SO excited to see her beloved Bitsy’s cookies at Target amongst the Halloween snacks, and that’s what we’ll be giving out this year.
(She insisted on having a pack to “test them out” haha.)
Not only are they nut-free and certified organic but it’s a nice way to switch it up from the overly sugary sweets. These cookies taste amazing, and are also a great way to get in some bonus nutrition through fruits, veggies, healthy fats and fiber. An awesome deal if you’re shopping for Halloween trick-or-treaters: the Bitsy’s products are 15% off this week via the Target Cartwheel app.
I think our trick-or-treaters will be very happy. 🙂
And now, it’s giveaway time!! Bitsy’s Brainfood kindly offered a $50 Target gift card to one lucky winner. Enter via the widget below and the winner will be announced one week from today.
Ready, set, go!
xoxo
Gina
This post is sponsored by Bitsy’s Brainfood. Thank you so much for supporting this blog and the companies who help support our family. <3
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I love the costumes and an excuse to party! 😉
(and I remember Liv’s sushi roll costume like it was yesterday. Where does time go?!)
Costumes and candy!
I love dressing my son up in his costume.
I love the weather around Halloween.
Thanks for the giveaway! And LOVE the sushi roll. 🙂
Liv’s sushi costume is just adorable!
We did mummy jars too. So fun!
Love having better healthy foods around.
I love seeing all the cute kiddos in their costumes and drinking hot cider.
love the costumes…and candy 🙂
The candy of course!
Congrats!
Trick or treating 🙂
The costumes!
Yumm love all the special foods for every holiday!
I love the spirit Halloween brings!
I love handing out candy to the kiddos!
Love everything pumpkin and brisk cool air- so energizing! Sushi roll costume=Adorable
I love seeing kids dressed up super cute!
I love all the costumes and Halloween spirit! It brings back such great memories from childhood!
I love pumpkin everything, but my favorite thing is seeing the kiddies excited in their costumes!!
Oh target, how I love thee!
I hope next time I hear fri. You there is a brand new bebe in your arms!
Our little pumpkin will be one on Halloween! His birthday will make every Halloween a super fun day for us. 🙂
I love all of the Halloween decorations.
Best thing about Halloween? Those dang Reese’s PB pumpkins.
I love guessing what kids costumes are (when they choose to be something other than the 7 Elsas who came to our door last year out of 12 trick or treaters!)
I love dressing up my daughter for Halloween and seeing all the kids in their costumes too.
I love Halloween decor and am super excited for Halloween this year because it will be our first with a baby! Can’t wait to dress her up!
Yay! Halloween!
My favorite part of Halloween is the costumes. One year I was on my way to work and was stopped at a red light and Big Bird was driving the car next to me that still cracks me up!
I love seeing everyone dressed up…and also Reese’s pumpkins 🙂
have you seen the “thing” about colored pumpkins (blue, I think?) for houses giving out non-food treats like toys for kiddos with allergies? this is our first year in a place where we might get trick or treaters, so I’m thinking about getting something cute/fun to have in those cases. i can’t imagine how heartbreaking it would be to have (or be!) a kid on halloween that can’t participate.
Hocus Pocus! Best movie ever!
I love your blog! Can’t wait for you to have babe.
I love how everyone gets more child-like.
Halloween music!!!
the candy!
Yes yes yesssss. Julian has the BEST apple pie, apple pie a la mode. 😀 sooo heavenly. and it comes HOT and fresh! You will NOT be disappointed. You have to stop at Dudleys bakery on the way too. Amazing bread!
Little kiddos in costumes + the excitement they have!
Seeing the little kids dressed up!
Oh my gosh Liv in the sushi roll costume!!! 🙂
My family and I always see Halloween as officially fall so we begin putting out all of our fall decorations the few weeks before! It is so much fun!
Can’t lie, my favorite thing is candy!
Buying candy for “all the trick-or-treaters” in our neighborhood, knowing well and good we will get like, 5, and then getting a Reese’s cup induced belly ache 🙂
My favorite thing about Halloween is pumpkin spice flavored desserts:)
Halloween is our wedding anniversary, so that’s always my favorite aspect of the holiday 🙂 But now, with the kiddos, it’s made even more special with trick-or-treating, handing out candy/seeing all our neighbors’ costumes, and finally sneaking in a nice glass of red wine to celebrate with my husband at the end of the evening!
Aww Happy Anniversary! My grandparents were married on Halloween. They have been married almost 60 yrs.
My favorite part is the getting dressed up! I love finding that perfect costume and seeing what creative ideas other people come up with.
I love the costumes, and how excited my 3 year old is to go trick or treating this year!
Love seeing all the little kids dressed up!
Those cookies sound so good!
Love the idea of handing something out other than the standard candy! Raisins just don’t seem to go over well haha