Terri Thompson

Top 10 Family Halloween Movies

October 16, 2017 By Terri Thompson

You know what would be a fun family activity for October? A Halloween family movie night!

Here are some fun family Halloween movies to choose from. Some of these are traditional Halloween choices and others are just a little bit of spooky fun. But, all would be perfect for a Halloween family movie night.

And, once Halloween is over, check out the rest of our recommended family friendly movies here.

To help you choose a movie, I’m including the age ratings I found on Common Sense Media, which is a great place to check for information about any movie (or book) you want to share with your kids.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Family Halloween movies for the little ones

These choices are perfect for your toddlers and preschoolers, but are enjoyable for all ages.

Room on the Broom (rated G): If you’re a fan of the book by Julia Donaldson, you’ll also love the movie. This is a fun and gentle movie that sticks true to the book. This is my number one choice if you have kids that scare easily with movies. It’s delightful and a little bit scary, but still stays gentle for young kids. Recommended for ages 3 and up. (Tip: This one is often streaming on Netflix!)

It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (Unrated): This movie fills me with nostalgia because it was my favorite Halloween movie when I was a kid. Now, my kids love to watch it every year. This is another gentle choice that it not at all scary. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

If you want even more great suggestions for toddlers, here are the Best Halloween Movies for Toddlers.

Kids Halloween movies for all ages

These family Halloween movies are perfect for elementary aged kids and be can enjoyed by everyone.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (rated PG): This quirky Tim Burton classic is both fun for Halloween and Christmas, although I’ve always thought it more suited for Halloween. Clocking in at just 76 minutes, it’s a good shorter choice for family movie night. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (rated G): If you’ve never watched a Wallace & Gromit show, you’re definitely missing out. They’re so funny and this Halloween choice will definitely get the family laughing. Suitable for ages 7 and up.

Casper (rated PG): Based on the classic cartoon, this choice has ghosts, a haunted house, and is kid-friendly – definitely a fun choice for a Halloween family movie night. Suitable for ages 8 and up.

Coraline (rated PG): This movie, based off of the book by Neil Gaiman, is not necessarily a Halloween movie, but it’s spookiness makes it perfect for Halloween time. (And if you haven’t already, you should read the book first!) This one could be a little scary for younger kids. Suitable for ages 9 and up.

Fun Halloween movies for tweens and teens

These family Halloween movies for tweens aren’t necessarily Halloween-specific, but they’re full of ghosts, monsters, and lots of spooky fun. Plus, they’re heavy on nostalgia that the adults will love!

The Goonies (rated PG): You know what’s fun to do on family movie night? Sharing a favorite movie from your childhood with your kids. The Goonies is a fun option for a Halloween family movie night. The tweens will love it and you get to watch a fun favorite from your youth. Suitable for ages 10 and up. (In case you forgot, there is a lot of swearing in the movie. So, if you’re uncomfortable with that, skip this choice.)

Frankenstein, 1931 version (Nonrated) There’s no better time than Halloween to grab a classic horror flick. Frankenstein is spooky but tame in the way that all the classic horror films are tame. It’s a lot of fun to watch. That being said, make sure you grab the 1931 version starring Boris Karloff and not one of the more recent versions! Suitable for ages 10 and up.

Hocus Pocus (rated PG): When I first started thinking about family Halloween movies, this was the first one that came to mind (even before Charlie Brown). This comedy about three witches will get the whole family laughing. Suitable for ages 11 and up.

Ghostbusters (rated PG): I have not seen the most recent version of this movie, so my recommendation is for the 1984 classic. It’s a fun option that both kids and parents will enjoy. And, if you don’t get to it for Halloween, it’s a fun movie choice to watch with your tweens anytime of the year. Suitable for ages 11 and up.

Did I miss any of your favorites? What is your favorite Halloween movie?

Recommended Family Movie Night Resources:

If you’ve got Amazon Prime, it can be so easy to have a fun movie night. They’ve got so many family friendly movies available via streaming (in addition to other great benefits). You can sign up for Amazon Prime via this link.

Neighborhood Halloween Scavenger Hunt

October 11, 2017 By Terri Thompson

It seems like just yesterday I was dropping my kids off for the first day of school. But now, when I look at the calendar, I see that Halloween is coming soon. Very soon.

Where did time go?

It’s too late to cram in a trip to the pumpkin patch and all the community Halloween events have come and gone. But, you still want to have a little family fun for the holiday. What can you do?

You can go on a fun Halloween Scavenger Hunt in your neighborhood. Gather the kids up after dinner, bundle up, and go outside. Check out your neighbors’ decorations and have some last-minute family fun.

Grab the kids for this fun Halloween scavenger hunt which takes you through your neighborhood looking for holiday decorations and other fall fun.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Scavenger Hunts are perfect for simple family fun

My girls love scavenger hunts, absolutely love them. I tend to agree with them.

Scavenger hunts are a great way to spend a little fun time with the kids. And it can also get them outside and moving. I can’t really think of a negative thing about them.

So when the schedule is tight and you’re just about ready to give up on the possibility of any family time, remind yourself of these two words – scavenger hunt.

Scavenger hunts are usually easy to prep. You can find so many that are already prepared; you just need to print it out. (Just like this one.) All ages love them – heck, I still love to go on scavenger hunts.

Go on a Halloween Scavenger Hunt in your neighborhood

This Halloween Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt should work for just about any neighborhood. I’ve included things in nature as well as popular Halloween decorations.

If there is something on the list that just won’t work for your neighborhood, cross it off and add your own item. The important thing is to just have fun.

You can click the link below to download the scavenger hunt sheet. Print off as many as you need! I keep a couple of clipboards handy for activities like this. It’s so handy to carry along a writing surface with you on your scavenger hunt.

Get your Halloween Scavenger Hunt Here.

Don’t panic when you look at the calendar and see that Halloween is coming soon. There’s still time for a little family fun.

Secret Code Spelling Words

October 9, 2017 By Terri Thompson

Spelling words. Let’s talk about spelling words.

It’s likely that your child will have spelling words to practice just about every week. Each and every week.

So let’s mix things up a bit and add a little fun to our homework. We’re going to make some Secret Code Spelling Words.

Fun! Right?

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed:

Secret Code Printable Sheet

Pencil

Paper

Calculator (optional)

Spelling Words

How to do this Secret Code Spelling Words activity

First you’ll need to gather your supplies and make sure your have your Secret Code Printable Sheet. You can click the link below this paragraph to download and print.

Download your Secret Code Printable Sheet here.

If you take a look, you’ll find that the code is really simple. Each letter equals a separate number, 1 through 26.

Take your spelling list and transform each word into a series of numbers. The word “team” becomes “20 5 1 13.” Easy peasy. Do this for each spelling word.

The great part about this activity is that it’s so appealing and so much fun, but at the same time, your kids are taking a close look at each of their words when they translate it into a secret code.

Extend the fun with one of these ideas:

Sneak in a little math practice by adding up all the letters in each word. For example, the word “team” adds up to 39. Grab a calculator (or do without) to figure it out. Which of your spelling words adds up to the smallest amount? Which one is the largest amount?

Work backwards. Decode a list of numbers to figure out what the word is. For example, “19 13 1 12 12” is actually the word small.

Write secret messages. Use your spelling words in sentences and write them using the secret code.

No matter what you do, have fun with these Secret Code Spelling Words.

If you enjoyed this Secret Code Spelling Words activity, the above photo is perfect for sharing on Facebook or you can save the photo below on Pinterest.

Buy the 31 Ways to Practice Spelling Words Ebook

You can find many fun ways to practice spelling words when you purchase this printable ebook, 31 Ways to Practice Spelling Words, for $7.50 The book is designed to print and turn into a half-page size booklet. It’s perfect to keep at your homework station. Your kids can flip through and find a fun way to practice their spelling words.

The ideas will be convenient and ready to use. No need to turn on the computer every day for ideas. You’ll find fun ideas such as Watercolor Resist Spelling Words, Writing Words With Paint in a Bag, and LEGO Letters. Some ideas are artsy, some get your kids moving, and all are fun.

Most activities require little to no prep time. And, if you make sure you have all the supplies on the Master Supply List (included in the book) on hand, you’ll be able to do any of these fun spelling word ideas any time.

Click here for the sales page or on the image below to purchase for $7.50.

Halloween Puppets from Craft Sticks

October 2, 2017 By Terri Thompson

I seem to specialize in cute Halloween crafts.

Any attempt to make anything spooky, scary, or creepy ends up cute. I just can’t pull off scary.

I don’t even try any more.

These craft stick Halloween puppets were destined to be cute. Plus, they’re quite easy to make. All you need are a few craft sticks and paint… and don’t forget the googly eyes!

Keep reading and I’ll break each of the puppets down into step-by-step instructions.

These Halloween puppets are super-cute and so much fun to make. You just need a few jumbo craft sticks to make this simple Halloween craft for kids.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed (for all three Halloween Puppets):

Jumbo craft sticks

White, black, and orange craft paint

Small googly eyes

Craft Stick Ghost:

1. Paint your craft stick white.

2. Add two small black circles for your eyes.

3. Add a larger black circle for your mouth.

Yes, it is that easy.

To help with the details, use the smallest paint brush you have for your black paint. Using a large paintbrush will make it hard. So, the smaller the paint brush, the easier to paint the details.

Craft Stick Mummy:

1. Paint the craft stick black.

2. Use your white paint to paint zig-zags along the length of the entire craft stick. Make sure to let a bit of black peek out between your stripes.

3. Add a couple of small googly eyes to finish your mummy. If you don’t have googly eyes, use your white and black paint to make your eyeballs.

Craft Stick Pumpkin:

1. Paint your craft stick orange.

2. Paint 3 small black triangles for your nose and mouth.

3. Paint a black zig-zag line for your mouth.

Once your paint dries, your Halloween puppets are ready to play with.

We’ve got several of these floating around the house and a few are currently haunting Cinderella’s castle. She’s not scared.

Good thing they’re cute.

Halloween Candy Corn Crafts for Kids

September 20, 2017 By Terri Thompson

What’s your opinion of candy corn? Do you love it or hate it?

I personally love it! But even if you don’t, you’ll love all of these cute candy corn crafts for kids.

Some of these Halloween crafts use real candy corn and others are just inspired by the treat. But, no matter what, they’re all cute and fun to make!

These crafts are so much fun for kids. They’re all easy to do and so many of them look great as a not spooky Halloween decoration.

So, grab your craft supplies and let’s get started.

Fun Candy Corn Craft Ideas

Make a fun Paper Plate Candy Corn Sculpture like the ones we did here. This makes a great candy corn preschool craft.

Or turn a paper plate into a fun Candy Corn Wreath. You’ll never guess how we did it!

Make a fun Candy Corn Pattern Discovery Bottle like this from Preschool Inspirations. Not only is it a fun craft, but it makes a great sensory toy.

Brighten your windows with this fun Stained Glass Candy Corn from Crafts by Amanda. It looks great with the sun shining through.

Use a simple template to make these torn paper (or fabric scrap) candy corns from Thriving Home. This simple craft is great for preschoolers and toddlers.

More Awesome Candy Corn Crafts for Kids

Paint with pom poms to make a super cute candy corn painting like this from Crafty Morning. This is a fun craft for toddlers!

Make cool sponge-printed candy corn like this idea from I Heart Art and Crafts. This is a great choice if you’re looking for a printmaking project.

Paint a tote bag with candy corn patterns like this project from Premeditated Leftovers. This would make a cute trick or treat bag.

Make a cute torn paper candy corn guy like this from Mama Smiles. He’d make a cute decoration, but also a fun toy.

Use candy corn to make pretty flowers like this fun craft from The Resourceful Mama. It’s a great use for candy corn if you don’t want to eat it!

Make a candy corn frame for your favorite Halloween photo like this project from The Chirping Mamas. It’s a fun frame for your Halloween costume pictures.

Use candy corn to embellish a cute fall owl like this project from Crafty Morning. This is such a cute idea!

Which of these candy corn crafts is your favorite? I can’t decide! I love them all!

Terri Thompson

Top 10 Family Halloween Movies