Stephanie Peterson with Utah’s Mama shares with Studio 5 some great things to do this October.
Whether you’re a stay at home mom, working mom, or single mom, we all want to engage our children with books, crafts, games, cooking and service every month. But researching and planning can take time. Time often taken up with dishes, laundry, and carpooling. Don’t let these fun activities and events pass you by. Take a half hour to sit down with your calendar and plan what will work with your schedule. Try doing this a week before the month so you can gather books and other supplies you might need. You don’t have to do it all, but pick things that you think your family will enjoy.
Have fun!!
For your convenience we have provided a link to a printable calendar for October www.freeprintablecalendar.net
Print it out and fill it out with these activities.
October 1st-3rd
Fieldtrip: Witches at Gardner Village
Friday, October 2nd
This is the season when the witches come out to play. Join in the fun with a hilarious display of plump, green-faced witches dressed to the nines in their most wacky and witchy attire: with mismatched colors, floppy hats and frumpy bloomers. The Village is full of ’em. Plan now to bring the camera and kids for this annual favorite.
Jokes:
This is one of my favorite times of the year to bring out the jokes. The kids love to tell them and see your reaction. Practice some good laughs!!
Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road?
He didn’t have the guts.
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Boo
Boo who?
Why are you crying?
Why are there fences around cemeteries?
Because people are dying to get out.
What do ghosts serve for dessert?
Ice Scream
How does a monster score a football touchdown?
He runs over the ghoul line.
October 4th-10th
Fieldtrip: Cornbelly’s
Tuesday, October 6th
We hope you’ll come visit us this fall at Utah’s most popular Halloween destination. You’re sure to be lost, laughin’ and lovin’ it in our new design for our world-famous maze. With more than 20 fall and haunted attractions, Cornbelly’s is proud to once again offer plenty of farmtastic fun for the whole family! Farmtastic fun includes the jumping pillow, cornbelly mountain, cow train, pig races, corn blaster and pumpkin blaster Monday-Thursday: 4-10pm Friday-Saturday: 10am to 11pm Sunday: closed
Game of the Month: Bobbing for Apples and Hanging Doughnuts
Bobbing for apples is an old party game that can still be a lot of fun at parties or for other groups of children. The traditional version requires a tub or large basin of water. A number of apples are put in the water to float. One by one, the children and adults hold their hands behind their backs and try to catch an apple with their teeth. The apples all move around and make it hard to set your teeth into.
Everyone who plays ends up with a wet face and maybe some damp clothes, and a lot of giggles. Girls with long hair can have their hair held back by a friend or a ponytail holder.
Younger children can be helped by someone holding the apple still for them to catch or they will get too frustrated.
It is much more fun to have a number of apples floating in the water, but for hygiene purposes, many people now play the game with only one apple in the water to bob for.
There can be time limits or rules as to how many bites you get before you lose a turn, or you just keep trying until you pick up an apple with your mouth.
Hanging Doughnuts. A row of doughnuts is suspended from a line – often a clothesline is used. Each person has to catch a moving doughnut with their mouth, hands held behind their back. This game is great for people who don’t want wet faces or when it is too cold to risk wet clothes.
Service Project: “Booing”
Who doesn’t love a little surprise on their front porch by someone who was thinking of them? If you have someone in your neighborhood who might need a pick me up, this is the perfect activity. Check out Skip to My Lou (www.skiptomylou.org) for details.
October 11th- 17th
Burn Some Energy: Carve Pumpkins
Now days there are so many ways to decorate or carve a pumpkin. For little ones instead of carving, let them punch holes into their pumpkin using a mallet and golf tees. Instead of carving, let your kids decorate with pipe cleaners or other craft items. The sky’s the limit.
Read Halloween Books
Oh No, Not Ghosts! by Richard Michelson; Where’s My Mummy? By Carolyn Crimi; Vunce Upon A Time by Jotto Seibold; The Skeleton in the Closet by Alice Schertle.
Craft: Scary Snake
What You’ll Need
-Old necktie
-craft dowel
-floral wire
-filling
-fabric glue
-scissors
Make It
Use a craft dowel to stuff the tie with filling. Add extra stuffing to the larger end of the tie for the head. To make the snake coil, insert a length of wide-gauge floral wire. Glue both ends shut. Cut out two eyes and a tongue from felt. Glue the eyes and a tongue from felt. Glue the eyes onto the top of the head and the tongue onto the tie’s underside.
October 18th-24th
Party of the Month: Halloween Party
This is my favorite party of the year. The kids love to dress up and get so excited. Don’t forget to decorate the house spooky to set the mood. Try these fun recipes for dinner.
Mini Meat Turnovers
Ingredients:
• 1-1/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspooons chili powder
• 2 teaspoonos dried oregano, crushed
• 1 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
• 2 10- to 12-ounce packages (20 total) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• Milk
• Salsa (optional)
Directions:
1. For filling, in a large skillet cook ground beef until brown; drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.
2. Grease a large baking sheet; set aside. Separate biscuits; cut each biscuit in half horizontally. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of biscuit dough into a 4-inch circle. Place about 1 tablespoon filling onto half of each circle. Fold opposite side of circle up and over filling. Brush edges with a little milk; seal edges with a fork.
3. Place filled turnovers 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet; brush with milk. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm. If desired, serve with salsa for dipping. Makes 40 turnovers.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Cool turnovers completely on wire racks. Place in an airtight freezer container; freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, transfer frozen turnovers to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through.
Gross And Gooey Apple Dip Recipe
Ingredients:
•1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
•1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 apple, sliced
Directions:
Combine the yogurt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Serve with sliced apples on the side.
Ghouls Punch
Ingredients:
• 6 cups unsweetened pineapple juice, chilled
• 3 cups cold water
• 1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate
• 4 blood orange or orange slices
• 1 recipe Frozen Hands (see recipe below)
Directions:
1. For punch, in a punch bowl stir together pineapple juice, water, and lemonade concentrate. Float orange slices and Frozen Hands in punch. Makes 8 (about 10-ounce) servings.
Frozen Hands:
Carefully pour cranberry juice cocktail into 2 or 3 clear plastic gloves.* Fill the gloves so that the fingers can move easily. Tightly seal the gloves with rubber bands. Place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Freeze until firm. Use scissors to cut the gloves off the frozen hands. If any fingers break off, add them separately to punch.
*Note: Be sure to use gloves without powder. Or, rinse powdered gloves thoroughly before using.
Make Halloween houses
Wrap tinfoil over a piece of cardboard for the base. Break up graham crackers. Buy lots of Halloween candy. The point is not to be perfect, they are haunted. Then use this fantastic frosting to hold it all together, on the bottom and up the sides. This frosting will hold up a real house if needed. You can also use hot glue first for a firm base, then use the frosting to decorate with candy. Haunted House Frosting included 2 egg whites, 1 lb. powder sugar, ½ tsp. cream of tartar. Beat egg whites until stiff, add tartar and mix. Then add powder sugar and mix until creamy and stiff. Put in plastic baggies and cut the tip of the bag at the bottom corner to create a frosting bag. This is only for making houses, not for eating.
Watch a Scary Movie
Try these hits: Scooby Doo or The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Fieldtrip: Ghost Stories at the Children’s Theatre
Saturday, October 24th @ 1. A haunted book is found in a book store by an unsuspecting reader. The stories come to life in this exciting and funny production that is sure to spook and delight. Tickets are $8.
September 27th-30th
Journaling: Start a Halloween Album
If you have an old album lying around turn it into a Halloween album. Decorate it anyway you want, you’ll treasure what you put inside more. Collect photos from years past to put inside, it’s also fun to write memories of the season (what you did, what you ate, how you decorated, or what the kids said).
Family Cooking: Cupcakes
Cupcakes are fun and easy to make and the kids love to decorate. Check out his link for ideas on how to decorate.
www.allthingscupcake.com
Fieldtrip: Monster Block Party
Saturday, October 31st. The Monster Block Party is a FREE, family-friendly halloween party for Salt Lake City’s goblins and ghouls of all ages. Located at the Gallivan Center from 12-4.
Utah Mama’s provides personal, professional and parenting resources designed to foster a greater sense of identity, empowerment and connection for women and mothers everywhere. The Handbook covers what, where and how to be the best Mama in town by collecting all the top Mama secrets. From community services and school information, to places to do and things to see-it’s a book packed with information that is compiled into 25+ in-depth chapters.
To order your Utah Mama’s Handbook, and for other great mothering information and advice, visit www.UtahMama.com.
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