Halloween is a really fun time of year for everyone. The changing temperatures, the changing leaves, and, of course, trick-or-treating for Halloween Candy! You may not be like us, but we love candy corn, so October is a very exciting time for us. In the spirit of Halloween, we’re here to share our #annreevescelebrates: Halloween Edition. We hope this series inspires you to create new traditions and celebrations with your family; pick and choose the ones that excite you the most, and be sure to share them with us on social media by tagging @annreeveskids + #annreevescelebrates. 

Shop The Halloween Friends Collection

Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Create a scavenger hunt list for your kids as they go trick-or-treating. It’s a really fun way to make trick-or-treating about more than just candy. Think of different Halloween decorations you’ve seen in the neighborhood. Encourage your kids to find Snickers bars, witch decorations, blow up pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, sour candies, and more! Maybe they’re looking for a friend in the same costume, a princess, or a skeleton in a neighbor’s yard! We’ve created a check-list with some of these ideas - print off a few copies and give them to your kids just before trick-or-treating.

Have a neighborhood costume parade

For those years when Halloween falls on a school night, trick or treating can fall right at your child’s bedtime. To get around this, plan a neighborhood costume parade after school on Halloween to let your littlest ones show off their costumes. Neighbors can sit in their front yards with candy bowls and admire the costume of their neighborhood friends. 

Drive around and look at Halloween decorations

Halloween decorations are the new Christmas lights! Some people’s decorations are really over-the-top impressive! Take a drive around the neighborhood one night and admire the hard work that went into decorating! 

Halloween movie night

Have a family movie night and watch your family’s favorite Halloween movies. Make a fun Halloween movie snack, like these cute Cheesy Witch Brooms, Mummy Meatballs, or Dracula Cookies. All of these recipes are kid-friendly, and make memories in the kitchen, too! Checkout our #annereevescelebrates Halloween Movie Checklist to make the most out of this Halloween Season.

Make your costume with the kids

Spend a Saturday crafting with your kids, and make their Halloween costumes! This is a fun and inexpensive way to celebrate, while getting your kids involved. This list features 85 homemade Halloween costumes, like a DIY Gumball Machine and a Homemade Football Field costume, and we couldn’t love them anymore. 

Carve a pumpkin

No Halloween celebration is complete without carving a pumpkin. This was such a fun experience for us as kids, and we want to create those fun memories with our own families. Pumpkin carving is not for the faint of heart, though, so we have a few tips and tricks up our sleeve to make this season's pumpkin carving just a little easier. 

First, clean out the seeds by opening the pumpkin from the bottom rather than around the stem. When you pull it out, a lot of the seeds and stringy insides  comes out with it. Half your job of cleaning out the pumpkin is already done! 

As tedious as it may be, the extra scraping inside the pumpkin saves so much time and effort when carving the face of your Jack-O-Lantern! Scrape the walls of the pumpkin with a big metal spoon until the walls are an inch thick. Trust us.

Always trace your Jack-O-Lantern design before carving. It speeds up the carving process and there is less time spent debating on nose placement. 

Lastly, don’t forget to let your kids in on the fun! We know the actual carving can be dangerous for young kids, but let them be in charge of the easier tasks like scooping out the pumpkin and separating the seeds from the stringy insides. Don’t forget to make some Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, too!

Shop The Halloween Friends Collection

While you’re celebrating and making fun family traditions, wear your favorite themed Ann + Reeves outfit. Do you and your family have any fun Halloween traditions? What did we miss on this list? Be sure to get your Halloween Friends outfits and celebrate with us. Share your celebrations on Instagram and tag @annreeveskids and #annreevescelebrates