What kid doesn’t love Halloween? Actually, tons of adults do too. It’s the perfect opportunity to become something or someone you wish you were or could be. My kids have been planning their costumes for months. Their thoughts go towards what’s pretty, scary, silly, funny or fancy whereas my first thought is what will keep them warm or how will I get their snowsuit underneath it. With today’s weather I fear the princess dresses may look a little stretched under the coats.
Gotta love how babies really don’t care what they’re dressed up in. I love the warm fuzzy fleece costumes so much. However, in case your child wants to choose their own costume and warmth isn’t their primary concern, here are some tips for keeping them warm on Halloween night:

Opt for a cozy, warm costume, try and give them similar ideas that are warmer.
Think of ways to make your costume warmer, like a cape might help keep a princess warm. Costumes that have legs covered allow for boots to be hidden which will help keep most of their legs warm. Wear long underwear, tights, nylons and socks in a colour that is the same as the costume, turtleneck under the costume.
Bring along warm accessories, mitts, coats, blankets, hats/ear muffs/headbands all of which can be taken off for trick or treating and worn between streets to warm up.
Wear a wig – this can go a long way in keeping your head warm.
Add a mask to keep your face warm.
Bring along a flask of hot chocolate to help warm up along the way.
Take the car, drive kids street to street so that they can jump in for a bit of warmth between streets.
Buy the costume a few sizes too big to add layers underneath.
If your kids are anything like mine, once they’re home and warmed up they’ll be dumping their pails of candy all over the floor – time to raid it for your favourites, haha. But seriously, after a couple of days we quickly end up feeling that this bowl has got to come to an end already. How do we get rid of all of this candy without letting them (or yourself) actually eat it all? Here are some innovative ways Gillian found for creatively making this stuff disappear:
1. DIY trail mix. Take your smarties, M&Ms, or other candies and chocolates and add them to nuts, pretzels, and dry fruit to make your own trail mix.
2. Keep some in your purse. You never know when you might need a pick me up or a bribe.
3. Take it to work. This is a quick and easy way to get the candy out of your house. It is always an easy way to give away those candies that aren’t a big hit in your house.
4. Save it to bake with. Put candies in the freezer. Whether making cookies, a cake, a milkshake, or an ice cream sundae, candies will give them a yummy twist.
5. Make your own advent calendar. Homemade advent calendars can be as simple or as fancy as you would like, ranging from make and attaching boxes together to decorating envelopes. Have your child pick 25 of their favourite candies and put them into their advent calendar.
6. Make a gingerbread house. This is a great way to repurpose your Halloween candy and getting your kids to decorate a ginger bread house can be a great fine motor skill activity.
7. Use it for a piñata. Maybe you have a birthday coming up or if it is not until next year you can put your candies in the freezer. When the party comes around you can buy a premade piñata or if you are feeling crafty you can use paper mache to make your own original piñata.
8. Make a trading station. This idea turns your kids’ candy into currency. You can put together books, games, small toys, crayons, and other small items and give them candy value. This will give your kids a chance to choose what they would like to “spend” their candy on and it is a fun way to keep them from getting sick from eating it all.
9. Donate it to a charity such as Ronald McDonald House, a nursing home, food pantry, children’s hospital, veterans’ home, or a women’s shelter. It is a good idea to check with your local charities before dropping off any candy.
10. Use it for science. Head on over to Google and you will find experiments using Skittles, Lifesavers, Starbursts, M&Ms and more.
Enjoy Halloween with your kiddos this year, stay warm and safe and have a few treats to celebrate.