Writing Wednesday - October Fun Ideas

As most of you know, I write Fun Facts for Kids for Two-Lane Livin' Magazine.

Below is my October column. 

A riddle - fall activities - fun and easy recipes.

OCTOBER FUN IDEAS

What was the favorite game at the ghost’s birthday party?

            Hide and Shriek!

I love autumn. The weather is cool and the trees are so beautiful, their leaves bright and colorful as a kaleidoscope. It is the perfect time to grab your jacket and take a walk in the woods or attend football games.  Enjoy these days before winter rushes in with her cold winds and deep snows.

Here are eight fun things you can do in October:

Make a hand print wreath. Trace around your hand on orange, brown, yellow and red construction paper or craft foam. Cut them out and glue into a large circle. With a hole punch, punch a hole in one of the hand prints, insert thread and hang on your wall.

Gather some pumpkins and have a pumpkin face-painting contest with your friends. When you are finished, vote on your favorite and place your decorated pumpkin on your front porch for everyone to see.

Go on a walk with friends and gather different kinds of leaves. Sort them by color, size or type of leaf. See if you can identify what species of tree each one came from.

Gather together pieces of nature, such as leaves, acorns, small sticks and pine cones. Add some google eyes and pipe cleaners. Then, use your imagination and glue together some fun critters.

Get an old straw hat, decorate it with artificial fall flowers and leaves, place it on top of your painted pumpkin or hang it on your front door for decoration.

Go on a fun hayride, sing songs and roast marshmallows.

Make a Halloween costume. Wear old jeans, a plaid shirt and a straw hat, stuff raffia in your sleeves and pants legs, attach a stuffed crow on your shoulder, and be a scarecrow. Wear a gray sweatshirt and sweat pants, carry a fake axe, place a funnel on your head for a hat and wrap long pieces of aluminum around your elbows and knees. Cut a heart from red felt, sew to your sweatshirt, and be the Tin Man! Wear a blue gingham dress, carry a basket with a stuffed dog inside, wear red shoes, put your hair in pigtails and be Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz.

And with help from your parents, make these fun and easy snacks.

Acorn Doughnuts

Glazed doughnut holes

Chocolate icing

Fall sprinkles (found in small jars in the baking section of the grocery store)

Stick pretzels

Spread chocolate icing on the top third of the doughnut hole

Roll it in the fall sprinkles

Push in a small stick pretzel for the stem

Nutter Butter Ghosts

Nutter Butter cookies

Vanilla Almond Bark or white candy coating

Mini chocolate chips

Melt almond bark in microwave, stirring occasionally

Dip Nutter Butter cookies in melted candy coating – cover completely

Remove with fork and place on wax paper

Add mini chocolate chips for eyes

Let harden completely

Happy Writing!