Read these books to get into the Halloween Spirit!

October is a great time to pick up a book and read. Days are getting shorter, nights longer and that means you have more time to read. One of my favorite activities, but something that I rarely get to do anymore.

Nothing is better than falling into a good book to take you away from your reality! Especially at this time of year, Vampire books are great to pick up.

I remember loving The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice and it seems she changed the 'rules' for vampires. Then Stephanie Meyers comes along and writes a beautiful love story series that captures almost every woman's heart.






This has opened the floodgates for the next wave of authors who are writing about the Vampire culture. Each has put their own twist on things. A favorite of mine is Charlaine Harris' Sookie series which deals not only with Vamps, but also the Shapeshifters & Fairies.

You can read even more about Vampire books on this blog - Best Vampire Books.

Planning a Halloween Classroom Party

No matter what age kids are, they love classroom parties, and Halloween Classroom Parties are usually the first of the school year. This party really sets the tone for how the rest of the year will go. All it takes is some planning ahead of time.

Ask your parent helpers to bring in a snack for the class, select 2-3 Halloween Party Games, and play some Halloween Party Music in the background. Depending on the length of time allowed for your party, you may even want to plan a Halloween craft. It can be as easy as buying pre-made foam craft buckets, or as complicated as you would like it to be.
 










It is an important social activity that your child will look back on and remember, so go ahead, volunteer to plan a classroom Halloween Party. Your kids will thank you!

2010 Halloween Movies - Saw 3D, Paranormal Activity, Hatchet II

If you like nothing better than a Haunted House and a scary movie to get you in the mood for Halloween, I've got 3 movies in theaters that you will want to see.

Saw 3D : Opens October 29th

The Saw series continues with this seventh entry, spearheaded by returning Saw VI director Kevin Greutert. Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton also are back to pen the script, which details the exploits of serial killer Jigsaw's surviving victims, who seek counseling from a self-help mentor (Sean Patrick Flanery) whose past as a previous victim figures directly into each one's fate. Cary Elwes returns to the franchise for the first time since his character survived Jigsaw's first cinematic outing in 2004. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Paranormal Activity 2 : Opens October 22nd

Spooky hauntings are once again the main course in this Paramount Pictures follow-up to Oren Peli's wildly successful supernatural thriller, Paranormal Activity. Kip Williams directs from a script by Michael Perry. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

 Hatchet II : Opens October 1st

With even more action, carnage, gore and fun than the irreverent original, director Adam Green’s follow-up to 2006’s HATCHET will solidify the nightmarish film and its characters as a franchise. The sequel picks up where the original leaves off, with heroine Marybeth escaping the clutches of the deformed, swamp-dwelling killer Victor Crowley. Marybeth returns to the Louisiana bayou along with an army of hunters to recover the bodies of her family… and exact her revenge.

 Of course, you've got the classics that just have to be watched again:

         

Halloween Countdown - 18 days - Halloween at the Office

Depending on where you work, Halloween at your office could be a tamed down affair. Something like bringing in snacks (what office doesn't love to celebrate with a pot luck or snacks!). Maybe a few people will go all out and wear a Halloween costume, but most might just opt to wear some Halloween jewelry or a Halloween inspired shirt. You can also celebrate the spirit of the season by wearing a Pumpkin pin or Bat earrings before Halloween.

Halloween is all about dressing up and wearing Halloween jewelry is a big part of it. Wearing Halloween jewelry is fun because you can wear it before the actual holiday. Wearing a Halloween pin, necklace or earrings helps you & those around you get into the spirit of Halloween fun. Nurses, teachers, and other caretakers love to wear Halloween jewlery because of this. Lots of Halloween jewelry can light up for more exciting Halloween fun.

      










Once you've got your fun Halloween jewelry, all you need to do is bring in a yummy Halloween inspired snack. Take that extra time to make a child smile or even an adult - it makes all the difference. Even simple food like burgers or pudding can be given a Halloween touch to it by adding a bit of food coloring or molding it into different shapes. These are some simple and fun ways with food to make a Happy Halloween memory. This year, have some Halloween fun with Halloween food!

      

Lagoona Blue Homemade Costume

Lagoona Blue of the Monster High characters did not have an official Halloween costume manufactured this year. This video shows the creative skills of one little girl who made her own homemade Lagoona Costume.





I love her creative idea to carry the fishbowl for candy that displays Lagoona Blue's pet Piranha, Nirvana.

Tell us your creative ideas for Monster High Halloween Costumes!

PTO Halloween Party Planning Ideas for the Classroom

Kids love those special days a few times a year when they get to have a classroom party. PTO Mom's & Dad's are usually the ones responsible for planning them. Here are a few tips for planning your child's Classroom Halloween Party:

• Plan your time wisely. Too many activities will leave you and the kids frazzled, and too few activities will have you searching for something to fill time. Always take some Halloween Music that you can play or Halloween books to read just in case. 
• Ask other parents to chip in - this can be asking for supplies, snacks, or even ideas. Some parents who are not able to attend may want to help out by sending in a craft or game to play. 
• Bring plastic sandwich bags for leftover or uneaten treats. These are also good to send home craft projects that aren't quite dry yet. Or pieces of an unfinished craft project. 

  
Do you have any tips you would like to share? Leave them in the comments section below! 

Halloween Countdown - 19 days - Harry Potter Costume Ideas

Harry Potter costumes are ever popular and fun to wear. There is a good variety of the cast to choose from for males. Not too many female characters were in the movie, so that leaves the girls with only one or two options. The most popular Harry Potter costumes are

• Harry Potter (of course)
• Lord Voldemort
• Hagrid 

  

For Harry, the key is the glasses and wand. Lord Voldemort is usually depicted in a Halloween costume with a long black dresslike cape. You can even buy a Lord Voldemort mask. Hagrid really requires a fake beard & wig for most people.

Consider this - You can re-use your Harry Potter costume when you visit the Universal Harry Potter Experience!