Halloween party ideas at home for sick kids, anti-Halloween, trick or treat alternatives

Halloween is one of most kids' top two favorite holidays. Some children plan their Trick or Treat costumes months in advance. So what happens when your child is too ill to go trick-or-treating? Or maybe you have a child with dietary restrictions or allergies? Or, what if you don't observe Halloween as a family, but don't want kids to miss out on the fun. 

Why not plan a Halloween party at home? Here are not-too-scary Halloween activities for an at-home party. Use these tips if you can't or don't want to do door-to-door trick-or-treating. These Halloween party ideas are homemade, easy, cheap (or free) and flexible. Adapt them to your needs. Anti-Halloween parents, bypass it by throwing a fun fall party. Either way, these ideas are great workarounds. 

Trick or treat indoors or have a backyard candy hunt. Kiddies too sick to go out? Maybe it's raining on Halloween? Or perhaps you live in an area that isn't kid-friendly. No problem. Hide candy around the house, apartment, patio or backyard, as you would at Easter with Easter eggs. Or skip candy and hide little toys. Children can still put their costumes on if they wish. Or let them help pass out candy. Take videos for happy family memories.

Make a mini-scary family movie. There are plenty of Halloween movies to rent, but why not make your own at home? Narrate a Halloween story or act out a play. Make silly commercials for Halloween candy to accompany your funny, not-too-scary Halloween film. Ask kids to write the script. Older kids will love playing filmmaker, makeup person, special effects gal and stunt coordinator. The sick kid can be the director and tell everyone else what to do. Make spooky sounds: rattle popcorn in an aluminum can for rain. Run the vacuum over the floor for thunder. Turn the lights on and off for lightning. Have kids incorporate their costumes into the plot.

Put on a puppet show. Here's where the recycle bin comes in handy. Children can decorate old socks, cardboard cereal boxes and paper bags as puppets. They might write their own spooky story and act it out. An overturned card table covered with a cloth makes a great puppet theater.

Check out these links for free printable Halloween crafts. Print out Halloween masks, spooky origami, kirigami (cut-paper crafts), cut and paste paper hats and toys, coloring pages, mazes, puzzles, word search, crossword, Sudoku and hidden pictures. Make an activity booklet for the sick kids. Fill a shoebox with scissors, glue stick, crayons, tape and printed craft projects. He can make "couch crafts" at home. Make cards for senior citizens.

Serve fun Halloween party treats at home! Bob for apples. Toast marshmallows over the stove. Make popcorn and cocoa. Serve donuts and cider. Make a family pizza. Decorate Halloween cookies. Invent funny monsters from cut veggies. Share some with a lonely next door neighbor or senior friend (when the sick kids are well!)

Carve your pumpkins! Here are free printable pumpkin carving stencils. Your Halloween party at home may be the most memorable ever. Your kids may demand to nix Trick or Treat and do a party every year!

Back to school shopping: Remember Operation Christmas Child and Christmas toy donations

Are you looking for a nifty charity to donate toys to this Christmas? Why not explore Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. This group collects Christmas shoeboxes filled with with gifts for needy kids around the world. To participate, get a shoebox and fill it with toys, school supplies, articles of clothing, personal care products, candy, books and other little gifts. Drop it off at one of the locations here or mail it in.

We've been doing this as a family since it started in 1993. We shop back to school sales for pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, markers, crayons, scissors, pens, activity booklets, coloring books and craft sets.  We fill our boxes with small backpacks, cuddle toys, hair accessories, toy cars, small brush and comb, wash cloth, energy bars, powdered vitamin drink, prayer cards, jewelry, sunglasses, socks and T-shirt. Shopping sales, especially back-to-school, I was able to get all these items for about $12-$15 per box. 2017 shoe boxes are due Nov. 13 to Nov. 20 and drop-off locations are listed on the website.

Don't forget to pick up extra school supplies at back to school sales to donate to those in need. 

Free Printable Baptism Greeting Cards and Christening Greeting Cards

Many faiths celebrate the sacrament of baptism, be it infant or adult. Infant baptism is also called christening in some denominations. Baptism and christenings are usually followed by a celebration. To keep party planning costs down, use free printable invitations. To keep gift giving costs down, use free printable baptism and confirmation cards.

  Hoover Web Design (click here) has ten free printable baptism invitations that can be customized and used as baptism cards also. You can also choose from four free printable infant christening cards and invitations.

  HP (click here) free printable greeting cards, invitations plus announcements for baby shower or birth of baby. Use for baptism and confirmation cards and invitations by changed text. Hewlett-Packard also has free printable crafts and gifts that can be personalized with pictures. Scroll through.

  Free-Printable-Party-Invitations-Online (click here) has several basic baby themed free printable invitations and cards, suitable for baptism and christening.

  Blue Mountain (click here) has free baptism and new baby congratulations e-cards.

  For more free printable greeting cards, visit my blog at www.freeprintablecards4u.blogspot.com. For more party planning tips, including free printable activities, visit me at www.diypartyplanner.blogspot.com. For more Catholic and religious activities, visit me at www.catholicactivities.blogspot.com.

Free Printable Vacation Bible School Crafts Activities

Summer brings lots of great family traditions--4th of July, picnics, parades, beach fun. One very popular summer activity is VBS, or Vacation Bible School. Almost every church sponsers a week-long Vacation Bible School. And don't let the term 'school' intimidate you. At VBS, children learn about Christian Biblical teachings in fun-filled interactive ways. Students learn about Jesus, faith, Go, making crafts, singing, playing games. Are you a VBS teacher? You'll want these Free Printable Vacation Bible School Activities

Holy Week, Easter activities for Families

Catholics, Orthodox, and other Christian traditions, follow the penitential season of Lent before Easter. Lent concludes with Palm Sunday which leads into Holy Week and culminates on Easter Sunday. This most sacred and somber week includes the Easter Triduum, with Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday or Easter Vigil. I converted to Catholicism 19 years ago and homeschooled our four children for 10 years. My children tell me that some of their favorite memories center on our Holy Week observances. For families looking for the full Palm Sunday-to-Easter experience, here are activities from my journey to guide you. These activities have merit for non-Catholics, as they help bring families closer together.  Holy Week, Easter activities for parents and children

Lenten Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving Activities for Children

The Catholic Lenten season of Lent is fast approaching. In lent, we practice gospel virtues: prayer, fasting, almsgiving. We seek to draw near God, by imitating Christ's suffering. Those acts in turn help us grow stronger. Here are lenten sacrifice activities for children.  Lenten Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving Activities for Children

Advent Calendar Service Project Craft

Many of us parents have found Christmas to be about receiving not giving with our children. It's not that kids are selfish, it's that marketing campaigns bombard them with products to want. Who can blame kids for wanting all that cool stuff? To say, 'you're selfish' to a child is to state an obvious, but not necessarily negative fact. Telling them not to desire is pointless.  It's part of how children learn to meet their own needs. We can give them opportunities to practice giving, sharing too though, especially at Advent. Here's an advent calendar craft with sharing opportunities.Advent Math, Writing Project Craft

Lenten and Easter Almsgiving Activity

As Catholic homeschoolers education focused around the liturgical year in our family. Holy Week is the pinnacle of the church year. We practice lenten virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, in solidarity with our Lord and in preparation for our Easter celebration. In our homeschool career, we explored many avenues of sacrifice and service. One simple activity became very meaningful. We are fortunate to live near several mission-type sites which provide immediate care and help to those in need. Our church twins with a parish in Haiti. Many Staples outlets gather school supplies. Using these resources we made lenten care kits.Lenten and Easter Activity 

Teaching Children About Lent and Fasting

In the Catholic church, Ash Wednesday kicks off the penitential season of Lent. During Lent, we fast, pray and give alms to the needy, to prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday. Whether you're Catholic or not, there's a lot to be learned from these disciplines, especially for children. Here are tips to teach children about Lenten fasting. This Q-and-A guide will also help non-Catholic children understand what their Catholic classmates are doing and why.  Teaching Children About Lent and Fasting

Attachment Parenting: Bonding with Your Preschool Toddler

 The "attachment parenting" catch phrase has infiltrated common parlance. Speaking as a 25-year attachment parent, I think the term is often misunderstood. I knew a gal who had no kids say she was an attachment parent because she babysat her brother's children occasionally. It isn't part-time; it's a lifelong, all-invasive commitment. Here's how we did it when kids were toddlers and preschool age. I forgot to add this tip--don't stop nursing your toddler just to cave to social pressure. If baby is ready to wean, okay. If not, let her enjoy this bonding time. My kids nursed till they were 2-5 and very healthy physically and emotionally. Attachment Parenting: Bonding with Your Preschool Toddler

Catholic Relief Services Lenten Rice Bowl Activities

Catholic Relief Services is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent CRS initiates what is called 'Operation Rice Bowl'. Operation Rice Bowl is a program which focuses our attention on the cardinal aims of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Rice Bowl project consists of a cardboard box which when assembled, looks very much like the take out boxes that rice comes in. The Rice Bowl is a box which families set up in their homes during Lent to collect loose change and offerings for the poor and hungry of the world. Operation Rice bowl also includes a Lenten prayer calendar with devotional activities, feast days and stations of the cross. Each calendar day has a prayer focus. Specific information about world poverty statistics and needs from around the world are listed also.  Lenten Rice Bowl Devotional and Lesson Planner

Free Printable Valentines for Kids

Kids love to exchange valentines on Valentine's Day. Valentines are going up in price just like everything else. How about a green, creative, money saving option? Free printable valentines for school exchanges? Here are many to choose from.  Free Valentines

Wishlists for shelters, missions, food banks

Winter is particularly hard on the homeless and those in need. In Detroit, cold temperatures send many to shelters and missions. Agency resources get depleted more quickly during the holidays. Here are wish lists of needed items at Metro Detroit nonprofit organizations.  Read more

Advent Almsgiving, Service Project for all Ideologies

If we're not careful Christmas ends up being more about receiving than giving, with adults as much as kids. It's not that kids are so selfish, it's that marketing campaigns target children and bombard them with images of thousands of 'must-have' toys, gadgets and goodies. Who can blame kids for wanting all that cool stuff? To say a child is selfish is to state an obvious, but not necessarily negative, fact of childhood. Being self-centered is how they learn to care for and protect themselves. But excessive selfishness is taught, not inherent. So do how do we teach empathy? By telling kids not to want things? Nope--shaming is unhealthy. It's also counterproductive. Better to teach positive, proactive sharing and caring.  Here's a printable advent almsgiving activity. And you don't have to be Catholic or Christian to observe advent virtues. I have friends in every faith group and ideology--Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist, Wiccan, Bahai, Sikh, Hindu, animist--all practice similar acts of mercy and charity. This can activity can be used with children, no matter what their family creed. Advent Giving

Best Spiritual, Religious Confirmation, Baptism Gifts for Teens

Several Christian denominations, Catholic, Episcopalian and Lutheran most notably, celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation. In confirmation, the 'confirmand' (confirmation candidate) is anointed with oil and 'sealed with the Holy Spirit'. The confirmand is confirmed by the Holy Spirit and becomes a full, adult member of the parish. Most parishes prepare teenagers to receive the sacrament of Confirmation sometime between eighth and tenth grade. Another confirmed adult, other than a parent, acts as sponsor to the confirmand.

A confirmation sponsor's role is similar to that of godparent. It is customary for friends, family and sponsors to give a gift to the confirmand. The gift need not be large or costly, but rather a token of remembrance. Here is a list of reasonably priced gift suggestions for Confirmation. These suggestions work well for any spiritual life event or celebration including baptism, first holy communion and bat or bar mitzvah,  Read more at  Gift-Giving Guides: Best Religious Confirmation Gifts for Teens

Lenten Rice Bowl Devotional and Lesson Planner

Catholic Relief Services is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent CRS initiates what is called 'Operation Rice Bowl'. Operation Rice Bowl is a program which focuses our attention on the cardinal aims of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and alms-giving.
The Rice Bowl project consists of a cardboard box which when assembled, looks very much like the take out boxes that rice comes in. The Rice Bowl is a box which families set up in their homes during Lent to collect loose change and offerings for the poor and hungry of the world. Operation Rice bowl also includes a Lenten prayer calendar with devotional activities, feast days and stations of the cross. Each calendar day has a prayer focus. Specific information about world poverty statistics and needs from around the world are listed also.  Lenten Rice Bowl Devotional and Lesson Planner 

How to Make a Day of the Dead Family Altar or Memorial Shrine

How to Make a Day of the Dead Family Altar or Memorial Shrine
Day of the Dead or 'Dia de los Muertos' is the Latino variation of the Catholic holy day of All Saints Day. Hispanic families gather to honor deceased family members. They also create family altars. Here's how to make a Day of the Dead memorial shrine.
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Free Printable Holy Week Activities, Coloring, Crafts

Free Printable Holy Week Activities I've been combing the internet for free printable Holy Week activities. Here are links to 100+ free printable coloring pages,word searches, crossword puzzles, cryptograms, games and crafts for Holy Week and Easter. Read More

Best Inexpensive Confirmation Gifts

Gift-Giving Guides: Best Religious Confirmation Gifts for Teens
Several Christian denominations celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation. The confirmand is confirmed by the Holy Spirit. It is customary to give gifts as a token of remembrance. Here are reasonably priced gift suggestions.
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Lenten and Ash Wednesday Almsgiving Activities

Lenten and Easter Activity: Fasting, Almsgiving, Prayer
Use this lenten almsgiving service project to practice spiritual exercises of fasting and alms-giving. Focus on Social Justice, World Church, missions and prayer. Lesson plans include social studies and math extensions; multiplication, division, counting, sorting, grouping and story problems. Great education for all children. Use for CCD, religious education, classroom service project, homeschool, scout troop, 4H group and more!
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