Laura Lou Rambles With You

1.Pick your pumpkins

There's nothing better now that its dark to walk home and see your lovely carved glowing pumpkins out to greet you. So start by getting your little ones to choose their pumpkin. Obviously with all of the super markets having their pumpkins out and included in some of the deals it wold be easiest to grab one from there. If however you fancy making a day of it their is a pick hour own farm in Surrey called Crockford Bridge where you can go and choose your own pumpkins. Plus during half term they are hosting a Halloween event which looks like lots of fun so you could really make a day of it.

http://www.crockfordbridgefarm.co.uk/

2. Decorate your pumpkin

Instead of arming the littluns with a knife lol its probably best we arm them with some other crafty bits to decorate their pumpkins. So using things like paints (glow in the dark ones if you can get your hands on them), glue, glitters, sparkly sequins etc will allow them to get involved in the decorating safely.

3. Halloween stories
It's hard to get that quality time where we have snuggles and leave the worlds technology at bay with our little ones. So it would be nice to invest in some Halloween themed stories (check out local charity shops if you don't fancy buying from new) and turning off phones, laptops, televisions etc and dedicating even half an hour to reading some Halloween stories. A favourite of mine that ill be purchasing for Freddie will be 'Pumpkin soup' by Helen Cooper.

4. Cooking
Grab some Halloween inspired cookie cutters and get baking. The younger kiddies will probably be more untested i the tasting lol or like my Freddie only want to do the mixing part and cry his eyes out  at the thought of e mixture going into the oven lol.However we've got to remember its their experience and not to focus so much on an ended duct. Whatever they get out of it is enough as long as their enjoying themselves :)

5. Slimy sensory swamp
Wheni use to work in private nurseries one of my favourite activities to do for the children was sensory swamps. Cook up some spaghetti (on a big of a scale as you have space for) dye in even with some green food colouring, cover your table with a messy mat or use a builders tray/sand pit etc and put the dyed spaghetti on the table or in the pit and and some mini beasts and let them get stuck in exploring the slimy swamp.

(Go onto amazon and type on bags of mini beasts)

6. Ghost painting
This is a nice simple one. Simply get some black paper/card and some white paper, and get your little ones to paint their interpretations of a ghost. The older children can the. Use a black felt pen to draw on eyes and mouths of the ghosts when the paint has dried.

7. Pin the legs on the spider
Draw or paint or get a big picture of a spiders body. Stick it on a wall and use some black pipe cleaners wi Sellotape or masking take and get the children to stick the legs on the spider.

8. Make some pumpkin soup
Why not search out a basic recipe for pumpkin soup. Get the children involved by getting them to write their own list of ingredients to take to the shops. They can draw pictures of the things they will need. Then head off to the shops and get them to help find the ingredients they will need. Once home you can talk about how you will prepare the soup of their to young to help with cutting etc, and em once its cooled and get them to have a quick stir. Hopefully it gets the little fussy eaters out there interested in trying something new to.

9. Paper plate pumpkins
This time of year it sold hopefully be pretty easy to get your hands on some orange plates. Cut out some facial features from black paper. Eyes, nose etc and get little ones to decorate and make their own pumpkin faces.

10. Dressing up
Now I can't do a things to do on Halloween without including dressing up can I!? Maybe get some little ones around for some dressing up fun, get them all to bring a costume and they can all swap and take turns. It can be as simple as wrapping a child in toilet toll and bobs your uncle you now have a mummy. Whatever it is be creative and have a blast.

My 10 things to make, do and enjoy with your littluns at Halloween has come to and end but I'd love to hear other ideas from all you lovely mummies and caters of little ones out there to feel free and
encouraged to leave comments :) I'd love to see pictures of any of the things you've tried from my list so feel free to share:) enjoy Halloween everyone love LauraLou x

Smothering strangers sharing similar dangers

A waiting room full of nervous glances and flitting stares

Does anybody speak? Nobody dares!

The room begins to move and my heart is beating fast

I wonder how long this one is going to last!?

I shift in my seat with growing agitation 

Trying to catch my breath but becoming consumed by frustration 

Everybody is staring they can sense I can't cope

Self esteem drops and I begin to loose all sense of hope

I can't breath this is it, I'm going to pass out

As much as I try to reason that's all my brain is shouting out

I'm hurting towards rock bottom

The revolving door of life spins me through this process again and i just can't seem to stop em

My head begins to pound and my heart is fighting to leave my chest

To live is all I want but to die sometimes seems best

I take that long last attempt at a deep gasp for air and the oxygen kicks in

The aftermath of the attack can slowly begin

Exhaustion, cold shivers, the headache and nausea believe it or not are a good sign

It shows I've survived this one and the panic attack and anxiety will all pass in time.