1. Host a Family Game Night
Chances are, your homeschoolers will be longingly gazing out their bedroom on windows on October 31st unless you make your own fun indoors. A family game night is a wonderful way to have safe, Godly fun. Dust off the board games, pop some popcorn, and get ready for an evening of friendly competition. Candy prizes and autumn themed treats like candy apples and pumpkin pie will help your kids forget about trick-or-treating. You can also get together with other homeschooling families for a homeschool vs. homeschool showdown. Be sure to have at least one family member at the door to pass out candy. The last thing you want to do is come off as strange and unfriendly. There’s nothing wrong with passing out candy, and you can also pass out tracts with a friendly smile. Don’t shut yourself in and ignore your neighbors.
2. Go to a Harvest Party
When my kids think of Halloween they think of our church’s annual Harvest Party. This fun-filled evening occurs every October 31st as a safe, fun Halloween alternative. Races, leaf piles, corn mazes, and more fill the night with glee. There are candy prizes in each room in addition to larger prizes like video games, Bibles, and scooters. Believe it or not, my homeschoolers actually prefer going to the Harvest party over trick-or-treating. If your church doesn’t hold a Halloween alternative, meet up with your fellow homeschooling parents to brainstorm.
3. Cosmic Bowling Night
Most bowling alleys are open late into the night with florescent lights and strobes. Cosmic bowling is a great activity for those who wish to avoid Halloween festivities. Bowling alleys are usually empty on October 31st. This is a great opportunity for family-friendly bowling competition. You can even get together with other homeschool families and make teams. The Johnsons vs. the Thompsons! Go wild with uniforms, team names, and colors.
4. Throw a Costume Party
Just because trick-or-treaters dress up on Halloween doesn’t mean your youngsters can’t. Why not have a themed costume party with Biblical or historical figures? A friend of mine throws a party each year for homeschoolers. Last year she had a Noah’s Ark party. Each child dressed up as an animal for an impromptu play based on the story of Noah’s Ark. Just make sure you specify that all costumes must be appropriate for a Halloween Alternative. You don’t want any zombies crashing your party!
5. Carve Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins can be a fun day-long activity for creative homeschoolers. They don’t have to represent the souls of the undead as long as you don’t want them to! Take your homeschoolers out to a pumpkin patch to pick their favorite pumpkins. Mix it up with gourds and squashes. Draw some goofy faces and carve out silly creations. You can even write inspirational messages in the pumpkins for inquisitive passers by. Make sure to hang on to those squishy pumpkin seeds. You can throw them into the oven and dry them out for a crispy treat. Just add salt!
Mimi Rothschild is a homeschooling mother, writer, children’s rights advocate, and Founder and C.E.O. of home education company Learning by Grace, Inc. She and her husband of 28 years reside with their 8 children right outside Philadelphia, PA.
Rothschild launched Learning By Grace, Inc. because she believed that our nation’s public school system has failed parents and students. Learning By Grace, Inc. offers online education through a multimedia-rich curriculum to PreK-12 children across the country and throughout the world.
An accomplished author, Rothschild has written books regarding education published by McGraw Hill and others. Her Homeschooling News Café Blog consists of the most current and relevant education news.