Costumes. Decorations. Pumpkin patches. Parties. School activities. Trick or treating. Baking. Instagram-worthy front doors.<\/p>
And somehow Mum is expected to make the magic happen.<\/p>
My philosophy?<\/p>
Make the memories. Skip the pressure.<\/p>
Children rarely remember whether your pumpkin looked Pinterest-perfect. They remember dressing up, staying out after dark, eating something they weren't normally allowed to eat and laughing with you.<\/p>
So here are 15 easy ways to do Spooky Season without creating another full-time job.<\/p>
Hide five or ten clues around the house or garden and finish with a small Halloween treat.<\/p>
Simple. Cheap. Brilliant fun.<\/p>
Pyjamas. Popcorn. Blankets. Done.<\/p>
Let the kids choose the film and make an event of doing absolutely nothing.<\/p>
Paint them. Add stickers. Use washable pens.<\/p>
Especially useful if you're doing Halloween with younger children.<\/p>
Use cheese, olives, peppers or veggie toppings to create ghosts, spiders and monster faces.<\/p>
They don't need to look perfect.<\/p>
In fact, the worse they look, the better.<\/p>
Wrap up, grab a torch and walk around your neighbourhood spotting pumpkins, decorations and spooky houses.<\/p>
Think dried pasta, toy spiders, mini pumpkins, leaves and little Halloween characters.<\/p>
Turn the lights down, give everyone a torch and make normal hide and seek slightly more dramatic.<\/p>
Cupcakes and biscuits are ideal.<\/p>
Buy them ready-made if necessary and let the kids decorate them.<\/p>
No judgement here.<\/p>
A ten-minute kitchen dance party can sometimes create more joy than an expensive day out.<\/p>
One of my favourite autumn traditions.<\/p>
Get outside, get muddy and take the obligatory photo with the enormous pumpkin you have absolutely no intention of carrying home.<\/p>
Add marshmallows, whipped cream or sprinkles.<\/p>
It's basically dessert in a mug.<\/p>
Before ordering another costume, raid the cupboards.<\/p>
Old hats, scarves, dresses, face paint and random accessories can produce surprisingly brilliant results.<\/p>
Turn off the main lights, switch on a lamp or LED candle and make up stories together.<\/p>
Let your child choose three random things that must appear in the story.<\/p>
A witch.<\/p>
A banana.<\/p>
And Buckingham Palace?<\/p>
Challenge accepted.<\/p>
Can you find:<\/p>
A red leaf
A spider web
A pumpkin
Something orange
A black cat
A funny-shaped stick?<\/p>
This is possibly the most important one.<\/p>
Childhood doesn't need to be curated.<\/p>
It needs to be lived.<\/p>
The costume might fall apart. The pumpkin might look ridiculous. Someone may cry because their sibling got more sweets.<\/p>
That is family life.<\/p>
Make the memories anyway.<\/p>
Create a little Halloween box and reuse it every year. Decorations, cookie cutters, activity sheets, accessories and Halloween books can all come back out every October.<\/p>
Less buying. Less waste. Less stress.<\/p>
More fun.<\/p>
Coming soon:<\/strong> Independent Mamma's Spooky Season Activity Pack, including a treasure hunt, scavenger hunt, colouring activities and Halloween games.<\/p><\/h1>","urlTitle":"spooky-season-is-upon-us","url":"\/blog\/spooky-season-is-upon-us\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/spooky-season-is-upon-us\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/independentmamma.com\/blog\/spooky-season-is-upon-us\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1791286300,"updatedAt":1791364950,"publishedAt":1791364950,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":324972,"name":"Independent Mamma"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6vbtha0ob9w7uupftcsnbixnlyfyif0w00mu2q3f64u1iy3b.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6vbtha0ob9w7uupftcsnbixnlyfyif0w00mu2q3f64u1iy3b.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6vbtha0ob9w7uupftcsnbixnlyfyif0w00mu2q3f64u1iy3b.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":44555,"title":"Welcome to Independent Mamma: Where Resilience Meets Reality","url":"\/blog\/welcome-to-independent-mama-where-resilience-meets-reality\/","urlTitle":"welcome-to-independent-mama-where-resilience-meets-reality","division":324972,"description":"Hey there, and welcome to Independent Mamma, the home for badass moms who juggle it all\u2014kids, chaos, and carving out their dreams. Born out of a \"JFDI\" attitude, this brand isn't just about merch; it's about celebrating the grit, hustle, and heart it takes to keep going when life throws its curveballs.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/sf707gn7685rni1uztm6bbrzpm1gapn1gk2krsfjsvwaalr1.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/sf707gn7685rni1uztm6bbrzpm1gapn1gk2krsfjsvwaalr1.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":56920,"title":"Calling all chesham lovers!","url":"\/blog\/calling-all-chesham-lovers\/","urlTitle":"calling-all-chesham-lovers","division":324972,"description":"Let's face it - Chesham is a little like marmite BUT for all of US that call this beautiful Bucks town HOME, let's start showing our pride and wear our name on our shirts this Summer. Check out this lovely selection of t-shirts and caps and choose the one that speaks to you! \n\nWe are a local business. Fully sustainable. We really appreciate your support.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ja3pdlt4vs3e9mg7hgxzqf4kno39toqtmjhmkchhvrzvlsuv.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ja3pdlt4vs3e9mg7hgxzqf4kno39toqtmjhmkchhvrzvlsuv.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":54021,"title":"Comfy like your pajamas","url":"\/blog\/comfy-like-your-pajamas\/","urlTitle":"comfy-like-your-pajamas","division":324972,"description":"There are lots of benefits to using organic materials. It is what makes our products stronger, longer lasting, softer and breathable. It's also a material that has huge benefits at an environmental level, boosting biodiversity and soil quality because no nasties are sprayed on the fields","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8nxk8nfamojpflodahbjtfyzkmvapqlx4n9ygp9oaxacxgdv.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8nxk8nfamojpflodahbjtfyzkmvapqlx4n9ygp9oaxacxgdv.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}