Super Easy Halloween Party Games (You Can Play Using Soda Bottles!)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CVS4FantaFun #CollectiveBias

Whether you need a last-minute Halloween party game without a ton of setup, or just an impromptu boredom buster, these awesome games take minutes to set up and are easy for anyone to play-- just grab some Orange Fanta, a few cups, and some tape, and you're all set! #CVS4FantaFun #ad

Halloween is pretty much upon us… in fact, with less than a week away, busy moms, I’m hearing your cry. Today, we’re getting ready for Halloween, and whether you’re planning a party with all of your friends, need a last-minute game to become the coolest car at the Trunk-or-Treat, or just want some post-Halloween boredom busters to burn off extra energy, this is the game plan for you.

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Pumpkin Carving and Sensory Play

I received product from Pumpkin Masters for this post. All opinions are my own.

Pumpkin carving is an excellent family tradition every autumn or fall season, but did you know that with the right tools, even the youngest kids can get involved and turn carving and family time into a learning experience or educational activity? Don't just go to the pumpkin patch this year- help your kids learn while having fun with pumpkins!  #pumpkinmasters #ad

Pumpkin carving… it’s a great tradition that many families share. It can be really fun to set up a bonfire or lay out some trash bags to collect pumpkin guts and get the whole family to carve pumpkins together, but did you know it could be a unique learning experience, too? Children learn with all 5 senses, and pumpkin carving offers a great sensory experience that helps children explore all of these, and with the right tools, kids of almost any age can get in on the fun.

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Spooky Halloween Pudding Snacks and Classroom Party Craft and Treat!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackPackMixIns #CollectiveBias

From Spooky Halloween Classroom Party Crafts to treat toppers fit for a crowd, you'll love these ideas on how to top portable treats and delicious pudding! Zombie Hand pudding cups, brain pudding cups, creepy Teddy Graham pudding cups, Chocolate Cherry Monster Mash cups, and Monster Brains Snack Cups. #SnackPackMixIns #ad

The season of Halloween Class Parties is upon us. Even if you’re not a room volunteer, there are so many big celebrations for Halloween coming up, which is why unique snacks and crafts are key. I’ve got some easy treats and a fun craft that is perfect for one kid or thirty, making it perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a little spooky fun. These pudding toppers are effortless and so fun for everyone!

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How to Throw a Spooky Sweet Brownie Pizza Party this Halloween!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SpooktacularSnacks #CollectiveBias #Ad #Sponsored #GetYourBettyOn

It's Halloween! Throw the spookiest, sweetest class party, Halloween party, or otherwise spooky soiree by making easy brownie and cookie pizzas, then having a top-your-own sweet treat pizza bar! Here's how to throw the perfect Halloween dessert party!  #SpooktacularSnacks #GetYourBettyOn #ad

I love a good Halloween party. You can probably tell, because I’ve been sharing a lot of my favorite Halloween treat ideas lately. You see, I look at Halloween as the first major “food holiday” of the fall season– a time to get together with family and friends and enjoy good conversation, and of course, delicious food. But nothing strikes my fancy quite like a sweet treat sort of party, a soiree meant for sweet tooths. And that’s why I really love the Halloween party I’m sharing today– it’s all about sweet treats, and even better, it’s all about gathering around for topping your sweet snack to satisfy your own taste buds! We’re talking a brownie pizza party… seriously.

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Spooky Ghost Cake Balls

Looking for the perfect treat for your Halloween party? These spooky ghosts will take the cake! Ghost cake balls are covered in fondant, and you don't have to be an expert cake pop dipper to have the cutest ghosts at your Halloween party. Luckily, they're easy to make, and they're perfect for kids and adults alike because they're not-too-scary but totally sweet!

Can you believe Halloween is almost here? We’re only about a month out, which means it’s time to solidify those Halloween party plans… and that means adorable desserts and spooky treats! These Spooky Ghost Cake Balls fit the bill. They’re easy to make, even if you’re the worst cake pop dipper ever (like me) and they can be customized in any flavor you’d like. Plus, these not-too-scary ghosts taste great and are perfect for everyone, from kids to adults.

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Monster Mash Pudding Shots

Looking for a last minute Halloween Party treat that doesn't require any cooking at all? Try this delicious Monster Mash pudding shot-- it's perfect for Halloween and doesn't take much effort at all to impress! Perfect for entertaining when life is way too busy to cook.

You know what’s great? An impressive dessert that wows pretty much everyone at your party… without any cooking at all. That’s what’s so perfect about these Monster Mash Pudding Shots… they’re so pretty, so spooky, and perfect for your Halloween party, without any actual effort. I promise– if you can use a spoon, you can make these awesome treats for your Halloween bash!

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Pumpkin Spice Baby Shower Mints

These pumpkin spice baby shower mints are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and they're so easy to make! No baby shower coming up? Make them in your favorite sports team colors for an easy tailgating dessert, or serve them at your Halloween and Thanksgiving parties! Plus, hello, if you don't dig pumpkin spice, you can make these in just about any flavor from banana to butter to rum!

I love a good baby shower. I mean, who isn’t a fan of welcoming new life into the world? There’s just so much to celebrate when a new baby is due. So when I found out a blogger I totally love was having a baby, I had to make some special mints to celebrate! These pumpkin spice cream cheese mints are perfect for welcoming autumn babies, but also for any celebration (like a football watch party, a Halloween bash, or Thanksgiving). Plus, they’re so easy to make that you’ll find any excuse to make them. But this time, I’ve made them to celebrate Katie from Clark’s Condensed as she welcomes her new little boy!

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Perfectly Pumpkin Vanilla Bars

Some people mark Halloween as the end to all things pumpkin. Of course, Hobby Lobby starts discounting Christmas in, like, July, so really, our holiday schedule is thrown way out of whack.

I think that post-Halloween pumpkin is the best kind of pumpkin. There’s no reason to pass on all things pumpkin until after at least Thanksgiving! You might remember that I’m a huge fan of pumpkin. As evidenced by my Better Than Pumpkin Pie dessert that was a huge hit last Thanksgiving. Or my Pumpkin Butter recipe that has been a huge reader favorite this season. Or maybe even my Pumpkin Spice Krispie treats from last year.

No doubt about it, I love Pumpkin. So, even though we’re well into November, I still have just a few more pumpkin recipes left in me. My hope is that you’ll find something yummy to take to an upcoming Thanksgiving feast, or at the very least, enjoy while you cry over the Christmas music that started just after Halloween on some stations.

These Perfectly Pumpkin Vanilla Bars are so easy and tasty that you might want to consider making a double batch. Yum.

You’ll want to start with the Pumpkin Creme cake mix from Pillsbury. It comes with the vanilla mix that they use as a filling in the cake. I’m going to use it in a slightly different way in these bars, however.

In addition to the mix, you’ll need some milk, oil, eggs, and sprinkles, though the sprinkles are optional.

Set the vanilla filling packet aside and just pour the pumpkin cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add in your egg, 1/4 cup of milk, and 1/4 cup of oil.

It will be an incredibly thick batter, and it will smell really, really awesome. So… try not to eat too much of it before pressing it into a greased 9×9 pan.

Just like that.

For the vanilla topping, you’ll want to mix together the filling packet, plus 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of water.

Spread this as evenly as you can on top of the pumpkin batter.

You’re going to bake these for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

It’ll have a fun layered effect when it’s finished.

While the bars are still slightly warm, gently press your fall sprinkles into the top. Then, the hard part… waiting! You have to wait a full hour for these to cool. Don’t try cutting them sooner– they’ll fall apart!

Voila! Worth the hour wait… and so delicious. They’re a bit ooey-gooey and packed with fall flavor. The vanilla offsets the pumpkin perfectly for a delicious finish.

I got ten thin bars out of my 9×9 pan. You can also cut them into squares, triangles, or any other delicious desired shape you’d like.

Maybe eating something pumpkin will help counteract the Christmas special you’re watching on TV before Thanksgiving has even come and gone.

Are you a die-hard holiday separationist, waiting for one to end before the next begins, or do you blend your holidays in the last half of the year? When do you feel pumpkin is “out”? Sound off in the comments section below!

Harvest Cinnamon Popcorn Mix

I’m a pretty big fan of popcorn. There really isn’t a time or place where popcorn isn’t a decent answer… whether it’s kettle corn at the soccer game, super extra mega butter popcorn at the theatre, or just microwave popcorn with the family as a night snack. But there’s always a very special place in my heart for mixes that involve popcorn and other foods I love. This harvest cinnamon popcorn mix is no exception. With only a few ingredients, and the ability to make it in under 10 minutes start-to-finish, it’s the perfect treat for a last minute snack!

Start out with four simple ingredients. I picked up this Sweet Cinnamon Act II popcorn on a whim when I saw it at the store, and it has an incredible cinnamon scent that can’t be beat. The S’mores Candy Corn was also an impulse buy of mine (and a good one at that!) CandiQuik is good for mixes like this because it solidifies after being melted and then cooled, so it is a good way of keeping a mix held together. Finally, the Pumpkin Spice M&Ms are really yummy… and remind me so much of the chocolate chai latte from Starbucks. Yummy! You could also add in some peanuts, cashews, or chopped walnuts to this mixture to add a protein punch while still maintaining a yummy fall flavor blend.

Start by popping your sweet cinnamon popcorn in the microwave the way you typically pop microwave popcorn. Spread the popped popcorn out on a large cookie sheet.

By the handful, add the Pumpkin Spice M&Ms and S’mores Candy Corn, making sure to get a pretty even distribution of the candy over the popcorn. I’m not going to give exact measurements because this is really done to taste, but I added about 2/3 cup of each candy in the bag of popcorn. Just add what looks “right” to you– there isn’t a right or wrong in this recipe.

Next, melt your CandiQuik (about 2 squares) in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each nuke, until it’s melted.

Take your spoon, fill it with CandiQuik, and with a flick of the wrist, drizzle it over the popcorn mixture evenly. Don’t worry about being precise or pretty– you’re just going to break this into bits once the CandiQuik is set!

See? Beautifully coated!

Let that sit for just a smidgen, until the CandiQuik is hardened and no longer melty. Then, put all of the popcorn mixture into a bowl, cup, or other favorite serving receptacle, and enjoy with family and friends! It’s a perfect snack for sharing… and it’s oh-so-yummy.

Yum.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Kansas City!

Picture this. You’re driving south on I-35 near Gardner, and suddenly, just past a bridge, you see a giant Jack-O-Lantern come into view.

It’s huge. Massive, even.

No, it’s not the Great Pumpkin here to give you Halloween goodies, Charlie Brown. It IS a great pumpkin that will lead you to lots of family fun, however.

This giant pumpkin, attached to a slide, is one of the first signs that you’ve reached the Kansas City Pumpkin Patch, one of the larger, more exciting patches in the Kansas City area. Just outside of Gardner, it’s pretty local to most of the city, and provides for a ton of activities that you can do with your family, including the big pumpkin slide.

We started off on the tricycle race track. Complete with plenty of tricycles, both vintage and new, the little ones in the family can race around the track and have fun beating each other’s speed, or just enjoy a leisurely ride with the help of a loved one. Zach had a blast going around with Jeffrey giving him a push!

Near the tricycle track are a fun Gyro Ball, which is new this year, a pumpkin launcher, and a kid-friendly zip line. Unfortunately, these attractions appeared to be closed during our weekday visit. It’s one trade-off that you have to decide what is best for your family. For Zach, there was plenty to do without having the additional attractions open– slides, trikes, and dino digs! In that situation, going on a weekday is perfect because the patch isn’t as crowded, and you’re able to do the perfect kid-friendly activities. However, if you’ve got older kids interested in the Gyro Ball and launching pumpkins, a weekend visit may suit you better. Even though it will be more crowded, these activities are most likely open and running, so you can get the full effect of the patch. We’ll likely keep checking out the less crowded weekdays, because there was still a TON to do.

I couldn’t resist getting Zach’s photo in one of the cutouts on the farm. He was dying to be a kitty cat! With several of these stationed around the farm, from 1 person to multi-people, you’ll have no problem snapping a cute souvenir photo with your camera or to share on Instagram (#kcpumpkinpatch, for those curious) to share with your loved ones easily. Even Jeffrey was a good sport and let me snap his photo in the Kitty Cat cutout!

It was also fun seeing how much both boys had grown this year. Zach is almost up to 3 feet tall!

Jeffrey is thrilled to have passed mom and finally made it over the 5 feet mark.

We ventured into the barn, which is set up with some smaller, kid-friendly slides, a fun area to play in some corn, and a big sandbox with diggers!

The boys even worked together to fill up some toys.

Zach’s favorite part was easily the wooden train, which he had a blast running the length of, climbing through the tunnels, and sitting on the seats. It was so much fun, and gave him an opportunity to use some imaginary play. There were also a bunch of cars set up with steering wheels so kids could pretend to go for a drive!

Inside the barn near the big Mining Sluice is a great batch of educational opportunities like wood puzzles, trivia, a dino dig, and signs like this pumpkin life cycle. This would be perfect for a scavenger hunt or worksheet to turn a fun field trip to the pumpkin patch into a perfect educational opportunity. You can also have a good discussion about how pumpkins work, then use your newfound knowledge to try to grow your own pumpkin at home, or lead to a discussion about how much work it takes to make the pumpkin you’re getting ready to carve into! As you carve your pumpkins, you can go over how the seeds inside become vines and flowers that create green pumpkins that turn orange!

You can also quiz yourself on some Bee Facts while you’re in the barn!

Outside of the barn, the boys loved this big spider web! It was nearly impossible to walk on, forcing you to crawl it like giant spooky spiders! After a lot of playing, not even getting to see every single thing they offered (like a jump pillow and other kid attractions), it was time for the main event.

We hopped on the tractor-pulled wagon to a drive out to the patch! The corn maze is also accessed by this ride, with 10 acres in a military-themed design this year.

Zach and Jeffrey grabbed a big cart for us to load up our pumpkins!

This is just one of many sections of pumpkins, with more pumpkins closer to the slides and stuff (for those who would rather walk to the patch than ride the wagon), and even more pumpkins and gourds right at the front gate (in case you decide to swap out your patch pumpkins for other pumpkins, or realized you forgot a pumpkin, or you just don’t want to go out to the patches).

Zach was a fan of the small white gourds.

And Jeffrey was seeking out the biggest pumpkins in the patch!

Both boys searched and scoured for the perfect pumpkins to paint and carve, and wandered the patch for the pumpkins they wanted to buy.

After loading them all up in the wagon, it was time to pay and go home for a long nap.

The patch is really a great place for all ages, with tons of activities, so many that we didn’t even get to do them all (including life-sized Lincoln Logs, games, and more slides!) To me, it’s worth the admission cost. If you go on a weekday, not all areas are open, but the admission is $8.00. Weekends are $9.00 online,$10.00 at the gate, with all of the areas open. Anyone 2 and under is free, and military with valid ID get in for $5.00. (Tax isn’t included, nor are some of the activities like the mining sluice, which cost a little extra. Pumpkins are $0.60/lb, with varying prices for giant pumpkins, gourds, and other decor). They’re open through October 31!

It’s a really great family-friendly location for all ages, and the kids will get a kick out of trying the different slides, visiting the barns for more activities, and picking their own pumpkins from the patch.

Check out their website at kcpumpkinpatch.com.

If you have older kids (tweens and teens), you might also want to check out the Kansas City Fear Farm, at the same location as the KC Pumpkin Patch, which operates on weekends, and is a great haunted event with 5 spooky attractions, plus the Zombie Apocalypse Paintball adventure.

One last thing… if you’re hoping to visit the KC Pumpkin Patch, be sure to do it quick, because this is their very last year at this location! They’re currently looking for a new home to move to after this year, but for now, you can find them in Gardener, address on their website.

You can also check out my Facebook page for more photos of our fun trip! The link is over to the right in the sidebar.

Is going to a pumpkin patch a tradition in your family? Tell me all about it in the comments below!

 

Disclosure: I received tickets to the KCPP in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and not altered by this compensation in any way.