Kids
ONLINE SPECIAL EDITION
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A Special Halloween Issue for all our favorite ghosts and goblins! Created in cooperation and with assistance from
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special halloween 2009 edition
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East Bay Halloween Calendar for October 25-November 1 Last-minute DIY costume ideas Spooky (but yummy) recipes Bay Area Kids
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Special Online Issue Halloween 2009 www.BAKidsMagazine.com Publisher/Editor/Father Everard G. Strong estrong@bakidsmagazine.com Sales General Inquiries sales@bakidsmagazine.com Helga Glasson helga@bakidsmagazine.com Kathryn Sibley ksibley@bakidsmagazine.com General Editorial Inquiries editor@bakidsmagazine.com Calendar calendar@bakidsmagazine.com Submissions Send photos, events, news, and story requests to editor@bakidsmagazine.com Product submissions Send all products to address below. Include return postage.
SPECIAL HALLOWEEN EDITION
EDITOR’S LETTER
tricks, treats, and sweets WELCOME TO A VERY special online-only Halloween edition of Bay Area Kids magazine. This idea—an online-only special issue—is something I’ve been meaning to try for some time, and depending on your feedback (please send it to estrong@bakidsmagazine.com), then this Halloween edition will be the first of many other seasonal and holiday-related ones. As parents of young children, we all live busy lives, and it’s hard enough to remember to breathe, much less think about costumes, treats, party plans, or even where to go for Halloween. That’s what inspired this mini-magazine: to consolidate a lot of those To-Do items and hopefully place this year’s Halloween more on your “Treats” side of life and not on the “Tricks.” Inside this issue you’ll find a resource guide to help you get through the next week: a comprehensive calendar of Halloween-related events, do-ityourself costume ideas, and several spooky recipes to help liven up any spirit in the house. Enjoy, and let us know your thoughts by sending them to estrong@bakidsmagazine.com A happy Boo-day to you, and by all means, share this mini-magazine with all your friends and family. Everard G. Strong Editor/Publisher/Father of two estrong@bakidsmagazine.com www.bakidsmagazine.com
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Doing our Part Bay Area Kids magazine is printed on 10 percent recycled paper using only soy based inks. Our printer meets or exceeds all Federal Resource Conservation Act (RCRA) Standards and is a certified member of the Forest Stewardship Council.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Small Print 2009 Big E Productions (DBA Bay Area Kids magazine). No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Big E Productions assumes no liability or responsibility for any claims made by advertisers in the magazine.
BAY AREA KIDS magazine P.O. Box 30442 Walnut Creek, CA 94598 www.BAKidsMagazine.com
the best haunts in town
10 halloween fun riddles, poems, and games 12 DIY Costumes inspirational attires goodness 18 spooky sweet recipes 16
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ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
A word from our partner Nychole posted some important tips for Halloween safety. JulieQuixote got some great advice on where to get great deals on Halloween costumes for her kids. Jelaine99 wonders if Halloween is getting just a tad too gruesome for kids. And KellyP64 added her recommendation of a Livermore pumpkin patch to a “favorite places for pumpkins” post. These are just a few of the many Halloween posts on Bay Area MomsLikeMe.com, a free virtual mothers club just for Bay Area moms to ask for advice, share tips, talk about local events, swap recommendations, discuss all things mom-related, and even make plans to meet up with other local moms. In this special Halloween edition of Bay Area Kids Magazine’s newsletter, we’re sharing a few Halloween favorites that local moms just like you posted on MomsLikeMe.com We hope you get some great tips to help make Halloween safe and fun for your kids and for the whole family. And if you have a Halloween tip—or any tip—please share it on MomsLikeMe.com. For more fun Halloween resources, check out the following links, all available through www.momslikeme.com. The Scoop--Halloween Events Around the Bay Screamin’ Good Halloween Reads for Young Ghouls Favorite Places to Get Pumpkins Is Halloween Getting Too Gross? Halloween Safety Tips Halloween Costumes: Homemade Vs. Store-bought What Are Your Kids Being for Halloween? Where to Find Cheap Halloween Costumes Are YOU Dressing Up for Halloween? Monster Mash Planning for Your Young Frakensteins
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6 calendar
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Sunday, October 25
Monday, October 26
Trunk or Treat Sunset. Cars will be parked with their trunks open, each decorated around their own theme, with plenty of candy and goodies to hand out. Games, mazes, and more will be on hand. Costumes encouraged. For more information call the church and extension 115. Free. Calvary Temple, 4275 Evora Rd., Concord, www.calvarytemple.org, info@ calvarytemple.org, (925) 458-9100
Joan’s Pumpkin Patch 9:00-6:00pm. Maze, Old West Town, hay ride, farm animals, gem panning, antique museum, pumpkins, gourds, indian corn, corn stalks, straw bales, nuts, refreshments, Gift Shop, and more. Free admission. 4351 Mines Rd., Livermore, (925) 455-6623. www. joansfarm.com.
Thirty-third Annual Halloween Carnival 10:00am-2:00pm. Geared toward children 2-8 years old, the celebration includes a pumpkin patch, arts and crafts and games. Costumes encouraged. Food available for purchase, bring your own trick/treat bag for three free tickets for games. $5 admission plus tickets/food. Campolindo High School, 300 Moraga Rd., Moraga, www.moragajuniors.org Tri-Valley SPCA Trick or Treat Party 3:00-5:00pm. Celebrate Halloween with the animals at the SPCA. Costumes optional. Candy, games, crafts. All ages. Free. East Bay SPCA, Tri-Valley, 4651 Gleason Dr., Dublin, (925) 479-9670, www.eastbayspca.org Boo at the Zoo 10:00am–3:00pm. Discover the wild side of Halloween at the Oakland Zoo. Fun for all ages: go on a scavenger hunt, solve the clues, and collect yummy treats. Ride the spooky train, and have your children show off their costume in a parade! Also Oct. 31. Admission: $10.50, 15 and older; $7, 2-14 years; free for 2 and younger. Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd., (510) 632-9525, www.oaklandzoo.org. Danville Fall Crafts Festival 10am-5pm. This popular family-friendly event features a wide selection of arts and crafts, food, music, and entertainment for everyone. Free admission. Hartz Ave., Danville, (925) 837-4400, www.mlaproductions.com. Downtown Concord Halloween Parade and Costume Contest 12:00pm. Parade around Todos Santos Plaza with treats for the kids, entertainment and the Mayor’s Mongrel Mash. Costume judging after the parade. Free admission. Willow Pass Rd. and Grant St., Concord, (925) 671-3464, www.mainstreetconcord.com. Haunted House Not-So-Scary Matinee, 1:30-3:00pm. You are invited, if you dare, to visit our popular Award-winning Haunted House that changes theme each year. Everyone is encouraged to attend this spooktacular production in costume. $5 admission. Pleasant Hill Park Teen Center, 147 Gregory Ln., Pleasant Hill, (925) 682-0896, www.pleasanthillrec.com. Joan’s Pumpkin Patch 9:00am-6:00pm. Maze, Old West Town, Hay Ride, Farm Animals, Gem Panning, Antique Museum, Pumpkins, Gourds, Indian Corn, Corn Stalks, Straw Bales, Nuts, Refreshments, Gift Shop, and more. Free admission. 4351 Mines Rd., Livermore, (925) 455-6623. www.joansfarm.com. Children’s Fairyland Jack O’ Lantern Jamboree 10:00am-4:00pm. Join us as we celebrate the holiday with fun and games that are much more delightful than frightful! Come in costume and enjoy a spooktacular extravaganza with unlimited rides, parades, goody bags, treat stations, two jumpers, arts and crafts, pirate school, balloon twisting, costumed fairytale characters, clowns, and magicians (some events are only while supplies last). Don’t miss a special presentation by the Children’s Theater Program, and Storybook Puppet Theater. Admission: $10 for everyone. Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave. (at Lake Merritt), Oakland, (510) 452-2259, www.fairyland.org.
Never Cry Wolf Rescue 7-7:45pm. Wolf Rescue specialist Sam Blake will stop by the Hercules library to discuss his work with wolves in the Sacramento area and answer questions about their care, behavior, and dispel some of the myths surrounding these magnificent, misunderstood creatures. Present with Mr. Blake will be some of the animals he has rescued--there will be live animals in the room. Not recommended for very small children. Ages 6 and over. Free admission. Hercules Library, 109 Civic Dr., Hercules, (510) 245-2420, www.ccclib.org.
Tuesday, October 27 Joan’s Pumpkin Patch 9:00-6:00pm. Maze, Old West Town, hay ride, farm animals, gem panning, antique museum, pumpkins, gourds, indian corn, corn stalks, straw bales, nuts, refreshments, Gift Shop, and more. Free admission. 4351 Mines Rd., Livermore, (925) 455-6623. www. joansfarm.com. Halloween Family Storytime 7:00-7:30pm. Costumes encouraged. Great for children ages four and older. Enjoy stories, songs, and Halloween fun. Pleasant Hill Library, 1750 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, (925) 646-6434, www.ccclib.org.
Wednesday, October 28 Joan’s Pumpkin Patch 9:00-6:00pm. Maze, Old West Town, hay ride, farm animals, gem panning, antique museum, pumpkins, gourds, indian corn, corn stalks, straw bales, nuts, refreshments, Gift Shop, and more. Free admission. 4351 Mines Rd., Livermore, (925) 455-6623. www. joansfarm.com. Campfire Fun 7:00–8:00pm. Sit around the campfire and listen to some slightly spooky stories. The Delta Wordweavers will entertain and enthrall you. Free admission. Oakley Library, 1050 Neroly Rd., Oakley, (925) 6252400, www.ccclib.org.
Thursday, October 29 Joan’s Pumpkin Patch 9:00-6:00pm. Maze, Old West Town, hay ride, farm animals, gem panning, antique museum, pumpkins, gourds, indian corn, corn stalks, straw bales, nuts, refreshments, Gift Shop, and more. Free admission. 4351 Mines Rd., Livermore, (925) 455-6623. www. joansfarm.com. Zombie Hotel Haunted House 6:00-8:00pm (less scary version). What happens to a hotel when it becomes overrun with zombies? Find out. Toot’s Hotel, 625 2nd Ave., Crockett, (510) 787-1155
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Friday, October 30
Saturday, October 31 Halloween
Halloween Spooktacular Dance Party 5:00–8:00pm. All ages are welcome. Featuring live music with Ira Marlowe. Toddler-friendly haunted house, carnival games, treats, and more. $15 admission, SadieDey’s Café, 4210 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, (510) 601-7378, www.sadiedeyscafe.com
Afternoon Tea with Miss Spider 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm. Special Halloween afternoon tea with a very friendly Miss Spider who will weave a web of wonder with her captivating stories … featuring Miss Spider, of course. Costumes are encouraged. $20 for Children 12 and under, $22 for adults. 71 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette, (925) 283-0224
Downtown Walnut Creek’s Trick-or-Treat Party 2:00–6:00pm. A familyfriendly event, costumes are encouraged. Trick or treat for candy at participating downtown Walnut Creek shops. Free admission. Check in at Mechanics Bank, 1350 N. Main St. by 6:00pm. (925) 933-6778, www. walnutcreekdowntown.com San Ramon Symphonic Band Evening at the Pops 8:00pm. The San Ramon Symphonic Band, under the direction of Larry Colon, will feature movie and musical tunes, classics and marches. Children are welcome. Admission: $6 for adults, free for children under 12 or students with an ID. Tickets can be purchased at www.sanramonperformingarts.com. Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, 10550 Albion Rd, San Ramon, (925) 973-ARTS Halloween Extravaganza 5:00-9:00pm. Imagine That! is a non-profit created for children in the Greater Bay Area to experience the joys of their imaginations around the holiday season. We cater to children who are underprivileged, child abused, fostered, homeless and or children of incarcerated parents. Come for a fun event. Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave. (Lake Merritt), Oakland Pleasanton Ghost Walk 6:00-8:00pm. Be cautious of what goes bump in the night. Meet dowtown Pleasanton “ghosts” at this fundraising family event. Be afraid, be very afraid until you walk the Ghost Walk to find answers to questions about the tunnels underground and where the ghosts hang out. Ghosts who have lingered in Pleasanton will tell their stories at different downtown locations. Ghost Trackers will assist you along the haunted way. Admission: $18 adults, $13 children 12 and under. Reservations required, costumes encouraged. Museum on Main, 603 Main St., Pleasanton, (925) 462-2766, www.museumonmain.org. Halloween Extravaganza 4:00-5:30pm. Entertainment, games, face painting, crafts, balloon sculpting. Costumes encouraged, refreshments available. Manor Branch Library, 1241 Manor Blvd., San Leandro, (510) 577-3970, ci.san-leandro.ca.us. Out-of-this-world Halloween Party 5:30-8:00pm. Explore space travel in the Facing Mars exhibit and make concoctions in the Martian’s Kitchen. Dress up in your favorite and most out-of-this-world outfit for the Halloween costume parade. Be entertained with juggling and comedy by the clowns of Cirque Do Somethin’, performances at 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. An adult must accompany children. Admission: $14 ages 13 and older, $12 ages 3-12. Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Dr., Berkeley, (510) 6425134. lhs.berkeley.edu. Color Me Mine Halloween Party 10:00am-9:00pm. Wear your costume, paint for free! Receive a free mug after 4:00pm with any bisque purchase. Color Me Mine, 1950 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek, www.walnutcreek. colormemine.com. Zombie Hotel Haunted House 6:00-8:00pm (less scary version). What happens to a hotel when it becomes overrun with zombies? Find out. Toot’s Hotel, 625 2nd Ave., Crockett, (510) 787-1155
Spooktacular Halloween Party and Costume Parade 11:00am–1:00pm. Family-friendly fun at the Blackhawk Plaza courtesy of Radio Disney. Trick or treat, parade, and more. Free admission. Blackhawk Plaza, the playground, (925) 736-2751, Danville, www.blackhawkplaza.com Oakland’s East Bay SPCA Halloween Party 3:00-5:00pm. Visit with the animals. Costumes encouraged. Candy, games, and more fun, geared toward younger children. Free admission. East Bay SPCA, 8323 Baldwin St., Oakland, (510) 569-0702, www.eastbayspca.org. Boo at the Zoo 10:00am–3:00pm. Discover the wild side of Halloween at the Oakland Zoo. Fun for all ages: go on a scavenger hunt, solve the clues, and collect yummy treats. Ride the spooky train, and have your children show off their costume in a parade! Also Oct. 31. Admission: $10.50, 15 and older; $7, 2-14 years; free for 2 and younger. Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd., (510) 632-9525, www.oaklandzoo.org. Spooky Tales in the Redwoods 1:00-2:30pm. Join a costume parade through the mysterious Redwoods at the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. Hear four “witches”— Jean Ellisen, Bobbie Kinkead, Carol Nyhoff, and Karin Werner—tell spellbinding stories and sing songs. Plus a special hilarious performance by The Teen Witches, and Play “Stump The Witches” with your favorite Halloween Riddle! $10 for one parent and one child, $8 for members and one child, $3 for each additional family member. $10, $8 for members and one child, $3 for each additional family member. Call (510) 643-2755, CU Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Dr., Berkeley Ghostly Golden Fields 12:00–4:00pm. Bring the entire family out to Golden Gate Fields to celebrate Halloween with a haunted house, pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, face painting, pony rides, balloon artists, bounce houses, and more! First live horse race at 12:45. Admission: Kids 17 and under are free with paid adult admission of $4. Golden Gate Fields, 1100 Eastshore Hwy., Berkeley. (510) 559-7300. www.goldengatefields.com. Halloween on Hollow Hills 1:00-4:00pm. Have a frighteningly good time at this festive event. Games, crafts, scavenger hunts and much more will give you a chance to explore the history of the hills and to meet some of the park’s creepiest critters. Free admission. $5 parking fee. Black Diamond Mines, 5175 Somersville Rd., Antioch, (925) 757-2620, www.ebparks.org. Halloween Spooktacular 2:00-4:00pm. Costumes welcome and encouraged. Trick or treat at local downtown Martinez businesses. Main St., Martinez, (925) 228-3577, www.mainstreetmartinez.org. Hilltop Mall’s Kidgits Club Halloween Event and Trick or Treat 2:004:00pm. Hilltop Mall is partnering with Contra Costa libraries, West County Reads, and West County First 5 Center to host a fun Halloween event. Children will be able to enjoy crafts, and go to different vendors for treats. Admission is free. Hilltop Mall, 200 Hilltop Mall Rd., Richmond, (510) 223-1933, www.simon.com. Stoneridge Mall’s Trick or Treat Event. There will be more than 45 stores in Stoneridge Mall providing free treats for youngsters. Look for a pumpkin sign in their storefront window. Admission is free. Stoneridge Mall, Pleasanton, www.simon.com. Sinister Science at Chabot 11:00am-5:00pm. Trick or treat at Chabot. Dress up as your favorite extraterrestrial or character and receive a treat! Drink some spooky punch and participate in hands-on activities. Enjoy
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Saturday, October 31 Halloween guest appearances by costumed friends. Discovery lab activities for tots with costumes , spooky read-alongs and much more. Plus, fly a simulated space flight and experience some spooky space encounters in our Challenger Learning Center. $10 guests, $5 members. Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, (510) 336-7373, www.chabotspace.org. Princesses, Pirates and Super Heroes Weekend at Playland-Not-at-theBeach 10:00am-5:00pm. A special Trick or Treat event for all ages. Pumpkin carving, apple bobbing and more swashbuckling fun! Admission: $15 adults, $10 children under 14. Playland-Not-at-the-Beach, 10979 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, (510) 232-4264, www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org Color Me Mine Halloween Party 10:00am-9:00pm. Wear your costume, paint for free! Receive a free mug after 4:00pm with any bisque purchase. Color Me Mine, 1950 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek, www.walnutcreek. colormemine.com. Pumpkin Carving Contest 11:00am. Let your children show off their mad carving skills. Two categories; one for third grade and below, one for fourth through eighth grade. While there, enjoy a Halloween parade along Piedmont Ave, and other fun entertainment. Piedmont Piano Company, 4382 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, (510) 547-8188, www.PiedmontPiano.com. Creature Features: An Exploratorium Halloween 3:00-8:00pm. This Halloween, take in a double feature of scary science and frightful fun. Creature Features: An Exploratorium Halloween offers a host of eerie attractions ranging from giant insects to a haunted Victorian house on wheels. Drop in before trick-or-treating or before your Halloween festivities begin. We’ll have candy for the kids and a cash bar for adults. Come by in costume after 3 p.m. and receive discounted admission. Free for Exploratorium members. Exploratorium, Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St., San Francisco, (415) 561-0307, www.exploratorium.edu. Rockridge Halloween Parade 12:00-2:00pm. Participating merchants will provide plenty of treats for trick-or-treaters along College, Alcatraz, and Broadway Avenues. Costumes recommended. Meet at noon at College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Ave., Oakland. A WICKED Halloween at Zeum! 11:00-5:00pm. Fun for all family members. Dress as an Emerald Citizen (green) for a costume contest and win tickets to see the show. Workshops, crafts, and a peek behind the WICKED musical. Free admission. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco, (415) 820-3320, www.zeum.com. Gardens Halloween Costume Walk 12:00-2:00pm. Have your children put on their costumes and join the Yerba Buena Garden’s eighth annual Halloween Costume Walk. Along the way they’ll find interactive performances and games for them, as well as live music. Ideal for children under 10. Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. between 3rd & 4th Streets in downtown San Francisco, www.ybgf.org Trick or Treat Party 3:00-5:00pm. Free trick/treat bags, candy, and prizes for children under 12 with costume. Sing and dance along to Cowboy Jared as he performs at 4:00. Admission is free. Alameda Towne Centre, 523 South Shore Center West, Alameda, (510) 521-1515, www. alamedatownecentre.com Holy Eve Community Carnival 5:00-9:00pm. There will be plenty of carnival rides, games of chance, candy bags, pony rides, snacks and goodies, petting zoo, rock climbing wall, prizes, giveaways, face painting, live entertainment, and a kid zone with kiddie rides and jumpers and much more! Adult prize winning game shows include Deal Or No Deal and Lets Make A Deal. There will be an onsite roller skating rink, open 5:00-7:00pm (all ages are welcome). Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, 1201 W. 10th Street Antioch, (925) 522-2017
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Saturday, October 31 Halloween Creepy Crawly Halloween 9:30am-5:00pm. The California Academy of Sciences will get spooked out this Halloween with face painters, stilt walkers, and special prizes for kids in costumes. There will also be a special live animal program with centipedes, tarantulas, scorpions, snakes and more (located in the Forum at 1:30pm). Throughout the month of October, the Academy’s naturalists will offer lessons about creepy-crawly critters, including tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, and alligators. A special scavenger hunt will help visitors track down the creepiest critters in the building. Programs will allow you to meet these traditionally frightening animals. You may even learn that they’re not as scary as you think! Admission: adults $24.95; children 12-17, $19.95; children 6-12, $14.95; free for children under 6. California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, (415) 379-8000, www.calacademy.org. Day of the Dead Festival & Holiday Bazaar 11:00am-3:00pm. Partake in Manzanita Charter Middle Schools’ first annual “Day of the Dead Festival”. Craft making, sugar skull decorating, face decorating, carnival games, live music, food, and much more. Free admission. Manzanita Charter School, 1615 Carlson Blvd., Richmond, (510) 524-5500, www.manzy.org. Kiddie Matinee: Creature from the Black Lagoon, in 3-D! 2:00pm. It’s a monsterous, creaturiffic Halloween Happening! Free treats for kids in costume, special halloween-themed soft drinks available in concessions, the theater will be decorated for Halloween fun, and the theatre’s firstever 3-D film: Creature From The Black Lagoon. And the 3-D glasses are theirs to keep afterwards. In its original 3-D format with a stunning score by Henry Mancini, beautiful underwater photography and marvelous water choreography, Creature is a power-house of a B-movie “creature feature.” A scientific expedition searching for fossils along the Amazon River discovers a prehistoric Gill-Man in the legendary Black Lagoon. The explorers capture the mysterious creature, but it breaks free. The Gill-Man returns to kidnap the lovely Kay, fiancée of one of the expedition, with whom it has fallen in love. Admission: $12; Seniors, $9 (62 or better); Child: $9 (12 and under). Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St., Vallejo, (707) 552-2400, www.empresstheatre.org.
Happy Halloween!
Sunday, November 1 Princesses, Pirates and Super Heroes Weekend at Playland-Not-atthe-Beach 10:00am-5:00pm.A special Trick or Treat event for all ages. Pumpkin carving, apple bobbing and more swashbuckling fun! Admission: $15 adults, $10 children under 14. Playland-Not-at-the-Beach, 10979 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, (510) 232-4264, www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org Day of the Dead at the Academy 9:30am-5:00pm. The California Academy of Sciences celebrates Dia de los Muertos with a special skeleton family craft (located in the classroom, from 11:00am-12:30pm. There will also be a special live animal program with centipedes, tarantulas, scorpions, snakes and more (located in the Forum, at 1:30 pm). Admission: adults $24.95; children 12-17, $19.95; children 6-12, $14.95; free for children under 6. California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, (415) 379-8000, www. calacademy.org. Cash for Candy Noon-4pm. Bring Dr. Ashrafi your child’s Halloween candy, and he gives you cold, hard cash (while donating the sweets to worthy causes.) Canyon Pediatric Dentistry, 1501 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon, (925) 820-0303, www.smiles4kidz.com.
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Halloween Fun for Everyone THE TIME IS UPON US. The weather is starting to get chillier, the leaves are falling, school has started and that can only mean one thing: Halloween is around the corner! This time of year is all about spooking a few friends, stocking up with goodies on the big night and having fun. Here are some ideas to help your children (and you) have a great time this Halloween. Have fun!
HALLOWEEN RIDDLES FOR ALL AGES
HALLOWEEN WORD GAME
What did Dr. Spook give the witch who had a sore throat? Coffin Drops
On a piece of paper write the words “Trick or Treat”. See who can make the most words using only the letters found in the phrase.
What do Ghost’s wear when their eye sight is failing? Spookicles How do you make a witch stew? Make her wait!
Possible Answers: (There may be more, but here are quite a bit to get you started): rock, ate, tick, tack, race, oat, are, rate, crate, car, rack, trace, tart, tort, crater, racer, rice, track, or, tea, tire, ace, ice, ore, tore, rico, roar, kite, tear
What do lady ghosts put on their skin? Vanishing lotion
A HALLOWEEN POEM
What do you get when you cross a witch with an iceberg? A cold spell
Witches and Goblins and Ghosts, OH NO By Sheilah Warner Blackledge
How do bats learn to fly? They take batting lessons. If you worked in a mortuary, what would you call your free time? Coffin Break Why do skeletons always catch a cold? They get chilled to the bone.
Out on a night called Halloween I’m dressed like a dog and my mom’s a queen The sounds of ghosts make me turn green I think I’ll run, but instead I scream The witch over there behind those trees Put me and mama on our knees A goblin grabbed me by the arm It was my friend Jo who meant me no harm Oh my, oh why do I want to go? To hear witches and goblins and ghosts, OH NO!
What is a vampire’s favorite fruit? Necktarines
MEMORABLE TOMBSTONE QUOTES Tombstone, Ariz: “Here lies Lester Moore; Four slugs from a .44; No Les No More.” Pennsylvania Tombstone: “Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake. Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.” England Tombstone: “The children of Israel wanted bread and the Lord sent them manna. Old Clerk Wallace wanted a wife…and the Devil sent him Anna.”
OUR FAVORITE HALLOWEEN POEM As I was walking up the stair I saw a man who wasn’t there He wasn’t there again today I wish that man would go away!
Massachusetts Tombstone: “Under the sod and under the trees, lies the body of Jonathan Pease. He is not here, there’s only the pod. Pease shelled out and went to God.” Dentists’ Tombstone: “John Brown is filling his last cavity.” Can you come up with more funny or spooky tombstone ideas?
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12 homemade costumes
It’s a week before Halloween and you still don’t have a costume for your little one. Well, you’ve found plenty of costumes, just not the right one. Fear not (pun intended), in the next several pages we’ll give you some ideas and inspirations for you to plan your own costume. It’s amazing what a little tin foil, yarn, old clothing, cardboard, a glue gun, and some scissors can do when combined with your imagination. Happy hauntings!
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BIG BIRD Main ingredients: adult-sized yellow T-shirt, yellow feathers or boa, yellow wool cap, orange hosiery, and ‌ yellow washing gloves for feet!
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MIGHTY KNIGHTS OF YOUR … BACKYARD? Main ingredients: posterboard for helmets, plastic painter smocks for uniform, broomsticks or long branches for “horses,” with stuffed expandable socks for the head, tempera paint, string or rubber bands, and a maiden in distress or a dragon in need of disposing.
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SUPER COOL SUPER BOY Main ingredients: colored sheet, wrist sweatbands, t-shirt, large shorts (optionally worn over sweatpants), vintage motorcycle or swim goggles (optionally, cut out mask and tie with string around head). Works for girls too!
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ROBOTO MYSTERIOSO Main ingredients: cardboard boxes, various buttons, bicycle reflectors, A/C pipe, tin foil, metallic paint, black gloves
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LAMB CHOP Main ingredients: white t-shirt, lots of cotton balls (or loose cotton), white woollen cap, black and white and pink felt (for ears), black leotards or tights.
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CHOCOLATE MUMMY COOKIES Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes | Makes: 12 (5-inch) cookies 1 2 tbls 1/3 C 1 1 lb 12
pouch commercial sugar cookie mix unsweetened baking cocoa butter or margarine, softened egg vanilla frosting small jellybeans, cut in half black decorating gel
Directions: Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix and cocoa. Add butter and egg; stir until soft dough forms. On floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 5-inch gingerbread man cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps; re-roll until all dough is used. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just puffed and tops are dry. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Spoon frosting into re-sealable freezer plastic bag; partially seal bag and cut 1/4-inch hole in 1 bottom corner. Or, use decorating bag with flat tip with ¼-inch wide opening (#44). Gently squeeze bag to pipe frosting on cookies for bandages. Attach jellybeans for eyes; use black gel to make pupils in eyes. Store cookies in an airtight container, but avoid stacking. Courtesy of Family Features
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CREEPY CRACKERS You’ll need crackers, pepperoni (8-ounce package), sliced cheeses (cheddar, Muenster and/or provolone), and garnishes such as olives, capers, pimento and green pepper. Follow the designs shown, or create your own. One of the easiest is a pepperoni slice topped with a cheese cut-up of a ghost, cat or pumpkin. Secure toppings with butter, cream cheese or mayonnaise. A sharp knife or cookie cutters and a keen imagination recommended. Courtesy of Family Features
DIRE PEPPERONI DIP Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 1 1 3/4 C
8-ounce package cream cheese 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup 8-ounce package pepperoni, cut in quarter slices water or milk
Directions Soften cream cheese in microwave oven 8 minutes on 20% power. Stir in soup and water. Cook 2-1/2 minutes at 50% power. Stir pepperoni into cheese mixture. Cook 2-1/2 minutes at 70% power. Serve with crackers or vegetable dippers. Finish with a silly face. Courtesy of Family Features
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B-O-O BROWNIE POPS Makes 48 pops 1 48
package (about 16 ounces) brownie mix (8 x 8-inch size) Lollipop sticks Egg, water and oil to prepare mix Wilton Orange, Spooky Green and Light Cocoa Candy Melts Wilton Spider Mix, Hallow Pumpkin Mix, Halloween Nonpareils Sprinkles and Orange, Black and Lavender Sugars, as desired
Directions Preheat oven to 350째F. Spray brownie pop mold with vegetable pan spray; place on cookie sheet. Prepare brownie mix following package directions. Spoon batter into prepared brownie pop mold, filling cavities 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes. Remove mold from oven; insert lollipop sticks. Return to oven and continue baking 10-15 minutes or until brownies test done. Cool brownies in mold on cooling grid 20 minutes; remove from mold and cool completely. Melt each color candy following package instructions. Dip cooled pops into melted candy, covering completely. While the candy is still soft, sprinkle with or dip pops into sprinkles and sugars. Place on parchment paper to set. NOTE: If desired, bake brownies completely without inserting stick. After brownies have cooled, dip cookie sticks into melted candy and insert into either end of brownie. Let set before decorating. Family Features
HALLOWEEN GOLDFISH MUNCH Makes about 14 cups treat mix 3 1 1 1 1 2
packages (6.6 ounces each) cinnamon, chocolate, or honey goldfish grahams (or any combination) package (8 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Pretzel Goldfish Snack Crackers can (10 ounces) salted mixed nuts cup chopped dried apricots cup golden raisins packages (10 ounces each) Wilton Spooky Green Candy Melts
Directions In large bowl, combine crackers, nuts, apricots and raisins; divide between 2 large cookie pans. Melt candy following package directions; drizzle over snack mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Break apart and store in airtight container until ready to serve.
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BOO-TI-FUL GHOSTS Makes 12 ghosts 2 3 12
Wax paper cups (12-ounce package) white chocolate cooking morsels tablespoons vegetable shortening lollipop sticks Assorted small candy bits for decorating
Directions Line baking sheets with wax paper. Place morsels and shortening in large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high (70 percent) power for 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted; cool slightly. Place lollipop sticks on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 6 inches apart. Spoon melted morsel mixture halfway over lollipop sticks into ghostly shapes. Decorate with candies. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. Jenny Harper
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SPOOKTACULAR SPOONS Makes 18 to 20 spoons
Wax paper 1 cup (12-ounce package) white chocolate cooking morsels 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening 18-20 plastic spoons Assorted small candy bits for decorating Festive plastic wrap or clear lollipop bags (found in craft stores) Orange and black ribbon Directions Line baking sheet with wax paper. Place morsels and shortening in medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; Stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted; cool slightly. Dip one spoon into melted morsels; shake off excess. Place on prepared tray. Make ghostly face with candies. Repeat with remaining spoons Refrigerate until set. Wrap each spoon in a sheet of plastic wrap. Gather at base of spoon; tie with orange and black ribbons. Trim ends of plastic wrap, if desired. Decorate with candies. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. Jenny Harper special halloween 2009 edition
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Happy Halloween! from all of us at Bay Area Kids magazine www.bakidsmagazine.com