Num Noms Halloween Fun #SpookySenses

This Halloween, Num Noms have come up with a fun Trick or Treat Game and a Num Noms inspired spooky recipe, perfect to keep little ones entertained this weekend. 

The Num Noms Trick or Treat Game is a blindfold guessing game where the kids get to eat mystery foods, some delicious as a treat, some slightly more gross or unexpected as a trick. When you are blindfolded it is always a bit nerve wracking putting unknown food into your mouth. Use food such as sweets, crisps or fruit as the treats and use things such as olives, cold beans or pickles as the tricks. You could even award a prize to the person who correctly guesses what they have eaten. The Num Noms blind packs make great little party prizes. Tasting games use the senses of smell and taste and are a fun sensory experience for little ones.

The Num Noms Crispy M Mallow Brains recipe is a spooky take on the classic puffed rice and marshmallow cake, inspired by the M Mallow Num Nom, which is shaped and decorated like oozy brains! They are a no-cook recipe which can be done under adult supervision. Younger children will enjoy helping to mix the rice pops into the melted marshmallow mix, shape and decorate the brains.

Inspired by the collectible, scented, stackable, mix and matchable Num Noms toys, both activities will add to the spirit of the season for any party or Halloween get together.

Just click on the image of  the activity sheet above to open it up and print off.

Warwick Castle becomes The Haunted Castle this Halloween

Until October 31st, Warwick Castle is hosting six all new spooky attractions turning it into The Haunted Castle in the week leading up to Halloween. We were invited along to join in the fun and experience the family thrills and scares. Warwick Castle stays open until 9 pm everyday of The Haunted Castle event, giving some after dark excitement to the bravest visitors.

During the day, families can get lost in time and enjoy the all new Horrible Histories Maze. Children can explore gruesome eras in history from the Terrible Tudors to the Stomin' Normans to the Vicious Vikings, as they attempt to re-order history and escape the maze. Along the way, you stamp a passport and once completed, it can be exchanged for a treat in the castle shop. There is so much to learn and Freddy really enjoyed it.

The Haunted Hollows walk-through is a magical trail filled with spooky secrets where fairy tales become scary tales. You encounter a friendly washerwoman, a grumpy gargoyle and a mysterious scarecrow as you make your way to the Witch's garden where golden vegetables grow. There are bats, spiders, skeletons and crows to spot as you explore the haunted hollows. As darkness falls, things get more eerie!

The Warwick Castle courtyard is decorated with hay bails and pumpkins giving it a seasonal makeover. There are spooky stories brought to life by resident storytellers and little wizards and witches can help the witches of Warwick conjure up spells in The Witches Tower. Eagles, Owls and Vultures take to the skies in the Flight of the Eagles show. The birds are utterly magnificent!

Included in your ticket price, is a brand new live action horror mazes Tormented, which has a 5 pumpkin scare rating! It tells the story of a woman tormented by the malevolent spirit of a man excused of murdering her family. With creepy dolls, unnerving special effects and doctors trying to cure the poor tormented woman of her 'condition', this is not for the faint hearted. Don't take the kids into these mazes. (Somebody in my group did and the poor girl had hysterics and had to be escorted out in tears.) You have to collect a free timed ticket for Tormented, returning at a set time to enter. Tormented opens at 12 pm.

Outbreak 1349, which is a free-flow attraction, opens at 5 pm. You come face to face with the plague ridden residents of Warwick Castle. Can you escape the Black Death?

After dark, the action hots up as fearless knights take part in a thrilling fire joust and the trebuchet catapults a fireball in an exciting demonstration. 

With the spectacular state rooms and Great Hall, Kingmaker, the towers and ramparts, the mound, the mill, the gaol and the Time Tower to explore, there is so much to see and do. We took an autumnal walk in the landscaped gardens and enjoyed a coffee in the conservatory overlooking the Peacock Garden watching the birds proudly strutting about. It is a lovely place for wandering about in the beautiful grounds, getting some fresh air and exercise and of course making leaf angels!

The Castle Dungeon (extra charge applies) completes the scary attractions on offer this Halloween. You can make a short break out of your visit by arranging a sleepover in the new Knight's Village.

We had a really good day and enjoyed learning about the history of the castle in such an interactive way. The Halloween attractions certainly added some spooky fun and make Warwick Castle a great choice this half term.

Find out more and book tickets at www.warwick-castle.com.

Halloween Themed Snacks with Primula

I really love Halloween. It is a great excuse to have some family fun with a spooky twist. I love dressing up, watching scary movies and eating Halloween themed food. It's a monstrously good time of year!

As part of the Primula Blogger Club, I have been creating some seasonal snacks using Primula Cheese, which have been a great hit with the family. Here are three quick and easy recipes to feed your little monsters this Halloween.

Cobweb Muffin Pizzas

Ingredients (per 2 muffin pizzas)

1 muffin
tomato paste
Primula Original cheese
1 cherry tomato, sweetcorn kernels and slices of red pepper for garnish

Method

Slice the muffin and spread with tomato paste.
Pop into the oven at 200 degrees for about 6-8 minutes.
Use Primula squeezy cheese to draw a cobweb on each half.
Using a half tomato, two sweetcorn kernels and eight strips of red pepper, make a spider to garnish the muffin pizza.

Handy hint - transfer Primula to an icing syringe for finer lines.

Smoky Primula Dip served in a pumpkin

Nothing says Halloween like a gorgeous, orange pumpkin. They make such a lovely centrepiece for an autumnal table or a Halloween party. I have used one as a holder for a dip, and surrounded it with tasty things to dip in it! Instead of attempting to hollow out the whole pumpkin and filling it completely with dip, I've simply taken off the top and scooped out enough flesh to pop in a glass ramekin dish. It looks really effective, is more hygienic and means you can re-use the pumpkin afterwards.

Ingredients

Half a tube of Primula Original Cheese
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of smoky paprika

Method

Simply mix the ingredients together and sprinkle a little paprika on top.
Serve with carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, radishes, celery, crackers or crisps.

Cheesy Sausage Roll Mummies

Ingredients

5 veggie sausages (I used defrosted Quorn sausages)
1/2 sheet of ready rolled shortcrust pastry
Primula Original Cheese
a little milk for glazing
tomato paste for making eyeballs

Method

Cut the sheet of ready roll pastry in half lengthways.
Cut the pastry into five strips.
Spread a thin layer of Primula onto the pastry strips.
Wrap each sausage with the pastry, with the cheesy side facing inwards!
Leave a 2cm piece of sausage showing at the top.
Pop into the oven on a prepared baking sheet at 200 degrees.
Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until golden.
Don't worry if the cheese oozes out - it adds to the effect!
Use tomato paste to make red eyeballs on the top of the sausage to complete the mummy.

These tasty, cheesy little sausage roll mummies are perfect for buffet food or for an after school snack for the kids. The Primula layer adds a lovely cheesy twist to this classic savoury treat.

However you celebrate Halloween this year, I hope you enjoy some family fun and make some wonderful memories!



The Primula Blogger Club is a paid for partnership.

Halloween 2016 review round-up - featuring Poundland and HARIBO

The days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping and the shops are stocked with spooky, seasonal goodies. Yes, it's nearly Halloween, one of my favourite times of the year!  We enjoy celebrating the season and having some family fun with a scary twist.

If you want to enjoy Halloween, but want to keep to a budget, check out Poundland for some great items at just £1 each. From decorations to fancy dress to sweeties to tableware, you will find loads of fabulously themed things to keep the kids happy. We were sent a selection from their range.

This year's designs include a rather cute family of monsters, who appear on everything from paper plates to trick or treat bags. They also feature on the cupcake set that contains cake cases and toppers. Perfect for making some spooky cupcakes.  The tableware is excellent value and makes entertaining easy. Plates come in packs of 20, napkins in a pack of 30 and cups in a pack of 40, so there will be plenty to cater for a Halloween party. You can dress the house with Halloween decorations including character lights and bunting.

Poundland also has some good dressing up accessories, Freddy picked out a Freddy Krueger style bladed glove so he can dress like his namesake this year. Don't forget to stock up on some sweets for Trick or Treaters, which you can hand out from Poundland's Trick or Treat bowl.

HARIBO always do some great seasonal limited edition sweet packs, which are perfect for parties or for handing out to the little monsters who come knocking on Halloween night. Haribo kindly sent us a selection in a spooky package, which we will enjoy distributing to our local Trick or Treaters.

This year, Haribo have a Halloween Duo pumpkin pack, Trick or Treat mini bags, TangfasTricks and Scaremix ready to please the kids and the young at heart grown-ups!

The Duo pack comes in a lidded pumpkin shaped container, which looks great on a table laid with Halloween goodies. Inside the tub is two large bags of Haribo Halloween sweets (Scaremix and TangfasTricks) which can be poured into each of the divided halves of the bowl. It makes a lovely colourful display.

Haribo Scaremix comes in an assortment of spooky designs and flavours: Dracula Rings in Blood Orange & Apple, Apple & Blackcurrant and Blackcurrant & Blueberry; Boo Bears in Cherry, Lime and Blood Orange; Witches' Brew in Blood Orange; Vampire Heart in Blackcurrant & Bubblegum and Monster's Eyeball in Toffee Apple. They come in funky colours too, adding a Halloween twist to some old classics.

The TangfasTricks offer an opportunity for daring sweet eaters to dive in and take a gamble on which sweet they're going to eat! They look normal enough, but not all the sweets are tangy - some of them are super sour and some are HOT! Will the one you choose be a treat or a trick?  It will definitely make for a fun game this Halloween.

I hope they will do a veggie friendly range one day so I too can indulge in the happy world of Haribo!

Spooky Halloween Recipes - Melon Monster Face and Eyeball Spaghetti

Aldi has some great Specialbuys for Halloween this year. They also have some fantastic Halloween recipes that will make some devilishly delicious meals, snacks, drinks and desserts for your little monsters! All the ingredients are available in store at Aldi's great prices, so you can impress your guests for less.

Here are my favourite two recipes from the collection that I have made. Both recipes were pretty straightforward and the family loved them. The end results were quite impressive and the Melon Monster Face would make a fantastic centre piece for a Halloween party table.

I've included the prices for the ingredients bought from Aldi (prices correct as of 28/10/2015).

Melon Monster Face

Ingredients:

1 Watermelon £1.99

4 ripe Plums 59p pack

4 Satsumas 99p pack

4 Funsize Eating Apples 59p pack

Method:

Cut the top off the watermelon.

Carefully scoop out all the flesh, cut into small chunks and remove the pips.

Cut a large mouth and some eyes into the side of the watermelon.

Core and chop the apples.

Peel and segment the satsumas.

Halve the plums, remove the stones and chop.

Mix the watermelon chunks, plums, apples and satsumas together – put into the watermelon, with some pouring out of the mouth onto a plate.

Eyeball Spaghetti 

Ingredients:

400g Cucina Italian Spaghetti 49p

1 x 500g Jar Cucina Pasta Sauce 69p

1 x pack mixed peppers 89p

1 x 200g pack Lyttos Greek Feta  99p

1 x pack cherry tomatoes 99p

A few basil leaves 29p pack

Method:

Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato, with a small teaspoon scoop out some of the centre, push a cube of feta cheese into the hole shaping into a round – repeat with the rest of the tomatoes.

Make pupils using basil.

Cook the spaghetti as per the instructions on the packet.

Chop the peppers into small pieces, add them to the pasta sauce in a saucepan and heat through.

Drain the pasta, serve with the sauce.

Divide between 4 bowls and pop a pair of tomato eyes on top.

My Netflix Picks this Halloween #streamteam

I love Halloween. All that spooky and scary stuff is right up my street, which is why I enjoy tailoring my TV viewing to suit the season. Netflix has some fantastic films and series that are just perfect for this time of year when you want a bit of horror in your life.

Watching scary movies Inside the Wendy House - by George Fairbairn

Here are my top picks:

Scream - the series

The Scream movie franchise is one of the big horror hits of the late 90s, featuring the horror obsessed killer in a Scream mask. The new Netflix series is a TV adaptation of the slasher genre featuring teens living in Lakewood, a small town with a horrific crime spree in its past.

After a cyber-bullying incident, a popular high school student Nina is brutally murdered, beginning a new wave of violence in Lakewood. A group of teens is drawn into the killer's game, and they use their wits to try and stay alive, unmask the perpetrator and stop him for good.

The cast is full of upcoming young actors with the role of Nina being played by Bella Thorne. It's a great teen drama, fast paced, very modern and infused with iconic slasher horror.

Circle

This movie is not your typical action packed horror film, instead it is shot in real time with just one setting for the majority of the action. Fifty people find themselves in a room standing in a circle around a central glowing device that fires out a bolt of energy every two minutes that kills whoever it hits. The people soon realise they can control who is killed and so enter into a fraught dialogue trying to decide who deserves to live or die. Alliances are made and tempers rage as the group battles to survive, knowing only one person can leave with their life. Who will walk out of the circle? The pregnant lady? The child? The cancer survivor? The soldier? Or someone else?

Circle is a bold film that doesn't rely on conventional thinking to shock and surprise its audience. It is quite slow paced, but very compelling. It doesn't give you any back story nor does it explain why they are in their predicament, instead it is what it is, and you go along with the confusion, frustration and fear of the people in the circle.

American Horror Story

AHS has mastered the art of mashing up horror genres and creating visually stunning, utterly shocking and beautifully crafted masterpieces with incredible storytelling and great acting. The series has been groundbreaking with each season taking the actors into a whole new world of horror. Murder House, Asylum, Coven and Freak Show are all available on Netflix. Each series is completely different and exquisitely enjoyable. I can't praise this series enough and I absolutely adore Evan Peters who stars in all the seasons in various roles.

Ella as Twisty the Clown from AHS Freakshow

For the kids, Netflix has the excellent spooky show Goosebumps to provide the Halloween thrills. My older children used to watch the TV show and read the books when they were younger. Now thanks to Netflix, my younger kids can enjoy the creepy stories too. Other picks for children include Wallace and Gromit - the Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Monsters University, Tweeny Witches and Monster vs Aliens.

Netflix has a huge range of great horror films available to view on Netflix this Halloween including Carrie, World War Z, Saw, Zombieland, The Omen, My Bloody Valentine, Friday the 13th and Babadook which are all worth a watch.

It is easy to find horror films on Netflix by clicking through the genre selection. There are loads to choose from that will let you enjoy a scary movie marathon over Halloween. Have fun and enjoy!!

Have a Colourful Halloween with Dylon

With a wonderful range of colours and products to choose from, Dylon fabric dyes are a great starting point for getting creative with costumes this Halloween. From the darkest blacks to the brightest reds, Dylon can help you make a bespoke and unique outfit that will make your kids stand out from the crowd at their Halloween parties this year.

Dylon sent us some of their products so we could have a go at making our own fiendish fancy dress, putting our own spin on things.

This year, the colour palette identified by Dylon for Halloween 2015 includes Emerald Green, Velvet Black and Intense Violet for creating wickedly wonderful witchy coloured fabrics. Tropical Green is the perfect shade for Halloween, reminiscent of rotting zombies or Frankenstein's monster himself. Tulip Red brings to mind blood splatter or devils while Goldfish Orange is the colour of Jack O'Lantern pumpkins. And any little ones looking to step out as their favourite Minions this year, will look fabulous in Sunflower Yellow and Ocean Blue coloured costumes. The palette is really inspiring when it comes to planning Halloween outfits. I love the violet colour, which is a great hue for the season and the inspiration for Kezia's fancy dress outfit this year.

Kezia, at 13, is looking for a more grown up and subtle look for Halloween this year. Using Intense Violet fabric dye for hand dying, you can make a funky, soft grunge tie-dyed effect outfit, perfect for a pastel witch or zombie when combined with face paints and accessories. Searching charity shops is a good way to find old clothing that can be made into something new. Transforming an old white summer dress or oversized t-shirt is easy using Dylon products.

Tie-dying is simple to do using the hand use fabric dye made up according to the instructions. You simply tie knots in the garment and secure with string before plunging into the dye. Once the garment has taken on the colour, take it out of the dye and untie. It creates a lovely effect.

For a solid colour, the Dylon Machine Dyes now contain added salt so are all ready to use in the washing machine. You just run a wash programme with the product in the machine, then run a second wash programme afterwards. It's easy to transform garments, giving them a new colourful lease of life for Halloween and beyond.

Freddy has chosen an Evil Doctor fancy dress outfit this year, which has been created using Dylon Fabric Paint in red. Using an old toothbrush to flick the paint onto an old two piece white doctor's fancy dress outfit, creates a great blood spatter effect. Smearing the paint and using it to make a bloody hand print on the fabric, adds to the look. (Just be sure to wash it off the skin immediately!) Ironing sets the paint onto the garment. This is also great to do to an old white sheet to create a spooky backdrop or a tablecover for Halloween decorating.

I love the blood splattered and smeared mad scientist/ evil doctor outfit that we created. This bloody special effect can also be used on any old clothing to make a zombie costume. Freddy thinks his costume is 'absolutely fabulous' and it is totally unique to him. He enjoyed helping to make it.

With their Halloween outfits ready for the big night of Halloween parties and Trick or Treating, both Kezia and Freddy are going to look fantastic. It is fun to make your own Halloween costumes and the Dylon products are great for the job. Find out more about the range at www.dylon.co.uk.

Cadbury will be resurrecting a favourite chocolate bar this Halloween

This Halloween, Cadbury have plans to conjure up a spooky resurrection of one of their long dead favourite chocolate bars. The Cadbury Crave-yard is stirring, preparing for one of the bars to claw its way back from the afterlife. Which bar gets to return from the dead is decided by a public vote - will it be Cadbury Marble or Cadbury Fuse - only one can return and that’s up to you to choose!

Cadbury is brewing up its magical cauldron ready to conjure up one of the delicious bars. The votes will be thrown into the potion, and  the bar which receives the highest number of votes will then be resurrected with a run of special edition bars ready to be given away to select lucky winners chosen from those who vote in this fun Halloween campaign. Winning is the only way to get your hands on one of the bars as they won't be available in the shops.

Remember there can be only one resurrection so pick wisely!

 Which bar from the past do you mourn the most…?

·         Cadbury Fuse packed with raisins, nuts and fudge for a texture sensation

·         Cadbury Marble which is a perfect blend of praline, milk and white chocolate

You can vote for your favourite, by tweeting @CadburyUK using the hashtag #CadburyCraveyard with which of the two Craveyard bars you want to bring back this Halloween. Or visit the Cadbury UK Facebook page and leave a comment under one of the dedicated Craveyard posts. 

The winning bar will be revealed on the CadburyUK social media channels this Halloween.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe for Halloween from Holland and Barrett

It's just a couple of weeks until Halloween and the supermarkets are stocking pumpkins in readiness for when we carve our Jack O'Lanterns. But pumpkins aren't just for creating spooky seasonal decorations, they are also good for eating. Not only do they taste good, they also are packed with nutrients. They are rich in beta-carotene, which helps good vision, skin health and the function of the immune system. Pumpkins are also a good source of fibre and contain potassium. Pumpkin is also packed with zeaxanthin, an antioxidant that helps to protect the eyes from age-related degeneration. The seeds are nutrient dense, high in protein and contain unsaturated fat. The seeds also contain phytosterols for heart health and trypothan, which the body uses to produce serotonin in the body to help maintain normal mood.

The traditional way of enjoying pumpkin is in a pie. This is a recipe by Natasha Corrett, created in collaboration with Holland and Barrett's free-from range. This healthy take on the traditional pumpkin pie is perfect for Halloween.

PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE

Serves  6–8

For the crust:

50g (1¾oz) dates, pitted

65ml (2½fl oz/¼ cup) hot water 

1 tbsp sunflower oil

200g (7oz/2¼ cups) ground almonds

¹⁄8 tsp ground nutmeg

For the filling:

600g (1lb 5oz) pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tbsp sunflower oil

3 eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp mixed spice 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp coconut flour 

2 tbsp agave syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3, and line a 15cm (6in) tart tin with baking parchment.

Soak the dates for 10 minutes in the measured water, then drain.

Put all the crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until they come together to form a ball. Carefully tip the ball into the tin and press the ‘dough’ evenly all around.

Prick the dough and bake for 15–20 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before adding the filling.

Roast the pumpkin with the sunflower oil for

20 minutes until it is soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Transfer the roasted pumpkin to a blender and whizz until smooth. Then add the eggs, spices, vanilla extract, coconut flour and agave syrup and blend again until you get a super-smooth mixture. Scoop the mixture up and transfer into the crust and bake for 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

***

If pumpkin pie isn't your thing, Holland and Barrett stock a range of pumpkin products that are nutritious and perfect for this time of year. Great for healthy snacking!

Meridian Organic Pumpkin Seed Butter 170g £3.29
Freed Gluten Free Crispbread with Cheddar and Pumpkin Seed 160g £2.89
Biona Organic Spiced Pumpkin Soup 680g £2.69
Neal's Yard Wholefoods Pumpkin Seeds 400g £7.99
9 Bar Pumpkin Mixed Seed 50g 99p
Rude Health The Pumpkin Bar 35g 99p

Find these in store or online at www.hollandandbarrett.com.

Holland and Barrett also stock a great range of Free From treats for children for Halloween. Perfect for vegetarian and vegan children or children with food allergies or intolerances. No one needs to miss out on Trick or Treating with goodies such as Orgran Outback Animals Chocolate Cookies Multipack £3.37, Goody Good Stuff Cola Breeze sweets £1.49 and Moo Free Bar Crunchy Banana £2.70.

Ghost Hunt Evolution - the perfect game for Halloween

Turn down the lights, put on your special multivision glasses and get ready to shoot ghosts and bats in this exciting game from Megableu. Billy Bones, the fun skeleton at the heart of the Ghost Hunt games, moves his head and projects images of bats and ghosts through his magic eye. The aim of the game is to blast them using the infra-red gun as they appear on the walls, floor and ceiling around the room. The bats are super quick and are worth 3 points when hit, while ghosts are easier targets and score you a point for each hit. Highest score wins!

The game is made even spookier with the ghostly sound effects that accompany the fast paced action. There are lots of screeches and wailing, which create a creepy atmosphere when playing the game. There are three different difficulty levels making it suitable for all the family. The gun records the scores and after each go, you can check to see how many points each player has got.

The multivision glasses add a new dimension to the game allowing you to see multiple images of the bats and ghosts, making it seem like the room is being invaded by loads of creepy creatures, but you can still play without them on. Freddy prefers it without the glasses as he wears specs himself, but playong without them does not detract from the gameplay at all.

We have been trying out this game, as an idea for fun family activities in the run up to Halloween. It is a lot of fun and gets everybody up as they take turns at harnessing their inner ghostbuster and blasting the targets as they appear all around the room. It is a great game for the kids to enjoy and would go down a storm at a Halloween party, especially with the spooky sounds that are emitted as you play. 

Obviously, as the targets are projected around the room, it needs to be dark and the game works best when there is clear space on the walls so the images can be clearly seen. Sometimes, the projections get broken up if something is in the way between the wall and  Billy Bones, making it harder to get a clean shot. The game has to be played in turns, but extra guns can be purchased to make it suitable for multiple players at the same time. Everyone can enjoy Ghost Hunt, and it gets quite competitive as players all try to beat the high score by blasting the most targets in the time limit. It definitely offers hours of after dark gaming action for all the family.

This is definitely a great game to keep little monsters entertained over Halloween, but it can be played and enjoyed all year round. Billy Bones is a very cute little skeleton and the gameplay is like bringing a spooky shoot 'em up video game to life in your own home. 

Game includes 1 electronic projector (Billy Bones),1 electronic gun and multivision glasses.

Suitability 5+.

RRP £29.99

Batteries required: 4 x AA and 3 x AAA (not included).

Available in major toy stores and from Amazon.

Halloween Costumes from Sainsbury's - Safer and Spookier than Ever!

This year, Sainsbury's are proud to confirm that all their children's dressing up outfits meet the British nightwear flammability standard, which has the highest level of testing available. This is an industry leading decision, ensuring that costumes are regarded as clothing and not as toys when it comes to fire safety. As parents, we can be confident that our little trick or treaters are safer in their costumes this Halloween. Although everyone should still obviously take care around naked flames, knowing that the Halloween costumes are so much safer this year is very reassuring.

As well as being safer, the Sainsbury's costumes are super spooky and include outfits for all the family, including the dog! From zombies, to witches to vampires, there is a great range to choose from. Whether your little monsters want to be a spine-tingling skeleton or an enchanted witch, there is a costume that will be just the thing for parties, discos and trick or treating.

Sainsbury's sent Freddy a Mummified Monster Zombie Costume complete with top, trousers and mask. The comfortably cut, long sleeved suit has jagged cut hems and added pieces of fabric to give a spooky mummified look to the costume. A cut out section on the front of the top reveals a gruesome lenticular panel featuring a 3D image of dripping blood, ribs, bugs, eyeballs and guts and the fabric design includes oozing goo, seeping blood and bugs printed onto a bandage effect background. The hooded mask has a skeleton style face with cut out eye holes and bandage detail. The top has velcro fastenings down the back, making it easy to put on and take off. It is a really creepy and very effective design.

Freddy absolutely loved his new zombie outfit. He particularly loved the front panel with the spooky open rib effect. Gruesome but great! The attention to detail is excellent and Freddy looked like an extra from a horror film, jumping around trying to scare us. He will look fantastic at his school Halloween disco this year.

The costume is good quality made from 100% polyester fabric, which has a nice sheen finish, and it also has the plastic panel insert and additional fabric detailing. The sizing is good and the fit is comfy.

It is available in ages 3 to 12, priced from £10 and available in store or online. It is hand wash only.

Sainsbury's also suggest that to keep children extra safe this year, that we use LED tealights instead of candles for our Jack O' Lanterns and Halloween decorations.

Find the Tu Clothing Halloween Fancy Dress range online or in store at Sainsbury's.

Add a Gothic Edge to your Decor with a Vintage Bronze Skull

Smithers of Stamford is a family run business selling a wonderful range of vintage, quirky and retro products, including bespoke furniture, gifts, antiques and ornaments. With a penchant for sourcing interesting items and a flair for interior design, their passion for the unique and the curious is reflected in every piece available across their eclectic range.

With Halloween approaching, I was delighted to receive a beautiful piece from the Smithers of Stamford collection - an amazing bronze effect human skull. As a fan of gothic and vintage items, and having a penchant for horror, I absolutely adore this ornament. It's really quite beautiful, in a slightly macabre way, with a high end antique feel.

Standing 15cm tall and weighing 1.4kg, it is an impressive ornamental piece. It is most definitely not a novelty item, it is stunning and beautifully crafted with great attention to detail. It has an antique style finish and will add a quirky edge to any home or office decor.

In addition to being a stunning ornamental piece, the bronze effect skull would make a fantastic centrepiece at a horror or gothic inspired dinner party and will add a touch of class to any Halloween celebration. I have mine on display in my living room and have received lots of compliments from guests on my quite unique and unusual ornament. It is definitely a great talking point.

The Smithers of Stamford website is a wonderful place to browse with so many amazing items. There are some great gift ideas that will definitely delight with their themed vintage designer styles. You can also source unusual items and bespoke pieces for the home or office, including some fantastic furniture. If you are looking for something a bit different and very special, definitely take a look at the Smithers of Stamford range.

The bronze effect skull costs £34.00. It is also available in white for a more clinical effect. And be sure to remember - skulls aren't just for Halloween!

Horrifying Haribo for Halloween

This Halloween, I am preparing for the annual Trick or Treaters with a little help from HARIBO. They have sent me a Trick or Treat multipack, some Minions Gone Batty, some Horror Mix and a tub of their Share the Fun treat packs. The neighbouring kids will love to get their fangs into these treats. Having individual mini-bags to hand out makes it quick and easy when little ghouls come knocking.

The Limited Edition Minions Gone Batty put a spooky Halloween twist on everybody's favourite yellow characters while the Horror Mix gives kids witch's hats, spiders, snakes, bats and brooms to munch on. They are great for sharing at parties. Each Trick or Treat bag has ten small packs of assorted HARIBO, while the Share the Fun tub contains twenty four mini bags. That's plenty to keep the Trick or Treaters happy!

Personalised Halloween Storybook

I always love personalised gifts bearing my children's names. There is something so special about seeing your child's name emblazoned on something lovely.

Born Gifted have treated Freddy to a gorgeous personalised picture book featuring a spooky Halloween story where he is the star. Perfect to commemorate a child's first Halloween or to celebrate the occasion with a young child, the full colour pages include plenty of references to your child's name, in both the text and in the illustrations.

The softback book "Freddy on Halloween Night" comes with a personalised dedication on the front page, making this a lovely gift. The fun rhyming story tells the tale of Freddy's Halloween. Dressed up as a ghost, he meets a whole array of scary characters. At first Freddy is a bit frightened of all the spooky costumes, but he soon discovers that there is no need to be afraid. It definitely makes Halloween seem a lot less scary to little ones when they realise who is underneath the fancy dress outfits. A funny twist in the tale on the last page turns the story on its head and shows children that there is no need to fear make-believe monsters.

The paper is glossy and the illustrations are fun. Little ones will love sharing the rhythmic text and older kids will enjoy reading it themselves and spotting their name throughout the story.

On Halloween Night personalised book from Born Gifted is £9.99 and dispatched in 3 working days of ordering. Standard delivery is £2.95 or free for orders over £40. Born Gifted also stock an exciting range of lovely gifts and toys, both traditional and unusual, for babies and children.

www.borngifted.co.uk

Halloween Fun with Aldi Specialbuys

We love Halloween here Inside the Wendy House! So we are very excited to be testing out a range of goodies available from Aldi this October. As ever, the Aldi products are great value for money meaning you can enjoy Halloween without worrying too much about going over budget.

Spooky dressing up costumes such as witches, vampires and skeletons are just £3.99. Perfect for parties, fancy dress discos or Trick or Treating. A Halloween tutu set with skirt and wand is just £1.99 and Halloween boppers, to add a scary twist to any outfit, are just £1.79.

When it comes to parties, Aldi has a superb range of tableware starting at just 89p. 12 packs of paper plates, bowls, napkins, cups and loot bags come in two spooky designs and will make any party table look the part. The Boo and Trick or Treat designs are both very appealing and colourful. Quality serving bowls and drinkware are also available, and will be sure to impress your guests. Metal Trick or Treat buckets are just £1.79 and come in four designs. Filled with sweets and treats, they will make a lovely party favour or table decoration.

Decorating the house is easy with Aldi's range of Halloween themed novelties. LED tea light holders and battery operated lights will add an eerie ambiance to the house. The LED tea lights come with batteries included and the flickering light looks lovely. Spider's webs, gel stickers, dancing skeletons and inflatable characters will help set a spooky scene. To surprise Trick or Treaters, Aldi have some fiendishly fun door knockers and musical door bells that will interact with anyone who comes to your door. At £6.99 they are great value and very cool. The kids will love them and they turn your home into a proper haunted house.

When it's bedtime, the Halloween fun doesn't have to end. Aldi has a range of brilliant kids' bedwear for just £3.99. Your little monster will be able to snuggle up in a choice of two designs of pyjamas. Freddy received the glow in the dark Booo! pj's with a friendly ghost design on the front, green cuffs and spooky eyes on the trouser legs.  A spooky DVD before bed might be fun for little ones and a selection are available in Aldi at just £3.99. This would make a fabulous family fright night in!

Aldi also stock lots of great value confectionery ready for any trick or treaters who come knocking, plus they have everything needed to host a spooktacular party: food, soft drinks and alcohol, all at low prices.

These are the Halloween Specialbuy products available in store while stocks last:

Halloween Inflatable Characters £12.99

Dancing Skeleton £7.99

Halloween Serving Dishes £6.99

Musical Door Knockers/Bells £6.99

Children's Dressing Up Set £3.99

Children’s Halloween Pyjamas £3.99

Halloween Battery Operated Lights £3.99

Halloween Berry Lights £3.99

Halloween DVDs £3.99

Halloween Drinkware £2.99

Girl's Halloween Tutu Set £1.99

Children’s Halloween Boppers £1.79

Led Tealight Holders £1.79

Trick Or Treat Tins £1.79

Pumpkin Carving Kit £1.49

Children's Halloween Tights £1.29

Assorted Partyware  £0.89

Halloween Gel Stickers  £0.89

Halloween Spiders Web  £0.89

From costumes to tableware to decorations to DVDs to character inflatables, Aldi has got Halloween covered! Aldi's Halloween Specialbuys will be hitting stores on October 1st and will be available while stocks last, so make sure you don't miss out.

Our Day Out at Greenwood Forest Park

In Snowdonia, just an hour away from Chester lies Greenwood Forest Park, a place for challenging fun, action packed outdoor pursuits and active adventure for all the family.  We had tickets for a visit during their Halloween event and so yesterday, Freddy donned his favourite Halloween onesie and headband and we made our way to Wales for a day out!

I was glad that I had packed Freddy's wellies because it was pretty muddy, but thankfully the weather was kind to us and it was quite warm for late October.  Greenwood Forest Park is pretty rustic with attractions that blend into the forest setting, so don't expect flashing lights and fancy rides.  Instead you'll find lots of natural materials and things that rely on people power!

There were plenty of Halloween bits and bobs around the park to get us in the Halloween mood, and kids in costume received a free hot chocolate, which was a nice touch.

The Great Green Run is a 70 m  sledge run that allows riders to whizz down a hill in a toboggan. There is also a smaller version for younger children to enjoy.  Freddy tried out both of the runs and absolutely loved it!

The Crocodile Maze is a boardwalk maze in the forest.  Willow cuttings are dotted throughout the spaces between the raised platforms. When it is all fully grown it will be much harder to find your way through, but it was still a good challenge for Freddy who found his way to the centre to find the crocodile sculpture and then found his way back out, leading us all behind him.

The WildWEB is a 6 m tall double mast rope pyramid, which provides a great challenge!  Freddy did really well working out how to climb up the ropes.  Daddy looked on to help him across some of the trickier bits!  It's a great activity for kids looking for a physical challenge.

The Moonkarts are pedal powered one or two seater carts that can be ridden around the quite extensive track.  Freddy did really well getting the hang of the steering levers although he did have a few crashes, including an incident where he totally rear ended his sister's cart!  It was great fun though!

The Barefoot Trail proved to be a real favourite activity.  Children can walk through the trail exploring the different textures with their bare feet.  There was water to wade through and smooth stones, rocks, fossils, mud, pebbles and straw to walk over.  It is a real sensory experience that both Freddy and Kizzy really enjoyed doing.  It is quite a long trail and very well designed with all the different areas to explore underfoot.

There is plenty of storage for shoes and socks and afterwards, there is a foot cleaning station with soap, water and paper towels to clean up messy feet!

We all enjoyed the Jungle Boats where we had to propel our boat through a canal using only paddles and ropes to pull ourselves along.  It was a lot of fun and we went round twice, with Freddy being the chief oarsman!

There are lots of play areas including the brilliant wooden Tree Top Towers complete with netted walkways, tube slides and four tall timber towers.  The Tunnel Warren is a smaller version for the under 7's to enjoy, but Freddy loved the challenge of the huge Tree Top Towers.  The Giant Jumper was also very popular with Freddy.  It is a huge 1500 sq ft pillow shaped bouncy jumper that children can clamber up and bounce on.  It was a lot of fun!  The Zip Wires and Trim Trail were also good activities for active kids.

There is a people powered Green Dragon Rollercoaster that runs on a 250 m track through the woods. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to ride it.  Nor did we have time to take part in any of the craft activities, do a donkey ride or have a go at archery. There really is a lot to do.

The restaurant was really good, serving lovely veggie burgers, chips, kids' lunchboxes and traybake cakes. Four of us ate for £30, making it reasonable value.  Inside is an indoor play area The Enchanted Woodbarn for kids up to 1.4 m tall.  Freddy loved playing while we enjoyed a coffee after our meal. It is a really nice attraction for families whatever the weather.  There are other soft play areas for toddlers too.

Greenwood Forest Park is a good value attraction with most of the things to do being included in the entry price. We spent a good few hours there and Freddy totally tired himself out.  By the time we came home, Freddy was worn out and dirty after all his physical fun - just how kids should be after a proper day out!

It is nice to see a park that is eco-friendly, relying on nature and people power for many of its attractions. It was perfect for someone of Freddy's age as he could do everything, giving him the freedom to explore. And we were impressed to find a decent veggie option in the restaurant.  All in all, it proved a good day out where we had lots of laughs, which for me is what a family adventure is all about.

You can find out more about Greenwood Forest Park here: http://www.greenwoodforestpark.co.uk/