In My Mom Era

Halloween is almost here, which means costumes, candy, pumpkins, and approximately 47 opportunities for someone to make a mess before breakfast. 😂

As a mom of five, I’ve learned the best family activities aren’t necessarily the most elaborate ones. So I was thrilled to interview Kim McLeod of The Best Ideas for Kids about easy Halloween projects, creativity, and surviving craft-time chaos. And after our interview, I’ve got a snack adventure from the Gegg household to share!

A Sneak Peek: Kim McLeod of The Best Ideas for Kids

I loved getting to chat with Kim McLeod of The Best Ideas for Kids about easy Halloween projects, creativity, and keeping craft time manageable with a houseful of children. 😂 Here are three of our questions and Kim’s answers as a preview of our full 12-question interview, which will have its own In the Interview Room feature.

Kelly: Halloween is such a fun time to get creative! What are three Halloween crafts you’d recommend for families who want something adorable but don’t have a ton of time or supplies?

Kim: Recycled material crafts are my favorite crafts to make because they’re something everyone can create with. Here are some simple recycled crafts you can do for Halloween:

Kim: • Paint a mason jar and turn it into a lantern with a mini battery-powered tea light. You can also Mod Podge tissue paper on the mason jar. Then add a pumpkin face with felt or foam paper.
• Use a paper roll to stamp pumpkins. Fold a paper roll into the shape of a pumpkin and stamp! Add a bunch together to make your own pumpkin patch.
• Make mummies with paper rolls – cut strips of toilet paper roll and wrap them around a paper roll cardboard tube. Add some googly eyes or paper eyes tucked in a little behind the wrapped toilet paper, and you have a cute little mummy craft!

Kelly: Let’s talk about the mess. 😂 Are there any tricks you’ve learned for keeping craft time manageable, especially when little hands, glue, paint, and glitter are involved?

Kim: If you’d like to avoid the mess, stick with paper crafts and glue sticks. Any time you incorporate white glue, paint, or glitter, things are sure to get a little more messy. If you’re okay to embrace the mess, get some good smocks and table coverings. I like to use butcher paper and place it down on the table, or you can also use silicone painting mats, which make clean-up a lot easier.

Kelly: Finally, what’s one Halloween project you think every family should try at least once—and what makes it so special?

Kim: We love doing a Halloween scavenger hunt every year. It’s a fun way to get the kids reading clues that lead to a candy stash when they are done. You can find printable cards for free on my site, or you can make your own clues that lead them around the house. Add a candy with each clue or have a final prize at the end for them to find. It’s always fun, and the kids ask to do it every year!

Kelly’s note: As always, supervise little ones during crafts and keep small pieces and battery-powered lights out of reach of toddlers.

There’s more to come! Kim also shared how her creative platform began, a project that didn’t quite go to plan, and her tips for encouraging kids to make things on their own. I’ll link the full interview here once that dedicated feature is published!

A Little Creativity Goes a Long Way

What I love about Kim’s ideas is that you don’t need expensive kits or the artistic abilities of Picasso. Start with paper rolls, scrap paper, crayons, and a willingness to embrace a little mess. The Halloween scavenger hunt sounds especially fun for kids of different ages!

A huge thank-you to Kim and Caitlin at Anderson Group PR for bringing this interview together. Find more crafts and free printables at The Best Ideas for Kids.

Beyond the Candy Bowl: A Little Something Different for Halloween

Now, let’s talk snacks. Halloween and candy go together like toddlers and mysteriously sticky hands. And with five kids, we are NOT suffering from a candy shortage. 😂

When Renée Hewitt reached out on behalf of Crispy Green with ideas for snacks beyond the candy bowl, I was intrigued. They sent complimentary Crispy Fruit samples for our family to try. What followed was not exactly the organized product-testing experience I’d envisioned.

The Gegg Family Taste Test

We started with pear and pineapple. I intended to take photos and carefully document reactions, but the kids practically demolished both bags before I got my camera out. HA.

A couple days later, we tried apple and banana. Nora, Adaline, and Colton made quick work of the apple. Nora looked at Colton and announced, “Colton, these is empty! We need more!” Then came the banana—another success.

This time I was determined to get photos. Nora was considerably less impressed with my blogging ambitions. “Just take the picture, Mom!” Yes, ma’am. 😂

So, What Did We Think?

All four flavors—pear, pineapple, apple, and banana—disappeared with remarkable enthusiasm. I appreciate that these freeze-dried fruit snacks are made with a single fruit ingredient. They’re easy to serve and offer something different from candy. My biggest complaint? THE BAGS ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR MY FAMILY. 🤣 Seven people. Five kids. We need family-size!

Five Ways to Go Beyond the Halloween Candy Bowl

1. Make a Halloween snack board with freeze-dried fruit, popcorn, pretzels, cheese, and crackers.
2. Decorate individual snack cups with pumpkin or ghost faces.
3. Set up a build-your-own snack mix station.
4. Add naturally colorful fruits and seasonal decorations to your snack table.
5. Offer a filling snack before heading out trick-or-treating.

For toddlers, choose age-appropriate foods, avoid choking hazards, and supervise snack time. And no, I’m not suggesting we cancel Halloween candy. Absolutely not. I’m just saying variety never hurt anybody!

Gegg Family Tested: The Verdict

Kid approval? Absolutely.
Easy for parents? Definitely.
Did the samples last long enough for a photo shoot? Not even close.
Would we eat them again? Without hesitation.

Learn more at Crispy Green.

Disclosure: Crispy Green provided complimentary samples for our family to try. No payment was received for this review, and all opinions are our own.

Halloween Memories Don’t Have to Be Complicated

The best memories aren’t necessarily perfectly planned. They’re the moments when somebody has googly eyes stuck to their shirt, the kitchen table looks like a craft store exploded, and the snacks disappear before you can photograph them. 😂

Happy Halloween from our family to yours! 🎃👻

Warmly,
Kelly
In My Mom Era