31 Days of Play! Halloween Fun!

Owlie

I hope you have all had a Happy Halloween!  Having a little one around makes Halloween so enjoyable again!  I find my play is in the preparation of things -- like at Christmas time, I really have fun with all that goes into making the big day special.  The last time I remember making a big deal about Halloween was in college when my best friend would create prize-winning costumes for the parties she attended.  Needless to say, I've had a blast this year!  Creating Cupcake Party Kits to send home to my nephews, working on Beansprout's costume with my mother-in-law, carving pumpkins, and even just perusing all of the fantastic Halloween ideas on the internet have made it a great month of play for me.

Getting ready for the big night!

I have to admit I'm focusing on my play, because at this point we're just sort of laying the groundwork for Beansprout, helping him get the hang of it.  Though we've been reading books about Halloween and its traditions to bridge the gap, he's not quite at the fully embracing point.  We had to coax him away from his trains to get him to go door-to-door this evening.  Of course, he had a blast at his Halloween parties -- he enjoyed getting special treats, we wondered together what other costumes we'd see, and he loved his costume so much that he wore his hat all day!  I realize even the days where he will be the one so excited for trick o' treating will be far too few, so I am holding these moments dear and not wishing the time away.

I have had a wonderful month reflecting on play.  If you've missed any of my other posts, I hope you'll check them out here! Huge thanks to The Nester for inspiring me to try this challenge!  I also want to send a big thank you to everyone who has made comments, whether on the blog, on Facebook, or in person, your encouragement has really impacted me this month.  I may just have to try another themed month as I continue to get the knack for this!

31 Days of Play! Preparing to Play

Sneak-peek at Beansprout's Halloween Costume

We are quickly approaching one of the biggest days of play! I've heard that Halloween is the second most favorite holiday next to Christmas. This comes as no surprise, I guess, as kids AND adults get to don their play hats. In preparation for the big night of trick-or-treating next week, I had a little playtime of my own! My mother-in-law helped me put together Beansprout's FIRST homemade costume! I've always wanted to make a costume for him and the simplicity of this year's plan gave me the confidence to finally forge ahead. Not owning a sewing machine, I figured handmade costumes were out and I have to say that the affordability of really cute costumes from retail stores makes the decision to diy rather difficult -- I'm sure it's cheaper sometimes to go ahead and buy one!! This year I've been able to use things we already had, only purchasing two pieces of felt and some buttons. Not a bad deal!

Next up, pumpkin carving!!!!  Are you preparing for the 31st?  What do you do for Halloween? Do you enjoy its playful nature? Do you dress up?


I can't wait for the big reveal of Beansprout's costume! Stay tuned . . .

Not long to go in my 31 Days of Play writing challenge!  I've really enjoyed the conversations - hope you'll come back and that you'll check out my previous posts on the topic here, if you haven't already!