Dottie

Beyond bobbing for apples: Cool new Halloween games for kids

Written by contributor Miss Dottie of Modernkiddo.com

I think the best party you can have for kiddos is a Halloween party! Costume + candy + friends = FUN! That’s my favorite kind of math.

But how do you turn up the fun factor to 11 at your kiddo’s Halloween party? Add some Halloween-inspired party games! Let’s leave the old bobbing for apples game for some new ones that don’t involve a crying, wet, wee one. So, I rounded up some super fun games that you might want to try at your next Halloween party

1.) Pop Goes The Pumpkin

Of course, the doyenne of fabulous parties, Martha Stewart, has a few good tricks up her sleeves for children and this one, Pop Goes the Pumpkin, is my favorite involving confetti filled balloons is sure to be a party-pleaser for older kiddos.

2.) Pin the Spider on the Web

I love this Halloween inspired version of the classic Pin the Tail on the donkey. You could also make a web using white masking tape on a wall, which would be pretty darn awesome.

2.) Witch’s Stew Game

I love this witchy game since it involves things all pre-schoolers can do–sucking on a straw.

4.) Monster Mash Tag

This monster version of tag is great for a little outdoor game for your little monsters actually a lot more fun than a basic game of tag.

5.) Walk on the Witch’s Hat

You can play Monster Mash as the music of choice for this game as children walk over the witch’s hat. No witch would like that!

Hee hee! Man, Halloween party games are a lot more fun than when I was a kid.

What were your favorite games to play as a kid? What are the ones your kids enjoy playing?

Eco-friendly dishes for kiddos

Written by contributor Dottie of Modernkiddo.com

Hi friends! I’m super excited to be here chatting with y’all on Simple Design. Especially about something so near and dear to my heart—finding cool, eco-friendly/BPA free alternatives to those bright, plastic dishes that our kiddos (and we) love so much.

Plastic ain’t so fantastic

As you probably know plastic has been getting a bit of a bad rap over the past few years. Even those darling dishes made of Melamine are posing a problem. As Time Magazine reported, the problem with Melamine – even though that type of plastic has been around for more than 100 years, it easily scratches and stains. Like most BPA plastic, the scratches leach the chemical and there is little known information on the safety of Melamine.

The FDA is investigating its safety but they’re still okay with Melamine right now. However, who knows how they will feel about it in a few years. If you can’t break up with your sweet, separated melamine dishes, that’s OK too—just replace them yearly to avoid heavy scratching and think twice about putting them in the microwave and dishwasher. But, hey, you might as well invest in some pieces that will allow you to rest easy and make your kiddos smile too.

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