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Have a Fa-BOO-lous Halloween With Crafts, DIY Costumes & Spooky Videos!

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by Logan Brody • Published on • Last modified on
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
Education

Gather all your ghosts, ghouls, and frightful friends because it’s Halloween! Halloween dates back thousands of years to the Celtic people of ancient Europe, who recognized October 31st as the last day of autumn with crop harvesting and celebratory festivals. They also believed this was the time that the regular world and spirit world were most closely connected, so people wore masks and costumes to fend off unfriendly spirits.

Over time, the holiday has evolved into a secular one, with trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples, scary movie marathons, and parades full of costumed revelers. Halloween is a great time to embrace your spooky—and silly—side with friends and family.

Keep scrolling to get into the Ookey-Spookey Halloween spirit with fun crafts, costume ideas, and videos about the science behind what scares us!

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Halloween | All About the Holidays

Halloween hasn't always been about candy and costumes. Take a look back at the historical traditions about spirits that are the basis for this holiday. You're in for a treat!

Jump to article sections:

Make Halloween a Treat
Science of Scary!
Activities, Books & More
Masks, Costumes & Pumpkin Carving

Make Halloween a Real Treat for Little Ones

Grades Pre k-3

Make Halloween Fun, Not Frightening!

There’s a lot that can make Halloween (and all the days leading up to it) a little scary for under-fives. If your preschooler is unsure about joining in the Halloween festivities, here are fun ideas to help make the month of October not (even slightly) scary.

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Grades Pre K-3

Throw a PBS KIDS Halloween Party!

Get together with family and friends dressed as your favorite PBS KIDS characters and celebrate Halloween with a party. Make haunting decorations, bake terrifying treats, and scare your guests with spooky party favors!

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Grades Pre K-3

Happy Halloween! 6 Tips to Prep Kids for Trick-Or-Treating

Halloween is a time when we participate in spooky activities. Here’s how to prepare your kids for an evening of Halloween fun.

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The Science Behind Scary

Grades K-2

Foggy Trick or Treat: How Fog Forms | Weather Hunters

In this Weather Hunters video, Corky and Lily notice fog rolling in while they’re trick-or-treating. Using her weather kit, Lily observes and measures the changes in their environment. After watching the clip, explore how changes in temperature and humidity cause fog with a classroom-ready activity.

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Grades 6-12

Egyptian Mummies: From Sacred Vessels to Scary Undead | Monstrum

Mummification was a sacred, transformative practice in Ancient Egypt—a ritual process that made one’s body and soul fit for existence in the afterlife. It begs the question: when and why did the Mummy become the popular movie monster and Halloween costume that we are so familiar with today?

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Grades 3-8

What Is Fear? | Spot on Science

Why do scary movies make you jump? Or snakes make you run? Margaret’s got the details on why we have fears and how our body responds to scares. 

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Grades 9-12

Could NASA Start the Zombie Apocalypse? | PBS Space Time

We’re just as fascinated as the rest of you with predicting how the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE will start. One surprisingly real scenario is that it could start in SPACE! Especially given the crazy effects space has on bacteria and viruses, and the difficulty of sterilization.

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Grades 6-12

The Boo Hag | A World of Stories

Ever wonder how stories keep traditions alive? Explore Gullah culture with students through a spooky tale and the custom of painting doors and windows blue to ward off witches.

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Activities, Books & More

Grades Pre K-4

Monstrously Good Books for Kids

Some monsters seem scary, some sympathetic, while others can only be described as supremely silly. Whether they’re hiding under the bed, or going bump in the night, monsters may be all around! Get crazy with some monster madness using this list of recommended books for children ages 0-9.

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Grades K-5

Secret Message Pumpkins

Make an assortment of Halloween themed message containers with this easy DIY craft. Using a little imagination (and some paint) you can make pumpkins, mummies, witches, Frankenstein, werewolves, vampires and more!

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Grades K-3

Halloween Haunted House

Draw spooky creatures in the windows of your own lift-the-flap haunted house with this fun Halloween craft!

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Grades 6-12

U,2! Beals Science | Chemistry: Dry Ice Experiments You Can Try at Home

Dry ice is really cool, especially around Halloween time! Using a few household materials, chemistry teacher Craig Beals plays with dry ice and explores the chemistry behind five simple, yet dazzling, dry ice experiments that you can try at home or use in your classroom. 

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Grades K-5

Halloween Games to Play From PBS KIDS

The weeks leading up to Halloween can be super exciting for kids — and grown-ups! If your family is already in the Halloween spirit, it can be hard to wait until October 31. So try playing some new Halloween-themed games from PBS KIDS!

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Masks, Costumes & Pumpkin Carving

Daniel Tiger Watch

Your child can make her very own Daniel Tiger watch out of toilet paper rolls and cardboard.

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Halloween PBS KIDS Character Masks

Be your favorite PBS KIDS character for Halloween with printable masks! Find character masks from Arthur, Nature Cat, Pinkalicious & Peterrific, and more.

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No-Sew Elinor Costume

Many children enjoy dressing up for Halloween, but half the fun is coming up with the costume. Your child can dress just like Elinor by wearing clothes similar to her recognizable outfit in red and purple. The magic of this costume is really in the accessories that your child can help you make.

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Pumpkin Carving Stencils

It’s time to get carving! Create unique PBS-themed jack-o-lanterns by printing out your favorite stencil, tracing it onto your pumpkin, and carving carefully using a kitchen knife. These templates will make carving Halloween pumpkins a breeze!

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DIY Odd Squad Costume

Assemble this budget-friendly, zero-fuss DIY Odd Squad costume for your little one!

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Looking for even more Halloween fun for your little ones? Visit the Happy Halloween Collection on PBS KIDS for Parents! Don’t miss locally curated learning tips, activities, and family-friendly events from across the region—direct to your inbox each week—by signing up for the Learn & Play newsletter.