Home » halloween

Tag: halloween

Des Moines Halloween Events 2014

There are so many Halloween events that go on this time of year, in the Des Moines area! It’s so hard to pick and choose a few to do and see. We did some more fun activities this past week and none of them disappointed!

The Great Pumpkin Party was a three day event held by Valley Church in West Des Moines. We were not able to make it out until the final night, Thursday. Tuesday night was was specifically for families with special needs, which I thought was awesome! This event was so large, it was held at the Valley Church and the Valley Community Center across the street.

We were there right at 6 pm when the doors opened!

They had pony rides, right outside. Monte was soooo close to ride, but he got very nervous once he sat down on the pony.

The worship area was full of inflatables and right when you walked in,there was a huge Lightning McQueen inflatable slide. You should have seen the look on Monte’s face!

This event also consisted of live music, an illusionist, face painting, photo booth pictures, games, a petting zoo, ice cream, popcorn, lemonade, and MORE! All of this was FREE!

Monte’s favorite part of the evening (besides the large inflatables) was taking his picture with the super heroes!

Saturday evening we made it to the Annual Grimes Halloween Fest at the Grimes Community Center.

The whole building was filled with fun activities. As you walked through the building there were people dressed up, handing out candy. There were two different bake sales going on! Inflatables to play on (one of Monte’s favorite), a haunted house (we did not go in), a soft-play area for the little kids to run and jump, AND free tours of an ambulance and fire truck!

Monte though the fire truck and ambulance were way cool!

Sunday after carving and painting our pumpkins …

We went to the Valley Junction Pumpkin Walk. The event was 2-6 pm and we went a bit late, around 4ish. A lot of the things were just finishing up when we got there, but we still enjoyed ourselves.

The highlight of the event was, of course, getting candy.

A lot of the stores participated and as you walked through the junction you could stop and get candy! One store, gave away fancy, collectible rocks! Monte thought that was pretty neat!

Green Grounds Cafe hosted children’s activities and you could get a balloon animal! Monte got a GIANT sword! There was also a chance to get a FREE pumpkin.

What fun Halloween activities have you been checking out?! 

Blank Park Zoo Night Eyes 2014 & Giveaway!

We made it out to the Blank Park Zoo Night Eyes again this year! Monte really enjoyed himself last year, so we made sure to check it out this year.

He went as a minion this year! It was hard to get a picture of him with the entire costume on (classic 2 year old), hopefully, before the end of the season, I will get one. I bought it off Etsy … I seriously have an Etsy addiction. Everything is so unique on that site!

I tried to get some good pictures of the event, but as the night went on, it got darker and darker and my pictures did not turn out the greatest 🙁

There were a lot of the same themes as last year like the Wizard of Oz, Pirates, When I Grow Up; but they did a great job of setting it up differently and adding some new things!

They also had the Fun Zone set up this year, which includes bouncy, inflatable houses, kettle corn, hot dogs, and more. We did not make it to this area in time. The Fun Zone closes at 7:30 pm

Monte enjoyed receiving candy from all of the different characters dressed up such as Woody from Toy Story and a Princess! He was a little shy when he met the princess. He wanted to go over, but never got enough courage to go and take a picture.

Monte also enjoyed riding the train, riding the carousel, and seeing some of the animals. While we were there the lion’s were super active and we saw the male lion get up and run! We also saw the tortisus’s up close.

I would definitely recommend putting Night Eye’s on your list of Halloween things to do! I love how the kids receive more then just candy, such as coupons, and how it can become a learning experience by viewing the animals and seeing some different, kid-friendly characters!

This weekend is the last chance to check it out.

It will be open Thursday – Sunday

Thursday & Friday 5:30pm – 8:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday 1:00 pm – 8:00 pm

If you go Thursday or Friday I would recommend being there right at 5:30 so you have a chance to check out the Fun Zone!

Giveaway!

I am giving away TWO free tickets to Night Eyes. All you have to do is go to my Facebook page and like, share and comment “done” on the pinned post at the top of the page. If the page gets to 120 “likes” by Wednesday, I will randomly announce a winner! Good Luck!

What is your favorite thing at the Blank Park Zoo Night Eyes?

2014 Fall & Halloween Activities

Here are some 2014 Fall & Halloween Activities to mark on the calendar for this year!

1. Deals Orchard Fall Festival

Saturday & Sunday October 11th & 12th

This is one event we are for sure checking out this fall! Located in Jefferson, Iowa this apple orchard will not only have apples to offer! They will have a jumping pillow, horse-drawn hayrides, giant slides, sand art, corn pool, corn maze, petting zoo, yummy goodies and much more! Check out Deals Orchard’s website for more details!

2. Night Eyes at Blank Park Zoo

October 16th – 19th & 23rd – 26th

Even though we went to Night Eyes last year, we WILL be attending again! Night Eyes is a wonderful, kid-friendly event where your kiddos dress up in their costumes and trick or treat their way through the zoo. Some of the animals are out, train rides are available, and there are always some kid friendly characters making an appearance.

3. Great Pumpkin Party at Valley Church

October 21st – 23rd

I have always heard great things about this event and I am excited to take Monte this year! There are inflatables, pony rides, petting zoo, carnival games, food, and more! Tuesday, the 21st, is specifically for families with special needs to enjoy. For more information and to keep track of the event, “like” their Facebook page.

4. Spooky Science at the Science Center of Iowa

October 25th

Dress up in your costume and come out to the Science Center! Enjoy spooky flashlight tours of the dinosaur exhibit, participate in the costume contest, meet creepy crawly critters, experience live science experiments such as a pumpkin explosion, and get candy of course! Check out the Science Center of Iowa website for more details!

5. Pumpkin Walk at Valley Junction

October 26th

Trick or treat through Valley Junction in your costumes, enjoy fun children’s activities at Green Grounds Cafe, and get a free pumpkin at the Swander Gazebo. Chillin’ in the Junction will also be going on where you can sample great chili’s and play Bingo! Check out their website for more details and times.

6. Valley West Mall Trick or Treating

October 28th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Who knows how cold it will be the week of beggars night? This is a great opportunity to trick or treat, indoors and get lots of candy! Not only is there candy, but free inflatables to bounce on, crafts, balloon animals, and more! This is the last family fun night of the season, so make sure not to miss it!

7. Living History Farms Family Halloween

October 18th – 19th, 23rd – 26th, & 30th – 31st

We attended this event last year and had so much fun! Trick or treat through the old town, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, storytellers, pumpkin bowling, roast marshmallows (Monte’s favorite part), and more! Check out the Living History Farms website for more details.

What fun events will you be attending this Halloween?

Pumpkins Patches, Apples, Crafts and More!

It’s cooling off, the leaves are changing colors, and everything smells like pumpkin!

That means it’s FALL! My favorite time of year!!

This time of year means pumpkin patches open, apples are ready for picking, farms open with lots of fun activities, corn mazes, and it’s time to do fun crafts! I thought I would share some previous posts from Midwest Mom and Wife to give you ideas of what to do in the Des Moines area to celebrate this fun time of year!

1. Check out my Top 10 Pumpkin Patches & Orchards post!

2. Center Grove Orchard is one, of the many listed, pumpkin patches and orchards we visit every year. We already made our visit early this year. Check out last years post on all of the fun they have to offer. They are also offering season passes if you think you will visit multiple times this year!

3. Monte and I checked out Wills Orchard last year and had lots of fun picking apples. Make sure you visit when they have Apple Pumpkin Fest going on. This years dates are September 27 & 28, October 4 & 5, and October 11 & 12. Check out their website for even more information.

4. Looking for fun snacks and activities to do with your kiddos at home? Last year I made a fun Halloween goody box and festive treats!

5. If you don’t want to make a Halloween box, here are some ideas of creating a Fall Sensory Bin! You can continue to use this beyond Halloween!

Keep your eyes open as we check out some new pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and new crafts for this fall!

What is your favorite fall activity?

 

Trick or Treating

Thursday night was Beggars Night in our area! It was Monte’s first Halloween where he actually participated in trick or treating! I was a bit hesitate, not sure on how well he would do, but he did awesome!

Monte was all ready to go right at 6 pm! He grabbed his bucket and headed for the door!

We made sure to grab the other half of Monte’s costume … Elvis! They went as the Fox and Hound 🙂

The first few houses Monte did not understand the whole concept of walking up to a house, getting candy, then walking away? Finally, after a few houses he got the concept down! He even walked up to a few houses all on his own!

Sorry this picture is blurry! But, Elvis was not far behind making sure Monte was getting every house on street!

We also got playing in the leaves crossed off our 2013 Fall Bucket List along the way 🙂

After each house, when Monte would receive candy, I made sure to say thank you several times so he would catch on. My favorite part of the whole evening was when Monte said “thanks” to one house after he got candy! It made my heart melt 🙂

When we got home, Monte made sure to dump all his goodies out and sort through his haul!

Halloween and Beggars Night 2013 went down in the books as a huge success!

What did you kiddos go as for Halloween?

Beggars Night Dates & Times

 

It’s that time of year again! The time of year when you get your kiddos all dressed up, so they can walk door to door to get FREE candy!

I remember when I was little, different suburbs would do Beggars Night on different nights, so I would go trick or treating one or two different nights, to get the most out of my costume and of course, MORE candy 🙂

I have created a list, so you know when your neighborhood is doing Beggars Night!

Adel – Thursday, October 31st 6 pm – 8 pm

Altoona – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Ames – Thursday, October 31st 5: 30 pm – 7:30 pm

Ankeny – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Bondurant – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Boone – Thursday, October 31st 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Clive – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Des Moines – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Grimes – Thursday, October 31st 6 pm – 8 pm

Huxley – Thursday, October 31st 6 pm – 8 pm

Indianola – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Johnston – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Norwalk – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Urbandale – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

Waukee – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

West Des Moines – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm- 8 pm

Winterset – Thursday, October 31st 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Windsor Heights – Wednesday, October 30th 6 pm – 8 pm

There are also indoor places offering trick or treating, that offer much more then candy! Some will have bounce houses and other fun activities.

Valley West Mall – Tuesday, October 29th 6 pm – 8 pm

Merle Hay Mall – Wednesday, October 30th 5 pm

Jordan Creek Mall – Thursday, October 31st 6 pm – 8 pm

Also, do not miss out on watching It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!
It will be airing on ABC Thursday, October 31st at 7 pm!

 

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Night Eyes at Blank Park Zoo

This is the last weekend to check out Night Eyes at the Blank Park Zoo. We went Thursday night and had a blast! I tried to take pictures, but it was kind of dark, so excuse me for the not so great pictures!

There are a lot of things to see and do at Night Eyes. When you enter the park you are guided through the land of Oz and you walk down the “yellow brick road”. The Scarecrow, Dorothy and Toto even made an appearance!

Not many animals were out but quite a few birds and the black swans were out to take a look at.

After the land of Oz you are greeted by pirates! Monte loves Jake and the Neverland Pirates, so he thought the ship was an awesome thing to see!

They even had light up swords for sale, so the kiddos can be like a pirate also! Of course, Monte’s grandparents bought him a super cool sword to take home 🙂

You can ride the train through the park for $2. It takes you by the lions and tiger and you are able to view some other Halloween decorations.

Afterwards you continue to travel through the park. There are various Des Moines businesses set up handing out candy and/or coupons and everyone is dressed up in costume!

Another fun little stop on the route is the “When I Grow Up”. They have several cut out boards of various professions, that the kiddos can stick their head in and take a picture. It’s a great way to start a discussion with your kiddos about what they possibly want to be when they grow up!

There was also a “Spooky Forest” not too spooky of course! There were also many other displays to see, that I could not get great pictures of.

To end the evening, there were inflatables and bounce houses to jump in. There was also hot dogs, pop, and other various foods & drinks available for purchase.

The Carousel was open for rides and looked very pretty all lit up in the dark!

Overall, I give Night Eyes a BIG thumbs up to take your kiddos to.

It is open today and tomorrow 1 pm – 8 pm

Admission is $5 and children 12 months and under are FREE!

Another great, inexpensive event to get your kiddos all dressed up for.

Have you been to Night Eyes before? What’s your favorite thing to do?

Halloween Snacks and Goodie Box

Halloween is just around the corner! (Just in case you haven’t noticed from all my posts)

Monte and I have been doing lots of various activities that are fall and Halloween oriented like visiting orchards, pumpkin patches, making yummy “fallish” meals, sensory bins, and more!

To get Monte more into the spirit, I decided to make him some healthy Halloween snacks.

Both of these items I found on Pinterest!

The original recipe for the Frozen Yogurt Banana Ghosts can be found here.

What you will need is …

  1. Large Bananas
  2. Vanilla Yogurt
  3. Mini Chocolate Chips
  4. Popsicle Sticks
  5. Wax Paper

 

Cut the bananas in half and freeze for about 30-45 minutes. Insert the popsicle sticks, then spoon the yogurt all over the bananas. The original recipe says to “dip into the yogurt” but my bananas began falling apart and falling off the stick so I just spooned the yogurt on top. Add the mini chocolate chips for the eyes, then freeze until you are ready to serve!

I also found this Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail recipe! Of course, the link was broken but you can tell what needed to be done by the picture.

What you will need is …

  1. Pineapple chunks (you can used can in natural juice or fresh chopped pineapple)
  2. Mandarin orange segments (you can used can in natural juice or peel & separate small cutie segments)
  3. Whipped topping
  4. Candy Corn (optional)

 

You can use whatever container that works best for you. I’ve seen some in mason jars, but I chose to use small, clear cups (easier for Monte to get his fingers in there). Divide the pineapple chunks evenly on the bottom of your container. Then place the mandarin orange segments evenly among the containers, on top of the pineapple. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top and a piece of candy corn!

 

I absolutely love activity boxes for Mr. Monte! It’s so simple to create a theme and place a bunch of different items into the box, so he can take it to my mom’s house. It keeps him busy and I think he enjoys all the goodies he finds 🙂 The other great thing, there is no right or wrong way to create these. You can use whatever items you have lying around. Another great place to look is the Dollar Store and dollar bins at Target!

 

This box includes:

  • Rubber toy skeleton
  • Assorted bugs such as spiders, butterflies, etc.
  • Small orange pumpkin
  • Several short Halloween books
  • A couple Halloween sticker books
  • Foam sheets (to put stickers on)
  • Halloween magic paint book

 

Everything was purchased from Michael’s or I already had it lying around the house!

What items would you add to your Halloween Activity Box?

 

Living History Farms – Family Halloween

Another thing has been crossed off our 2013 Fall Bucket List!

We went to the Living History Farms – Family Halloween!

This is a perfect event to take the little kiddos to. Monte had so much fun!

His costume this year is a FOX! Him and Elvis are going as the Fox and Hound. Of course, Elvis could not make an appearance at the Living History Farms, so he has a body double (stuffed animal) that Monte will carry around 🙂

You enter into the Living History town and trick or treat through the street, stopping at all the old buildings. We stopped at the bank, general store, veterinary clinic, etc.

Everything was decorated with scarecrows and pumpkins!

My favorite thing decorated was a gazebo, they dressed up as a witch. So creative!!

Monte’s favorite thing to do was roast marshmallows ….

…. more like eat them!!!

“Pumpkin” bowling was also a hit and there was a huge line to give it a try. Monte got the hang of it quickly and knew exactly what to do.

 There was also kettle corn available for purchase, story time for those kiddos a little bit older, and a horse drawn wagon ride.

This event is also going on this weekend too! If you do not have plans, I would definitely recommend taking your kiddos.

$6 for non-members

$5 for members

1 year and under are FREE!

Days and Hours

Thursday – Sunday

5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Don’t miss out!

DSM Activities & Events 10/17 – 10/23

 

There are lots going on in the Des Moines area this weekend! Do not forget to check out my list for Pumpkin Patches & Orchards AND my list of Haunted Houses!

 

1. Living History Farms – Family Halloween

When: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

What: Go out to Living History Farms for a horse drawn wagon ride, roast marshmallows, listen to stories, pumpkin bowling, and see scarecrows! Children under the age of 12 can trick or treat through town. For more information check out their website!

2. Blank Park Zoo – Night Eyes

When: Thursday & Friday 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm AND Saturday & Sunday 1 pm – 8 pm

What: Walk through Blank Park Zoo and trick or treat! The park will be decorated in various ways such as a spooky forest, pumpkin patch and a yellow brick road! Check out admission prices and more information on their website!

3. Scary Jump 

When: Friday 7 pm – 9 pm

Where and What: Go to Pump it Up and jump! $12 per child/$15 at the door. Each child will receive a treat bag and a glow necklace. The bounce houses will be decorated in halloween decor! For more information or to purchase tickets check out their website!

4. Mysteries of the Castle

When: Saturday 10 am – 4 pm

Where and What: Walk through the rooms at the Salisbury House and explore! There will be story telling, face painting, science experiments, learn about owls from the Owl Lady, arts and crafts, balloon animals, and more! Make sure to wear your costume. Gusto Pizza will also be available! $5 admission. More information on their website.

5. Octoberfest at Penoach Vineyard & Winery 

When: Saturday 12 pm – 6 pm

Where and What: Located at the Penoach Vineyard and Winery in Adel, come out for free wine tastings, free popcorn, tractor and wagon rides, live music and barbecue! Check out their website for more information!

6. Family Hayride & Bonfire

When: Saturday 3 pm – 7 pm

Where and What: Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary is hosting a Family Hayride and Bonfire. All proceeds will go towards the bonobo ape family. Take a hay rack ride through the sanctuary and when you are finished roast marshmallows and drink hot cocoa! $10 per person (before), $12 day of the event and children 2 and under are FREE! For an additional $5 you can go in and visit the bonobo ape family. For more information check out their website.

7. Spooktacular 5k Fun Run 

When: Saturday at 6 pm

Where and What: This is a kids fun run with food and drinks afterwards! Proceeds go to the Johnston Partnership. The run will take place at Johnston High School. Register now through October 17th $20. $25 to register the day of the event. Check out here to register online!

8. Mysteries and Movies After Dark 

When: Saturday 7 pm – 10 pm

Where and What: This is a perfect date night event to get in the Halloween spirit! Located at the Salisbury House, join others for adult beverages, snacks, spooky stories, and movies. Please RSVP! Check out the website for more information and to RSVP.

9. Great Iowa Pet Expo 

When: Saturday 10 am – 6 pm AND Sunday 10 am – 4 pm

Where and What: This event is being held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Come out and learn about all sorts of animals, enjoy entertainment, education, and win prizes! There may be some animals available for adoption also! Check out their website for scheduled events and prices for admission.

10. Spirits in the Gardens 

When: Saturday and Sunday 4 pm – 7 pm

Where and What: Located at Reiman Gardens in Ames! Come dressed in your costume and enjoy different craft and activity stations. Listen to stories and see live owls and raptors! Of course there will be trick or treating! FREE for all youth under 18 years of age. Adults are $8 and $7 for seniors. For more information check out their website.

11. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Where and What:  Located at the Wells Fargo Arena, you will not want to miss taking your kiddos to “The Greatest Show on Earth” full of animals and shows! Check out the website to see times and to purchase tickets.

12. Sample Sundays

When: Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm

When and Where: This is one event I definitely want to check out sometime! Located at Picket Fence Creamery in Woodward, walk around and try samples of items from various, local places. There will be root beer floats, kids activities, live music, and much more! And it’s all FREE! Check out their website for more information and other dates they host this fun event.

 Plan Ahead …

1. Wonder of Words Festival 

When: November 2nd – November 12th

What: This is a very neat event! The Wonder of Words Festival is an event that connects readers, writers, and publishers. There are many sponsors and several scheduled events. Check out the official website for more information and how to get involved!