Brick Or Treat is an annual event at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre at October half term leading to Halloween. Running until November 4th this year, we were given free entry and it was such a good visit that it would be rude not to tell you about it.


Brick Or Treat this year includes a pumpkin patch where you can add your own creation, a ‘Scarevenger’ hunt, spooky stop motion animation, Halloween character meet and greet, scarily themed mini land and until they run out, limited edition pop-badges and factory bricks!

Not only that but each paying adult can take one child who is dressed in Halloween costume with them for free!

This half term in the lead up to Halloween, Sea Life at the Trafford Centre in Manchester (like several other Sea Life venues) has been transformed into the 'Ascarium'. From 20th October to 4th November you can take part in special activities to celebrate Halloween....


As well as all of the permanent exhibits, there are lots of special displays and activities for visitors to discover, highlighting some of the spooky creatures that lurk beneath the waves. There's also a special challenge to find the missing magic ingredients around the centre to help the Sea witch cast her spell and claim your reward!

Black peas are a local delicacy to us and really not to be missed. Around this time of year they're all over the shops and everyone is talking about them. If you haven't been to Lancashire or North Manchester though, you may never have even heard of them...


Just like green peas, black peas are a legume, and they're eaten boiled into a mushy pea. They've loads of names including Parched Peas, Mapple Peas, Chestnut Peas and Pidgeon Peas, but generally they're just Black Peas. They're actually Purple Podded Peas and they are slightly less sweet than green peas, with a hint of nuttiness and a firmer texture, so they maintain their shape better. Their skin is soft and thin and breaks down well when they're boiled, which is another benefit over mushy green peas.

Anyone who knows me well will know I've always been a fan of horror. There's no better evening for me than one involving an early night for the little children and a couple of horror movies.

Warner Brothers have asked me to write about my top horror films to watch this Halloween, and in return they're going to send me 5 of my favourite classic horror DVD's, so how could I resist?


1. The Exorcist (1973)
Anything parodied that much has to be worthy of watching. The Exorcist really is a great example of the psychological and disturbing. Possibly the 'horror' and swearing aren't as effective and shocking now as they were back in 1973, but the bed scenes will stay with you. The acting is excellent and very chilling. You can thank The Exorcist for all of the 'possessed child' movies since...

2. Friday The 13th (1980)
Many classic horror movies have sequels and Friday The 13th seems to have more than any other - Jason Vorhees is apparently unstoppable. The original 'kids at camp get murdered one after another by someone seeking revenge for wrongdoings and years of bitterness' movie. Remember the rules kids...

3. The Shining (1980)
One of my favourite books and equally good as a movie, this Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick classic has depths that you miss the first 5 or 6 times you see it. You watch the main character's fall into insanity, as you will his wife and child to make their escape - virtually impossible due to their remote location and Winter snow. Psychological and disturbing, one of the few horror films which does not rely on anyone else as the aggressor. This is what could happen to any of us if we spent months confined...

As ever I've prioritised cheapness and quality (and my personal favourites). Everything is in Manchester or within an hour's drive. There is masses to do all year round, but here are some of the special activities you can take your children to over this Autumn half term week 22-30th October...

In Manchester Centre

England’s largest Science Festival will be jam-packed with fun and largely free, hands-on family activities for all ages throughout October Half Term. Produced by the Museum of Science and Industry supported by Siemens and the University of Salford and featuring about a million different events (maybe) around Manchester including:

Sleep Lab – The Chronarium - which will be sited in Manchester Arndale, transforming the hectic shopping centre into a communal haven for relaxation and well-being. Lie down, rest, and relax on hanging swings and hammocks whilst partaking in an experience aimed to reset circadian rhythms for a better, more harmonious sleep.

We love Halloween, so a box full of decorations from the long-standing high street and online favourite Wilko was very well received. My boys took about 5 minutes to rummage through and find out how everything worked - and I am proud to say they both jumped many times! Mission accomplished...


We were sent some of the larger decorations for the home, as well as some goodies for the boys, and every skirt wearing reveller's Halloween essential - skeleton tights!

A Halloween party at the beginning of October might seem a bit strange, but heck it was fun! We were given a budget by Poundworld to buy all the necessary equipment and some food and drink to keep our guests happy....well, happy in a Halloween way....


The fun started way before the party - which child wouldn't want to be able to choose a whole £30 worth of goodies from the Halloween aisle in Poundworld! You simply can't carry it all!


The boys had a brilliant time choosing, and we could really go a bit wild. Best half hour I've spent in ages. Holographic glasses were first in the basket, followed by a rubber hand...naturally...

We had an awesome time on Saturday visiting both Sealife and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre at intu Trafford Centre in Manchester. This year the staff really have made a huge effort to ensure your experience this Halloween is special.


It is the staff who make these attractions so great for us. Every single time we've been, the staff have been absolutely lovely. Helpful and kind, attentive to the children and generally appreciating the fact you've probably spent your budget on entry fees and driven a while to get there.

The latest series of LEGO minifigures which were released at the beginning of October are absolutely perfect for Halloween. 'Monsters' isn't entirely true, there are some perfectly 'normal' characters there too, you just have to spot them...


Lets start with the definite non-monsters. These are dressed up! They are in their Halloween trick-or-treat costumes. The Skeleton Guy and Plant Monster are clearly 'people' underneath, you can tell by the eyes. We're split here on Tiger Woman, but I think costume.

I have been sent a bazillion press releases about things that will be happening over half term, here are a few of the ones I like best for families...

We reviewed some of the Halloween Specialbuys from ALDI last year and they were ace, so I'm very happy to bring you a preview look at a few of this year's new products, which will be on sale from tomorrow Thursday 1st October - not least of which the utterly insane and fantastic Banjo Playing Skeleton!!

Halloween again and you can never find the stuff you had last year - plus it had fake blood stains and had been trodden on. Fear not, ALDI have a large range of Halloween goodies at really low prices. They've sent us a selection to have a look at, and it includes a neat pack of Play-Doh in 15 small tubs which are brilliant for handing out to 'Trick Or Treaters' and won't damage their teeth!

Swizzels Matlow are inviting fans to share their scary photographs on their Facebook page. All entries have a chance to win a fabulous hamper of Swizzels Matlow treats.We entered last year although sadly didn't win - the competition is fierce (see what I did there?).

Here are my terrors for this year's competition - enough to scare anyone!


Entry is really simple - just upload your photo to their Facebook Page.

For the last 2 years our highlight of Halloween has been going on the Halloween Ghost Train at East Lancs Railway in Bury. It's been so good that this year I bought our tickets as soon as they became available.

We went last night and for the first time took two of our bigger children as well as the little ones. We couldn't find the little boys, so we took the Grim Reaper and a Skeleton with us...


















We had an excellent time, I love the ghost train. The volunteers do a fantastic job and make it a really exciting experience for everyone. It's a terrific laugh and very well worth the money.

At times the Guards switch off all of the lights, there is a lot of noise and the costumes are brilliant. If your children are easily frightened then it may not be the thing for you, but if they get a thrill from being a little bit scared then it's perfect.

.
We bought and paid for our tickets. The East Lancs Railway is a charity staffed in the main by volunteers. It relies on visitors and donations and has a massive programme of events throughout the year for children and adults including Thomas The Tank Engine days, Footplate Experiences, Real Ale Trails and Murder Mystery Evenings - Click this link to find out more.

It's just over a week until Halloween, so I've put together some of my Halloween posts, and some of my favourite posts I've seen from other blogs...

 Decorations and accessories...

Obviously pumpkins are important, and it's possible you might find some inspiration from my lot, or else you'll find some 'what not to do when working with kids' help at least! If you don't fancy pumpkins then you could try some different spooky fruit ideas here or here.


For decorating the house and table, Hobbycraft have a great range of Halloween goodies or why not try making this egg box Ghost And Bat Bunting or some Giant Sparkly Spiders.

If you're not certain where you're going to keep your Halloween booty, how about a personalised Trick Or Treat bag or these brilliant Lego Storage Heads? Available from loads of stockists - the best price I can find at the moment is around £15 each - but they do last forever...or at least until the zombie apocalypse...

Costumes

Why not make your own costumes? This paper mask is simple and quick and it's got glitter and glue, perfect.
If you don't feel crafty or you're running out of time then this Emergency Costumes In A Box might just be the thing!

 

Food

I have a Halloween giveaway to win 3 bags of Swizzels Matlow sweets in time for Halloween, but if sweets aren't your thing then a great alternative for Trick Or Treaters is Halloween Pom Bears. There's a great Pom Bear Party Pack giveaway here too!


How about some baking? We made Revolting Rotten Cupcakes at the weekend...they look horrible but taste delicious and your young people can practically make them by themselves...


You and your children can also work together making these no-cook Witches Hats or a whole Gathering Of Ghosts...

If your artistic and baking talents extend beyond standard, you can always have a go at this amazing Spooky Halloween Cave Cake shown below....

 Entertainment

If you have Plus Plus 2D and 3D building blocks then there is a Halloween themed giveaway over on The Toadstool, and Orchard Toys are giving away a copy of one of our favourite games on their Facebook page ~ Spooky Steps!


There are loads of great books around for children with a Halloween theme. A couple of the best are covered here or maybe your children prefer activity books.

I don't know quite how helpful the animated Scooby Doo or the puppet Scooby Doo would really be if you see a ghost this Halloween, but I'm doubting Tom and Jerry would be any better. If you fancy your stories a little more gruesome we have Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids DVD which is another giveaway with 3 copies up for grabs!

Finally, something for the grown ups....when the little ones are in bed and you settle down for the night to watch a DVD......please don't forget How To Survive A Horror Movie....


Thank you to the following Bloggers for the links in this post ~ Over 40 And A Mum To One, In The Playroom, Blue Bear Wood, The Soup Dragon Says, ET Speaks From Home, Life Of Spicers, Mummy's Little Stars, Red Rose Mummy, Mummy Of Two and Zing Zing Tree.