Life as a SEN mum

Love it or hate it, Hallowe’en is just around the corner, and for all parents it’s yet another holiday that can come with a range of issues. Whether it’s the pressure to go all out with decor and outfits brought about by social media, which lets face it, this year adds yet another strain to many families. With the darker days and wet weather, trying to figure out how to keep kids entertained over half term can leave us exhausted. So I’ve put together a few tips and tricks that will hopefully help all parents navigate the next week.

Growing up I was definitely part of a family who LOVED Hallowe’en, so I couldn’t wait to share it with my kids, and for the Hallowe’en lovers amongst us each year seems to be bigger and better (think we are finally catching up with America). But that can also come with a lot of pressure for parents.

Days out

Fright nights, maize mazes and pumpkin patches aren’t exactly a new thing, but they are becoming more popular, and more places seem to be offering Hallowe’en experiences. But how do you know how many to do, where to go, where is worth its etc?

First of all think about what you want from the day. Do you simply want to pick a pumpkin or 2, or do you want something more? As well as PYO farms offering pumpkin patches, many open farms also offer pumpkin now. Both with totally different experiences.

Next, decide on your budget. This may take a little more planning, as lots of places have additional costs for things like face painting and fairground rides, which, let’s face it, kids love and we can’t say no to those darling faces.

We’ve done 2 very different days out recently so sharing our experience might help.

Pumpkin Patch

At the start of October we went to Mr Pumpkin (Morley, Derby). It only costs £2 a person and under 16s are free. It’s not the biggest patch I’ve been to, but there were plenty of pumpkins to choose from and and plenty of spooky photo opportunities for the kids while we were walking round. You can pick as many pumpkins as you can fit in your wheelbarrow, but obviously the price can quickly add up, so make sure you have a good idea of type/size and number of pumpkins you’re looking for if you want to stick to a budget. There were a couple of vendors offering food and drink, but we had already planned to go out for dinner later in the day so bypassed these, as with all events these do add to the cost, but having an alternative plan, particularly if you have kids who are constantly hungry will save you money. There were also a couple of fairground rides. Which in all honesty weren’t too badly priced. With one child who doesn’t overly like rides though we told them to pick one ride they were both happy to go on and stuck to that one ride.

Adventure Farm Halloween Spooktacular

If you live near to the National Forest Adventure Farm I highly recommend their Halloween Spooktacular. I’ll be completely honest. In previous years I’ve looked at it and been put off by the price. But this year decided to give it a go and it was brilliant. Yes it is £15.99 per person (over 2s) which is a bit pricey. In your price you get access to the farm, the indoor soft play area, outdoor play, as well as the maize maze, magic shows throughout the day, face painting for children, circus skills workshop, a fancy dress competition and every child gets to pick a pumpkin. There is also the chance to carve your pumpkin if you want to. Again there were fairground rides, which did cost extra, James didn’t want to go on any, so Charlotte picked the one she wanted and we stuck to that because they were quite expensive. They do have a little cafe for food, which in the past we’ve eaten in, and the food is nice, if a little pricey. So if you’re looking to save money I’d definitely suggest taking a picnic, there are plenty of covered areas to enjoy your picnic so you don’t need to worry about the weather.

Top Tip: if you have anyone entitled to concession prices this can really help with your budget. We managed to get a reduced price ticket for James and free carers ticket. Saving £18.99 on our entrance fee.

Other days out

There are also plenty of free trails for kids coming up over half term which are well worth looking into if you are wanting something to keep the kids entertained for an hour or 2. If you’re an English Heritage member several of their properties have a Beano themed trail (free to all, not just members, but entry fees apply to non members). I’ve also seen various free trails or trails that cost £1 at various woodlands throughout the UK.

Note: we have a few different days out planned over the coming week and I’ll do a separate post on these in the coming weeks 🎃

Let’s Get Crafty

Whether you’re looking for ideas in case the half term is a wash out, or you’re just looking for activities that keep the kids happy with minimal cost, it’s time to get crafty. You can pick up craft materials pretty cheaply in lots of shops and search for ideas on Pinterest, or even Instagram. Lots of shops also offer themed craft kits now which are really budget friendly. So why not get the kids making some decorations, or face masks? Or even pick up a small pumpkin in the supermarket and get out the paints and pens and let them decorate a pumpkin 🎃

One of the things I love most are the costumes, which lets face it are so much better now. But again, this is something that can soon add up if you’re on a budget. If you’re struggling right now, check out budget shops such as B&M or Homebargains. You could also check out charity shops, online selling sites, or even see if friends and family have any old outfits that their kids have grown out of. Or you could even get crafty and make your own. Even if you aren’t particularly up to making a costume, ask your kids what they would like to dress up as and see if you can use clothes you have to create the base of the outfit and then add accessories that can be found in pound shops to create the look they want.

However you spend spooky season, make sure you do it your way, whether you choose to go all out, or sit in and watch spooky movies and eat sweets. Make it yours.

🎃🎃