Eco Halloween – Boo!

With just a few weeks to go, there is enough time to prepare for Halloween. And to think about how to give it some eco twist, without missing out all the fun. Here are some tips on having a “green” Halloween – from Trick-or-Treating to hosting a Halloween party for the neighbour kids.

Pumpkin
There is no Halloween without pumpkins. Organic ones are the way to go. Use your imagination to carve it. Wash pumpkin seeds in water and air-dry the seeds by spreading them out on a screen or paper-towels. Place dried seeds outside for bird feed – they’ll love it! You can also grow your own organic pumpkins in your children’s garden. If you decide to buy one, purchase just one pumpkin per household. Although pumpkins might seem like decoration only, pumpkins are a food crop for both humans and animals and to throw out millions of pumpkins each year is excessive and unnecessary.

Costumes
Rent a costume, or borrow from a friend, rather than buying a new one. You can also pass on your older costumes to someone else’s kids. Crafts time? – Why don’t you try and make new costumes out of old dresses and sheets you have almost forgotten in your wardrobe? Here is an idea for a Pumpkin costume: Start with a large orange sweatshirt. Cut eyes and a mouth shape out of black or yellow felt and glue them on the front of the shirt. Put the shirt on your child, fold up the sleeves, then stuff the belly and back area with newspapers or quilt batting to make it look nice and round like a pumpkin. Top it all of with a green cap. You can even cut some leaf shapes out of green felt and glue them to the top of the cap. Your little pumpkin is ready to go trick or treating.
Another eco idea: after Halloween donate your costumes to local charity shops stores where they’ll re-sell them next year and raise money, too. Or ask local children’s hospitals if they would like them for the kids to have.
Pumpkin baby Halloween
Eco-friendly Candy
Not quite sure what eco-candy is? Well, it does exist. Organic chocolates, cereal bars, organic lollipops, organic cookies, and organic dried fruits are perfect for the occasion. They are not only healthier than regular candy, but they are also environmentally friendlier. Find them at local organic groceries or health food stores, or even better – prepare them yourself.
If you go with the ready-to-eat option, buy treats that use as little packaging as possible or treats that use eco-friendly packaging, as made from recycled paper.

Decorations
Throwing a Halloween party at home? – Consider using biodegradable bamboo dishes, biodegradable plastic dishes or your regular everyday dishes and then wash them with eco – friendly soap. Use recycled napkins or cloth napkins. Light up eco-friendly candles. Wrap-up a glass with an orange-coloured sheet of paper, carved as you wish, and stick it with some glue. Place a candle inside, and voala – you have a great Halloween lamp to add some extra “feel good” feeling. Scary music and soy (not petroleum based) candles help create spooky, but environmentally friendly Halloween ambiance. Keep your decoration, so you can use it the following years.

Get inspired by some toddler Halloween crafts ideas.

Bags and Baskets
Avoid using plastic bags – they are very bad for the environment. Instead, take out an old cloth bag, a basket or even a pillowcase and decorate as per your taste, and also to match your kid’s costume. Reuse the candy carrier for trick or treating. Or if buying bag, get a reusable one made from hemp, cotton or canvas. Then reuse your bags next year, throughout the year, and for years to come. Simple, isn’t?

Walk or Drive?
And you guessed it – the eco-friendly choice it to walk. What’s the point to drive from house to house? Get some good exercise and leave a lighter carbon footprint as you do it.

Battery Operated
As a rule, avoid a Halloween decoration that needs electricity or batteries, like a moving hand in a candy bowl. But if that’s your kids’ favourite and you don’t want to disappoint them, then use rechargeable batteries to keep it going.

Halloween Party Invitations
If you are having a party send out online invitations attached to emails – they are free, they are environment-friendly and can be very creative, too. If online invites is too impersonal for you, buy invitations made of recycled paper, make some yourself, or even go further – recycle the paper first and then get creative!

Treat your family for Halloween with some tasty homemade

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup pureed pumpkin or winter squash
2 cup milk
3 tbs sunflower oil

Stir (and sift) together all the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the pumpkin and vanilla. Beat in the milk and oil until smooth. Add to the flour mixture. Then cook the pancakes in a pan as usual.

Try out some more healthy pumpkin recipes for babies and toddlers in our recipe section.

Do you have other eco-Halloween tips in mind? Share them with us here.

How to Treat and Prevent Babies and Kids' Eczema Naturally
When my little one was 2-month old, she has been diagnosed with severe eczema. Poor girl was crying all the time, her skin was dry, red and scaly, she couldn’t sleep and… I was feeling devastated. Doctors prescribed steroid creams, which made me even more nervous and worried than before, because of the possible side effects. As a first-time mum, I didn’t know what to do, or where to seek advice. Then I started talking to people, reading books and researching on the Internet for advice on… Read more

Your Guide to Mother and Baby Winter Essentials
Is it just great when the winter is white and when kids have lots of fun playing outside, making snowmen? Rather than spending the weekend in front of the TV, join the kids outside and have fun together as a family! Even when temperatures go below zero, it is still beneficial even for the very small children and babies to go out for a short walk and have some fresh air. Just make sure you’ve got handy your winter essentials…Read more

The Real Nappy Guide
A friend of mine told me a story the other day. She’s got a 2-year old lovely daughter, Ester. When Ester was a baby, mum started her on disposable nappies. Baby constantly had nappy rash, so my friend had to change different nappy brands, from Pampers and Huggies to food retailers’ own nappy brand… but no difference at all – they were all full of lotions and nasty chemicals, irritating the newborn gentle skin. Besides, I wasn’t aware about… Read more

What’s Really in Your Toddler’s Breakfast
I am sure every parent is aware of the importance of giving breakfast to children, but how aware you are then it comes to ingredients in your toddler’s bowl? Healthy breakfast options containing appropriate for kids level of salt and sugar is what we need to look for. With some expert help, we did a cereal breakfast research, aiming to establish the salt and sugar level in different cereal and porridge brands, and to find out what are really the healthy options. The results were… Read more

How to Naturally Pamper Yourself in New Year’s Eve
The day before New Year’s Eve it’s time to have a "day off" from the daily routine, leave kids to enjoy their quality time with daddy and find a way to indulge yourself. How we feel is not necessarily related to our outlook, but it does boost the confidence, right? So don’t underestimate it, but rather take advantage of those stolen few hours of “me-time” and pamper yourself naturally, following those 5 easy steps... Read more

Christmas Gift Guide: The Perfect Baby and Toddler Eco-Friendly Toys
“Dear Santa, My name is Veronica, I am 2 years old now, and this year I've been sooo good that I deserve the best gift ever! But I am a bit confused – the problem is that I can’t decide what gift to wish for… so I am leaving to you to bring me the toy that you know I would enjoy most. I am sure this toy would be made with all your love, inspired by every funny day spent with me during this year.”… Read more

Planning a Toddler Christmas Party? – Get Some Healthy Party Snacks Ideas
You are invited to your toddler Christmas party at the nursery, and need to bring some party treats for the kids. Or throwing a Christmas party for your child’s friends and neighbours? I guess many parents would go for some mince pies and cakes, but I will give you a healthier choice. And I bet your little ones would enjoy it even more!... Read more

Have a Magic Eco-Friendly Christmas
Christmas is knocking on the door, so it's time to prepare. How about, apart from dreaming of white Christmas, you think about making it a bit greener this year? If you like the idea, start discussing your intentions to have a green Christmas with your family early in the season... Read more

How to Fight Swine Flu in Babies and Children Naturally
Cases of Swine flu are doubling in the UK weekly, and more and more parents are getting concern about their children's health and the possible side effects of the prescribed Tamiflu for babies and small kids. Well, there is always a better (and safer) alternative, and in this case is to prevent and treat flu naturally. First of all, try to boost your child's natural body defence by… Read more

Mummy is Back to Work!
How to make sure your childcare provider will keep up your eco habits
Going back to work is an emotional moment for both mother and child. It is hard to believe that someone else will take care of our little ones the same way we do. But mummies do need to go back to work, and children do need to find their new friends at the daycare... Read more

The Healing Power of Water Therapy
Did you know that water can “absorb” our emotions? – There have been lots of studies proving that water structure changes according to peoples’ thoughts, either positive or negative. In a way our emotions are being absorbed by the water, and might be kept there for ages. Our feelings and thoughts affect the health of our bodies… Read more

Summer is Bright, Summer is Colourful… but Why Don’t you Make it a Bit “Greener”
It’s summer time, and the family vacation is on its way! Having a baby on board or small children makes the holiday planning even more exciting… and tricky. If you have chosen to be a green parent, it is possible to keep on with your eco habits… Read more

Healthy Mother and Baby through Ayurveda
From birth each baby is individual, has already a personality, waiting to become more visible to others. One baby may sleep well and sooth easily, while other may be restless even when not hungry, wet or in pain. There is a science explaining why people are different, and, by its individual approach, “recommends” a specific lifestyle… Read more

What’s the difference between an allergy and intolerance?
If you think your child has a food allergy or intolerance, then it's important to get a proper diagnosis. Don't cut food groups out of your diet without medical advice, because she could miss out on important… Read more

Feng Shui for Kids! How to help your children grow and develop in a positive way and enhance family harmony
There are no bad children, only bad behaviour. Our environment affects our behaviour. We know what to expect if we give our kids a lot of sugar or caffeine. They will bounce off the walls. We know what to expect if… Read more

Help Your Kids "Go Green"
Recycling, reusing, waste-reducing – if you really want to make a difference, it’s better to do it together. Children will copy you in everything you do, so the best way to help them “go green” is to be a good role model yourself. So... Read more

Create a Children's Garden
A children's garden is an excellent way to create a safe, summer place to continue learning. In his own garden a child can observe and discover while he interacts with nature. An ideal children's garden will be completely safe and kid friendly. This means no chemical fertilizers or pesticides... Read more