Welcoming Fall: 10 Simple Touches to Cozy Up Your Home

There’s just something about that first hint of crisp air, isn’t there? When the mornings turn cool enough for a sweater and the evenings call for a steaming mug of cider, we know fall has officially arrived. For The Harris Sisters, fall is more than a season, it’s a chance to slow down, cozy up, and bring a little extra warmth into our homes.

The good news? You don’t have to completely redecorate (or spend a fortune) to make your home feel like fall. A few thoughtful touches can transform your space into a cozy retreat that feels equal parts nostalgic and welcoming. Here are 10 simple ways to bring autumn charm into your home, with a few photo and craft ideas to inspire you along the way.

1. Bring Out the Warm Textiles

Fall decorating is as much about feel as it is about looks. As the weather cools down, trade out lightweight summer throws for chunky knit or crochet blankets and quilts. Toss plaid pillows on the sofa, drape a soft throw across the porch swing, or even layer rugs for extra warmth. 

Super Thick Stash-Busting Afghan Free Crochet Pattern

2. Layer in Earthy Colors

Rust orange, golden yellow, sage green, and deep burgundy red are the colors that instantly signal the season. You don’t have to repaint a thing; just tuck these hues into your décor with table runners, pillows, candles, or other accents. If you have collections in these colors, like these vintage plaid Thermoses, now is the time for them to shine!

3. Set the Mood with Candlelight

Nothing says cozy like the flicker of candlelight. Place taper candles in vintage brass holders on your mantle, or cluster votives on your coffee table. Choose fall scents like apple cider, pumpkin spice, or vanilla to layer in the warmth. 

For you coffee and tea lovers out there, if you have an abundance of fall-themed coffee mugs or tea cups, fill them with coffee beans and use them to hold votive candles for your seasonal candle display.

4. Add Natural Elements

Bring a little of the outdoors inside. Pinecones, acorns, and branches cost nothing but look timeless when gathered in a basket or displayed in a vintage glass jar. You can even make a simple fall wreath by hot gluing pinecones, acorns, or branches onto a cardboard base.

5. Create a Fall Entryway

Your entry sets the tone for the whole home. Hang a seasonal wreath and add a few pumpkins or mums by the door. If you live near a corn field, don't forget ask if you can grab some dried corn stalks for your porch decor. You can add metal and stone outdoor fall decorations to your collection and bring those out year after year. Even the smallest entry can feel inviting with just a few autumn touches.

Fall Porch Photo Inspiration Ideas

6. Use Pumpkins as a Decorating Staple

Of course pumpkins are a fall favorite, but think beyond carving! Uncarved pumpkins can take you from September through November in terms of decor because they represent fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. Mix real pumpkins with faux for longevity. To get the most life out of your fresh pumpkins, remember our tips for Caring for and Making Your Decorative Pumpkins Last Longer.

Pro Tip from my Mother-In-Law who hosts Thanksgiving, if you have faux pumpkins that have carved faces on one side and are plain on the other, turn them around so that the plain sides are showing after Halloween to get a few more weeks of decor out of them.

7. Cozy Up the Kitchen

Fall is made for kitchens that smell like cinnamon and spice and sharing heirloom recipes with family. Use our recipe to keep a simmer pot of fruits, cloves, and cinnamon sticks in the crockpot. Display Grandma’s handwritten recipes or a stack of vintage aprons as functional décor that tells a story.

8. Add Vintage Touches

Old-fashioned charm never goes out of style. Layer Grandma's quilt over the back of a chair, fill antique mason jars with sunflowers, or showcase your milk glass collection along with mini pumpkins. These little details remind us of the “good old days” while still feeling timeless.

9. Set the Table for the Season

Even cozy dinners can feel special with a little autumn charm. If you're hosting a dinner during the fall season, set your table with mismatched vintage dishes and napkins in warm fall colors. Place a few mini pumpkins or candles down the center of the table to decorate. You don’t need a big gathering (or even matching dishes!) to set a seasonal table for everyone to enjoy.

10. Create Cozy Corners

Sometimes the smallest spaces bring the most comfort. Create a special self-serve hot cocoa or coffee station in the kitchen for family and guests. Add fall touches like your favorite fall mugs and vintage fall serving pieces to make this simple, everyday task one that's ready for the season.

Fall is more than just a season, it’s a feeling. A little warmth here, a nostalgic touch there, and suddenly your home becomes the gathering place everyone loves. We hope we've shown you that these simple touches don’t take much effort, but they go a long way in creating comfort, joy, and connection.

So grab that pumpkin spice latte, light a candle, and welcome the season with open arms.

Interested in more fall ideas? Check out these popular posts:

• 100 Things to Do This Fall
• Crockpot Baked Apples
• Super Moist Pumpkin Bread
• Crockpot Spiced Apple Cider
• The Best Products for Dry, Chapped Lips

Taking Halloween Photos with Jack-o-Lantern Smoke Bombs

Smoke bombs have been around for a while.  They are commonly used for gender reveal parties and photographers use them for all sorts of fun effects.  But have you ever considered using one inside a carved jack-o-lantern for the perfect Halloween photo?  Well, the Harris Sisters recently did just that and have all the info you might need to recreate these magical photos for yourself at home.  Keep reading for all the details. 

Finding Smoke Bombs

Once you decide to give these smoke bomb photos a go, the first step is finding smoke bombs to purchase.  They are available online from a variety of vendors.  We purchased ours from Smoke Effect.  What I liked about their smoke bombs is that they come in a variety of sizes and colors.  And they are all activated with a simple pull-ring, meaning you don't have to light them.  The smallest smoke bombs burn for about 30 seconds, while the largest ones burn for about 90 seconds.  I purchased a few small ones to use as testers and then several 90 second smoke bombs to use in our actual photos.  The Smoke Effect has a smoke quiz you can take to tell you exactly what you will need to produce your desired effect, and they offer a 10 percent discount to new customers.  Just make sure you order your smoke bombs far enough in advance to account for shipping time.  Mine arrived quickly once they shipped. But since we are approaching Halloween time, now would be the time to purchase them if you are wanting to try your hand at smoke bomb jack-o-lantern photos. 

Prepping for Your Photos

For Jack-o-lantern smoke bombs photos, you will to first need to carve a pumpkin.  It needs to be a real pumpkin, not a foam one, since you will be putting the smoke bomb inside.  Whatever design you choose, make sure it has large openings that the smoke can escape from.  

You will absolutely need to take these photos outside.  Smoke bombs produce quite a bit of smoke, and some smell as well.  Since you will be taking these photos outside, you will want to check your weather conditions first.  Windy days would probably make taking these photos more difficult.  We chose a mostly sunny and fairly calm day to take these pics.  And we waited until the early evening so it wasn't quite so bright out- making the smoke the star of the show. 

What to Wear for a Jack-o-lantern Photo Shoot

The sky is the limit here.  If you have a Halloween costume ready to go, that would be a great place to start! Or if you want to be a little more subtle, you could opt to wear something in traditional Halloween colors or patterns.  From what I read before taking these photos, a few people mentioned being careful about what you chose to wear in case the colored smoke stained your clothing.  However, we didn't find that to be an issue.  Even still, I probably wouldn't wear my most prized possessions, just in case. 

Ready, Set, Shoot

Once you are all set and ready to start taking your photos, I would recommend that you have a few extra hands on deck.  We had one person hold the pumpkin with the lid off, while a second person activated the smoke bomb and sat it inside the pumpkin.  The first person quickly put the lid of the jack-o-lantern back in place (This step is essential, so the smoke is forced out of the carved openings on the front of the jack-o-lantern, and doesn't just escape through the top), and a third person started taking photos.  We used a couple 30 second smoke bombs to test this process and make sure we knew what we were doing before we started into taking our "real" photos.  Once we had the rhythm down, we used our first 90 second smoke bomb for our first set of actual photos. 

As soon as the smoke bomb is activated, things will happen quickly.  I would highly recommend that you set your camera to a high speed continuous shoot setting.  That way you can just click away and capture everything.  Ninety seconds is actually much longer than it sounds like.  You have more than a plenty time to get photos.  So don't worry if the smoke isn't cooperating the entire time.  Have the person holding the pumpkin gently move it around, and the smoke will move with it.  The photographer should be the one moving and let the subject mostly stay in one position. 

Other Helpful Tips

As a precaution, we kept water close at hand just in case we needed to douse our smoking pumpkin at any point.  We actually didn't need to, and we didn't think we would.  But it doesn't hurt to be careful.  These smoke bombs are a step or two up from sparklers.  They create a really dramatic effect but they are pretty harmless.   We did use a pair of tongs to take the used smoke bombs out of the pumpkin before inserting a new one. 

We used the same jack-o-lantern several times with several different smoke colors.  If you are doing the same, we would recommend that you start with your lightest color smoke first and move to darker smokes, until you end with your darkest.  The smoke bombs will stain the pumpkin, which actually creates a pretty cool effect itself.  But if you want to be able to see each color smoke properly, you would definitely want to start with your lightest.  

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by how easy of a process this turned out to be.  And we ended up with some pretty cool pictures, and some pretty funny outtakes too.  If you decide to try this photo trend, please let us know.  We would love to see how your photos turn out too! 

Happy Halloween from The Harris Sisters 

Apple Scrap Jelly

Today we're bringing you the third and final recipe in our series on apples. Don't forget to grab the first and second apple themed recipes for Spiced Apple Pie Jam and Homemade Applesauce too. 

At the beginning of our series, we discussed how the fall season brings orchard visits. This is why we launched our three-part series featuring apple recipes to help answer the question that comes after the visit: "What do we do with ALL THESE APPLES?!?" 

And with all the peeling and coring that you'll be doing when you make the apple recipes, you’ll be happy to know there is something you can make with all those scraps: Apple Scrap Jelly! In this recipe, you'll basically simmer the peels and cores to extract the juice from them and then use that juice to create jelly.

If you have never used a water bath canning method to can jams or jellies before, you'll want to read the complete instructions online before you start making your Apple Scrap Jelly.

Apple Scrap Jelly

Peels and cores from 12-15 apples (left over from making applesauce, baked apples, apple butter, or other apple recipes)

12 cups water

apple juice (optional)

4 cups sugar

8 Tbsp bottled lemon juice

4 Tbsp pectin

1-2 drops of red food coloring (optional)

6 half pint (8 oz.) glass preserving jars with lids and bands

1 4 oz. glass preserving jar with lid and band

1. Place apple scraps and water in a large stainless steel pot. Simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes and reduce down to 8 cups of liquid.
2. Strain reduced liquid through a cheesecloth-lined colander and measure out 8 cups. (Top off with apple juice to get to 8 cups, if necessary.)
3. Whisk in 1/2 Tbsp pectin per cup of liquid. (Amounts for 8 cups of liquid are given in ingredients list above.) 
4. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, making sure that you get the mixture to 220 degrees, stirring constantly. (This may take 20-30 minutes.)
5. For every cup of strained liquid, add 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. (Amount for 8 cups of liquid is given in ingredients list above.) 
6. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
7. If desired, add 1-2 drops of red food coloring and stir to incorporate. 
8. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. 
9. Follow water bath canning directions to complete the canning process. Process Apple Scrap Jelly 10 minutes. 
10. Recipe (beginning with 8 cups of reduced apple liquid) yields 6 half pint jelly jars plus 1 4-oz. jar for taste testing.

Notes:

Because you are using the peels for this recipe, I would recommend using organic apples. That way, you are sure that you're not including pesticides in your finished product. 

For all of our apple recipes, an apple peeler / corer / slicer will make quick work of prepping the apples.

This recipe is written with a "starting point" of 8 cups of reduced apple liquid. That's because if you start with much more than that, you may have issues with your jelly setting up. If you try the recipe and decide you'd like to make A LOT more of it, I would recommend making it in separate batches to ensure success. 

We made two batches - the ones shown in the photos were a "Mixed Apple Jelly" made from a few different varieties of apples. And then we made another batch from exclusively Pink Lady apples and that turned out a pretty light pink color without the addition of any food coloring at all.

Depending on the varieties of apples you use, your jelly liquid may already be a pink color by step 5. So, you may not need (or may choose to omit) the food coloring in step 6. This is why it is listed as an optional ingredient.

Jam and jelly recipes are finicky, so these types of things can cause your recipe not to set:

• Doubling the recipe.
• Measuring less than the full amount of sugar listed in the recipe or using a sugar substitute. If you want to use less sugar, use a recipe specifically developed for low sugar. 

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Homemade Applesauce for Canning

Today we're bringing you the second recipe in our series on apples. If you missed the first apple themed recipe for Spiced Apple Pie Jam, make sure to grab that one too. 

This homemade applesauce recipe will make you wonder why you haven't always made it from scratch. You really just add all of the ingredients into a big pot, cook it down, and blend it up. That's it. You can either store it in the refrigerator if you're going to eat it within a few days, or can it for a longer shelf life.

If you have never used a water bath canning method to can jams or jellies before, you'll want to read the complete instructions online before you start canning your Homemade Applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce for Canning

6 lb apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup bottled lemon juice

1 Tbsp cinnamon, more or less to taste (optional)

4 pint (16 oz.) glass preserving jars with lids and bands

1. Combine all ingredients in a 6 quart stainless steel pot. Cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes or until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Mash apple mixture with a potato masher (for chunky applesauce) or blend with an immersion blender (for smooth applesauce).
3. Ladle hot applesauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
4. Follow water bath canning directions to complete the canning process. Process Applesauce 20 minutes. 
5. Recipe yields 4 pint jars.

What Recipes Can I Make with Applesauce?

These Harris Sisters' favorites all include applesauce as an ingredient. Make sure to check them out:

• Grandma Elizabeth's Applesauce Cake
• Banana Nut Muffins
• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Notes:

For all of our apple recipes, an apple peeler / corer / slicer will make quick work of prepping the apples.

This recipe can be doubled and can also be easily adapted to personal tastes. For example, if you are using sweet apples, you may want to use less sugar. Or, you may want to adjust the amount of cinnamon to taste or add different spices (such as nutmeg or allspice). 

When we made this, we made a big batch. We made 1/2 chunky with less cinnamon and 1/2 smooth with lots of cinnamon.

This post contains affiliate links.

Spiced Apple Pie Jam

As we *just* start to head into the fall season, that means apple-picking is upon us! And here's the perfect recipe for all those fresh-from-the-orchard apples. 

You know how sometimes you think you want to make a trip to a you-pick apple orchard - It's such a fun fall activity! But then your very next thought is, "What do I actually DO with all those apples?1?" Well, we've got you covered! We'll be bringing you a series of posts all featuring apples over the next several weeks, so be on the lookout for all the recipes in the series. Today's recipe is part one of the series.

This particular jam is a mix of fresh apples and the same spices that you might find in apple pie. It's yummy spread on toast or a biscuit, but it's also quite tasty swirled into your oatmeal for breakfast!

If you have never used a water bath canning method to can jams or jellies before, you'll want to read the complete instructions online before you start making your Spiced Apple Pie Jam.

Spiced Apple Pie Jam

6 cups diced peeled apples (about 6 apples)

2 cups apple juice or apple cider

2 Tbsp. bottled lemon juice

3 Tbsp. powdered pectin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 cups sugar

5 half pint (8 oz.) glass preserving jars with lids and bands

1. Bring apples, apple juice, and lemon juice to a boil in a 6 quart stainless steel pot. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until apples are soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Whisk in pectin and spices. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
3. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
4. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. 
5. Follow water bath canning directions to complete the canning process. Process Spiced Apple Pie Jam 10 minutes. 
6. Recipe yields 5 half pint jelly jars.

Notes:

For all of our apple recipes, an apple peeler / corer / slicer will make quick work of prepping the apples.

Jam and jelly recipes are finicky, so these types of things can cause your recipe not to set:

• Doubling the recipe.
• Measuring less than the full amount of sugar listed in the recipe or using a sugar substitute. If you want to use less sugar, use a recipe specifically developed for low sugar. 

Go ahead and make plans to head off to a you-pick apple orchard near you to load up on some fresh apples!

If you're an apple lover (but not a home canner), we are kicking off the series with these other bonus Harris Sisters' apple recipes to get everyone started:

• Crockpot Apple Butter
• Crockpot Baked Apples
• Glazed Apple Coffee Cake
• Apple Pie French Toast Casserole
• Apple Rose Tarts
• Baked Apple Pancake

And stop by these other jelly and jam recipes too:

• Spiced Christmas Jam
• Ghost Pepper Jelly
• Pineapple Habanero Jelly

And make sure to check back in the coming weeks for follow-up recipes with the apple theme!

This post contains affiliate links.

The Best Lip Products for Dry, Chapped Lips

Fall is one of my absolute favorite seasons. But as the leaves start to change colors and the temperatures start to drop, every year - without fail - my lips start to dry out and get chapped. I am always on the hunt for the best lip products for dry, chapped lips. 

Also, wearing masks seems to have made the situation worse for me as far as I can tell. Last fall brought with it the worst chapped lips I've seen in a very long time, so I kicked my quest for the perfect lip product into high gear. I was determined to have better results this fall season! So, since I have been searching to find the best solution to prevent chapped lips, I thought I would share the products that have worked for me.

This is a review of my tried-and-true recommendations for those with dry, chapped lips. I did my best to include as many different price points as I could. All of these products have worked wonders for me, but not everyone will have the same results. I hope you will find this post helpful!

Best Recovery Lip Balm for Severely Chapped Lips

I'm starting with the big guns. If you have severely chapped lips that need repair and healing, this is is the lip balm I would start with. Lanolips Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm is a super-thick lip balm that penetrates your dry, cracked lips and seals in moisture. Made from humanely sourced, ultra medical grade lanolin, this cruelty-free lip balm gives the absolute best hydration for extremely dry and chapped lips. 

In addition to the traditional Lanolips 101, it also comes in flavor options such as strawberry, peach, green apple, and lemonaid, as well as tinted options like rose gold, bronze gold, and rhubarb. If you're looking for a tinted lip balm, this might be the best option for you.

Best Everyday Lip Balm

This lip product was at the top of my list to try simply because it's been around for decades and the formula has not changed. I wanted to find out if it lived up to all the hype - and boy did it ever! 

For severely chapped lips, Vermont's Original Bag Balm makes a great everyday lip balm because it contains ingredients like petrolatum and lanolin to lock in moisture. The Bag Balm formula has remained the same since 1988 (with only 4 ingredients and no added fragrances, colors, alcohol, parabens, or phthalates). Because this is the original, cruelty-free Bag Balm formula (only in a convenient lip balm sized tube), you can use it on any part of your body that is dry, chapped, or cracked.

If you don't need the lip balm sized tube for on-the-go use, you can order the larger sized Bag Balm in the tin. The ingredients are the same.

Best Lip Balm with SPF

Stick with me on this one - it's actually from a men's skin care line. But as far as I'm concerned, if a product works, it works. And since there's nothing inherently "male" about this (or any) lip balm, it can really work for anyone. 

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm offers SPF 25 sun protection; skin conditioners like beeswax, shea butter, and lanolin; and antioxidants that soothe and relieve dry, chapped, irritated lips. This cruelty-free lip balm also comes in flavor options such as natural mint, black tea & blackberry, grapefruit & ginger, mango & mandarin, lavender, and pineapple mint. If UVA and UVB sun protection are at the top of your list for skin care products like lip balms, then this is the right product for you! 

Best Nighttime Lip Balm

The name of this product says it all: My Favorite Night Balm. It truly is my favorite. And if you're a daytime lipstick wearer, then this product is definitely one I'd recommend for you because it works all its magic at night. Can't get any better than that!

This deep moisturizing lip balm helps repair seriously dry lips while you sleep with ingredients such as shea butter and lanolin. Apply this 8-hour recovery balm liberally before bed to hydrate your lips overnight. Developed by C.O. Bigelow, the oldest apothecary in America, it's available at their flagship store in Greenwich Village in New York City, at their online store, or at other online retailers like Bath & Body Works or Amazon. 

This is actually the only product to make my list that I've been using for YEARS. I went back to the drawing board on all of my daytime lip balm products, but I couldn't find anything to hold a candle to this nighttime lip balm. It's the OG of night balms in my book!

BONUS - Best Lip Scrub

As an added bonus, I thought I'd share another favorite lip product: Eco Lips Lip Sugar Scrub. Use this to exfoliate your lips once a week to help prevent them from getting chapped in the first place. It instantly reveals softer, smoother lips after just one use (and another bonus: it tastes good too). 

Use it at night to exfoliate dry, rough lips with sugar while conditioning them with coconut oil to get them smooth and ready to apply your nighttime lip balm. Pure and 100% gluten-free and organic, this lip scrub is made in the USA, is Fair Trade Certified, is cruelty-free, and is earth-friendly. It's available in your choice of brown sugar, mint, vanilla bean, or mint truffle flavors. Pair one of these flavored lip scrubs with an exfoliating lip brush and you're in business!

Useful Stocking Stuffer Ideas

When they say that the best things come in small packages, in this case, it's absolutely true. Don't forget that these must-have lip balms and scrubs are small enough to easily fit into a stocking, so they make great Christmas gift ideas too! They're all under $20 and some are below $10 (with discounts for buying multipacks). So it's easy to buy for everyone on your list. Fill everyone's stockings this year with something they'll love (and actually use). 

This post contains affiliate links.

20 Halloween Activities for Teenagers

Now that the boys are getting older, I suspect that we won't have too many more Halloweens where the whole family walks the neighborhood (in costume) so that they can trick-or-treat. Many kids decide at some point that trick-or-treating is "too young" an activity for them. (Hey, I think kids should get to trick-or-treat as long as they want to - but it might just not be fun for your teen or tween anymore.)

So, what are some fun activities that you can do with your teenagers on Halloween? If your older kids are looking for fun things to do around Halloween, here's a list of ideas.

Have a Pumpkin Carving Party

This activity is perfect for older kids. Why? Well, any pumpkin carving parties that they may have attended while they were younger may have either had them painting pumpkins or Mom and Dad doing all the carving. Now that the kids are older, let them choose a pumpkin for the party and carve it themselves. Make sure to cover your work area with either newspapers or plastic trash bags to make clean-up easier. If you'd like to go all out for the party, provide your teens and tweens with pumpkin carving patterns (which are readily available at stores this time of year).

Go to a Pumpkin Patch

Instead of loading up on pumpkins from the grocery store, let your teens pick out their own pumpkins at a pumpkin patch or farm. During October, many of these places also offer additional fun activities like hay rides, hot chocolate, face painting, games, etc. Make sure to check out all the options for a pumpkin patch near you at pumpkinpatches.com.

Host a Costume Party

Let your teens and tweens invite some friends over for a costume party. Let them plan a fun evening with Halloween-themed party food and make an awesome Halloween-themed playlist! Since they're missing out on trick-or-treating, make sure to have lots of candy and treat bags on hand so that the guests can load up before they head home. Here's a list of Halloween party food ideas to get you started:

Halloween Party Food Recipes

1. Holiday M&M Cookie Bars
2. Halloween Butter Cookies with Sprinkles
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Cake
4. Oreo Dirt Cake (make it into a graveyard with decorated cookies and pumpkin candy)
5. Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
6. Pumpkin Crunch Cake
7. Pumpkin Bread
8. Party Popcorn
9. Crockpot Witch's Brew (Spiced Apple Cider)
10. Non-Alcoholic Party Punch (make it orange, purple, or green for Halloween)

Enter Your Pet into a Halloween Costume Contest

This time of year, many local shelters, animal rescues, and radio stations host pet costume contests. People are encouraged to dress up too! If your teen is an animal lover, let them pick out a costume for your dog (and maybe a matching one for them) and enter the contest.

Have a Halloween Movie Marathon

We have a local drive-in that switches one screen to Halloween and scary movies for the month of October. Another historic theater near us shows classic horror movies the month of October. And the downtown park of a nearby town hosts Friday movie nights that include favorite Halloween movies. But, whether you make a special trip to watch these movies or just pull up some old favorite Halloween movies on Netflix, your older kids might enjoy a scary movie marathon.

Visit a Corn Maze

You can find a corn maze (or maize maze) near you and let the teens navigate. They'll love that they are "in charge" of finding all of the checkpoints and ultimately getting the group out of the maze. Depending on which farm you visit, you might also find other Halloween activities there. Make sure to read about a few in your area to see what each offers before deciding which one to go to.

Have a Halloween Food Taste Test

Here's a fun game for a teen or tween party! Blindfold guests, let them eat Halloween food, and have them guess what they ate. Keep track of who's the best guesser in the group! Here's a list of unique Halloween snack items, but if these items aren't available in your area, you can always do a quick Internet search to determine what Halloween candy and snacks are new this year:

1. Count Chocula, Frankenberry, or Boo Berry Cereal
2. Monster Cereals Fruit Snacks
3. Halloween Oreos
4. Reese's Cups: Halloween Lovers
5. Halloween M&Ms
6. Halloween Peeps
7. Halloween Dunkin or Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
8. Ghost Dots
9. Hostess Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes or Twinkies
10. Halloween Hershey's Kisses

Have a Photo Scavenger Hunt

In the days before Halloween (when your neighborhood is sure to have the most decorations out), let your teens and tweens invite friends to walk the neighborhood in search of Halloween-themed items for a scavenger hunt! Have them take photos along the way! If you have a large enough group, split them into two smaller groups and have them compete for which group can complete the Halloween scavenger hunt first. Here's a list of items to put on your scavenger hunt list:

Halloween Photo Scavenger Hunt Ideas

1. Jack-o-lanterns
2. Scarecrow
3. Skeleton
4. House with more than one Halloween inflatable
5. Something purple
6. Halloween wreath
7. Mums
8. Hay bales 
9. Something white
10. Spider
11. Corn stalk
12. Something with wings
13. Ghost
14. Tombstone
15. Teal pumpkin
16. Halloween sign
17. Halloween blow molds
18. Witch's hat
19. Halloween flag
20. Red leaf
21. Uncarved pumpkin
22. Acorn
23. Black bird
24. Spider web
25. Selfie of group posing like Frankenstein

Visit a Haunted House

If your teen or tween would enjoy doing something scary for Halloween, let them get together a small group of friends and go to visit a haunted house. Visit hauntedhouse.com for descriptions of haunted houses near you.

Take a Ghost Tour

Similar to visiting a haunted house, this spooky activity for teens will teach them some history of your area (albeit spooky history with a dash of superstition mixed in). Many of these tours are at nighttime and they will require a walk, so make sure your teen wears suitable clothes and shoes for the length of the tour and the time it starts. Visit haunted.tours for a description of ghost tours near you.

Visit a Theme Park

Theme parks in our area host special ticketed Halloween events. This type of activity is perfect for teens and tweens because they not only get to ride amusement park rides, but they get the added bonus of spooky decorations and lighting, special Halloween shows, and haunted activities. (And another bonus for you! Lots of photo ops because theme parks decorate for any season pretty well.) Check out theme parks near you to see whether yours offer these types of Halloween activities.

Visit the Zoo

Here's another activity that animal lovers may like as an alternative to trick-or-treating in your neighborhood. Many zoos host Halloween activities in the weekends leading up to Halloween. From costume contests to a trick-or-treat trail and Halloween decorations to live music, this type of event might be the perfect one for your teenager.

Visit a Scary Themed Escape Room

If your teen likes solving puzzles, then an escape room might an ideal Halloween activity for them! Zombies, mystery mansions, autopsies, and haunted houses are just some of the themes that you might find in our area. Your teenager will have their pick of Halloween themes this time of year. And this is a fun option to do with a group of people, so have your teen invite a group of friends (the more friends, the more people to help solve the puzzle)! Check out options near you online and then make sure to schedule your visit in advance. 

Sit Around the Fire and Tell Spooky Stories

As the weather gets cooler, it's the perfect time to have a bonfire or to sit by the firepit. Whether you're roasting marshmallows or hotdogs over the fire, teens and tweens will enjoy this fall activity. You can easily change this to a Halloween activity by telling scary stories around the fire.

Hand Out Candy on Halloween Night

If your teens aren't trick-or-treating anymore, they might enjoy handing out candy to younger trick-or-treaters. If they have always enjoyed wearing costumes (but just don't want to go trick-or-treating anymore), encourage them to wear a costume while handing out candy. This will be fun for them as well as the younger kids they get to interact with on Halloween night! 

Be in Charge of Halloween Decorations

I have always decorated BIG for Halloween, but while we are always out on Halloween night taking the boys trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, I have always kept my decorations inside. (This way our house, which is on a corner lot and gets lots of Halloween night traffic, won't become a "destination" for trick-or-treaters while we're not there. We have always left out a giant tub of candy for kiddos to take on the honor system.) 

But, if your teens and tweens aren't going to be trick-or-treating, give them a budget and let them be in charge of outside decorations and lighting. Encourage them to make a plan for how they'd like to decorate and look up any DIY outdoor Halloween decoration tutorials that they may need help with.  You can even let them look through some of your inside Halloween decorations to see if any can be easily repurposed for an outside display.

Collect Donations for a Local Charity

Older kids are sometimes in service clubs that require a certain amount of volunteer hours. One way to get some extra volunteer hours would be to advertise that you'll be collecting donations for a local charity in the weeks leading up to Halloween. (If you're collecting physical donations, like canned goods, you can also set up a box near your candy station on Halloween night.) Put your teen in charge of notifying the neighborhood via social media so that everyone knows what you're collecting and for how long. Drop off the donations you collected on November 1.

Donate Halloween Baking

If your teen volunteers time by baking for local charities, October is the perfect time to switch to Halloween goodies. Have teens bake Halloween-themed cookies or cakes to donate instead of their regular dessert donations. Here are some ideas for Halloween baking for charity:

1. Halloween Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookies
2. Earthquake Cake
3. Halloween Butter Cookies with Sprinkles
4. Holiday M&M Cookie Bars
5. Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
6. Pumpkin Crunch Cake
7. Pumpkin Bread
8. Oreo Dirt Cake (make it into a graveyard with decorated cookies and pumpkin candy)

Halloween Butter Cookies with Sprinkles

Read a Scary Book or Series

There's a wide variety of Halloween-themed or scary books available, so your teenagers and tweens can easily find one that interests them. Here are a few Halloween book recommendations to get you started:

1. The Last Kids on Earth (series) by Max Brallier
2. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
3. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
4. The Witches by Roald Dahl
5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
6. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (series) by Alvin Schwartz
7. Goosebumps (series) by R.L. Stine
8. Tales of Terror (series) by Chris Priestley
9. The Legend of Decimus Croome: A Halloween Carol by Kevin Purdy
10. Harry Potter (series) by J. K. Rowling

Have a Halloween Game Night

Game nights are always fun and there are lots of Halloween board games or party games that have a Halloween theme. Pop some popcorn, grab your Halloween candy bowl, and settle in for a night of family fun! Here are a few ideas for your game night:

1. Clue
2. Betrayal at House on the Hill
3. The Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits
4. Halloween Charades
5. Boooo-opoly
6. Halloween Trivia
7. King of Tokyo: Halloween Expansion Pack
8. Horrified: Universal Monsters Strategy Board Game
9. ESCAPE ROOM IN A BOX: The Werewolf Experiment
10. Castle Panic

BONUS: More Resources for Halloween Teen Activities

To get you started on your search, here are a few more Internet sites to help with find the perfect Halloween activity for your teen or tween in your area (usually listed by state). Happy Haunting! 

1. FrightFind.com: Haunted houses, real haunts, pumpkin patches and mazes, festivals, Halloween parades
2. GhostHuntUSA.com: Haunted location tours, ghost hunts
3. Haunts.com: Haunted houses, hay rides, zombie hunts, mazes, spook walks, theaters & plays, haunted river tours
4. HauntWorld.com: Haunted houses, hayrides, escape rooms, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, ghost tours
5. American-Rails.com: Halloween train rides

What Can My Teen Do for Halloween This Year (Besides Trick-or-Treating)?

Even though they may have "outgrown" trick-or-treating, there are still so many fun activities for teens and tweens to do this Halloween. I hope this post has inspired you to try some new Halloween activities for your teenagers. Make sure to pin this post for ideas for this year and next!

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