Our Trick or Treat Halloween Balloons are a fun and easy-to-prepare activity that will have the entire family in fits of giggles!
What You Need
Balloons
Black permanent marker
Green paper (to make leaves – optional)
Various treats (we used wrapped lollies and chocolates)
Jelly (we watered it down so it was runny. You could also use slime but that’s hard to get out of hair!)
Toothpick or nail scissors for popping the balloon
To Construct
Select your balloons! We used orange balloons to represent pumpkins and placed either treats or jelly in each balloon.
Next, blow up the balloon and tie a knot in the end.
Finally, it’s time to get creative! We drew some to look like jack-o-lanterns and some that were ‘scary’!
Add some green leaves cut out of paper, if you wish!
Note: Make sure you make an even amount of trick and treat balloons.
To Play
Taking it in turns, hold a balloon above each players head and pop the balloon! Take your time to create some suspense…
Note: It’s really important that the person who is playing has no idea what is in their balloon. That will make their reactions hilarious! There’s nothing like the threat of jelly all over your head to make you cringe!
If you are looking for a great activity that the kids can help prepare and then expel some energy on, this one is for you!
As Halloween is fast approaching, we added a spooky dimension to our ice balls however you could use what ever small toy you like!
For this activity, you will need to prepare the balloons the night before as it needs 10+ hours to freeze.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Balloons
Small toys (we used rubber spiders, but you could use marbles, pom poms, shells, pebbles or beads – depending on your theme)
Water
Hammer
Food colouring (optional)
MAKING THE ICE BALL
Let the kids choose their favourite coloured balloons and gently push the toy inside. Once it’s almost there, if you blow the balloon up it should fall to the bottom! If you are adding food colouring then add a few drops now.
Fill the balloon with water (you might need to help the kids by putting the balloon on the tap and holding it in place). Fill it slowly and don’t make it too big (we found out the hard way!). Remove it from the tap, let the excess air out and tie off the balloon. Then place it into your freezer (we tried different positions but didn’t notice much of a difference in the end product).
Leave to freeze overnight.
When your kids are ready for a smashing time, take the balloon out of the freezer and cut the balloon off the ice.
It’s time to head outside!
THE ICE BALL SMASH
Find a spot on the grass and let the fun begin!
Obviously, you have to supervise your kids and help the little ones use the hammer to avoid accidents – but you knew that!
The Ice Ball Smash is a great activity that can be customised any way you like! In fact, you could add a wrapped chocolate (frozen mini Mars Bar anyone?) – now that would be the perfect trick and treat combination!
Our unBOOlievable Halloween Cake is the ultimate centrepiece for your next Halloween party! Although this cake will steal the show, it’s really not that difficult to make. The cake itself is a two-layer mud cake, and the decorations are easy to make with the kids!
INGREDIENTS
2 x mud cakes or chocolate cakes (you can make your own or buy them pre-made)
Orange frosting
DECORATIONS
Lindt Eye Balls
Ingredients: White Lindt Chocolate Balls, Red, Black and Green Writing Icing
Directions: Make squiggly lines from a centre point of the chocolate ball. Make a small circle of icing for the iris and a black pupil.
Pretzel Monsters
Ingredients: Pretzels, white and milk chocolate buttons, green M&M’s and black writing icing
Directions: Melt chocolate via instructions on the packet (be careful it burns easily). Dip pretzels into the chocolate and let set. With a little melted chocolate stick M&M’s to the pretzel for eyes and add a dot of icing to each one for pupils. You can also add scary mouths with the icing as well!
Kit Kat Fingers
Ingredients: Kit Kat (we used mint swirl), almonds and icing.
Directions: Break/cut Kit Kat’s into fingers and with some icing stick some almond fingernails on! Easy!
Tim Tam Tombstones
Ingredients: Tim Tams and Writing Icing
Directions: Using the writing icing, write RIP or draw crosses onto the end of a Tim Tam. You can draw just about anything that you wish!
Cherry Ripe Gates / Gravestones
Ingredients: Cherry Ripe and Cherry Ripe Bites
Directions: Cut the end of each Cherry Ripe on an angle (make sure you cut it from different corners so you don’t end up with everything on the same angle).
Various Lollies and Candy
We used Darrell Lea BB’s Chocolate Mint and Orange Balls, Reece Mixers, Nutella & GO! and Mini Oreos.
TO DECORATE
This is where you get to let your creative side take over! Start with pouring the orange frosting over the cake. You could then add some chocolate (ice magic or similar) drips down the side. Then place the bigger pieces on the cake and layer the decorations, finishing off with the little bits and pieces!
There are two words to describe the Katherine Hot Springs – HIDDEN GEM! If you would like to add another word add FREE! A visit to the Katherine Hot Springs is a must for anyone staying in Katherine, or passing by, who is looking for somewhere to have a refreshing dip.
Katherine Hot Springs
The Katherine Hot Springs are hidden next to the Katherine River on Riverbank Drive (off the Victoria Highway) in Katherine South (about a 3 minute drive from the centre of Katherine). From the car park, the Hot Springs are located down about 100 metal steps and are surrounded by beautiful shade trees and grassed picnic areas. If you require vehicle access to the Hot Springs then a key can be collected from the service station in town. There is a ramp from the car park for those who wish to take a pram or wheelchair.
Lay on your back, relax and enjoy the view!
The area surrounding the springs has been developed whist maintaining the natural feel of the area. The Hot Spring pools have had gravel bases added to keep sediment down and to keep the water looking crystal clear. The springs are fed by water bubbling up from deep below the Earth’s surface and there is a viewing platform above the area where the water comes out of the ground.
The Source of the Katherine Hot Springs
There are also walking tracks alongside the Katherine River if you feel like taking a stroll.
Katherine River
The main pool has wheel chair access (although it looked a little slimy and not very inviting), stainless steel steps and rails (that are a little hard on the feet) and the walls have been formed out of rock (there is slime or algae on some of the rocks and walls but it doesn’t affect the water at all). There are three main entry points, the third right next to a small waterfall, which is the only area in the springs that both Tim and Georgina couldn’t stand up in. The stream then thins out and goes out to the Katherine River about 30 metres away.
Katherine Hot Springs Waterfall
With a water temperature that ranges from 25C – 32C the term ‘hot springs’ is not really accurate – it is more ‘lukewarm’ whilst still being refreshing. We are told that during the dry season the springs are VERY popular – however we visited in October (the beginning of the wet season) and as the number of tourists has declined we were able to enjoy the Katherine Hot Springs without them being crowded. In fact, the majority of the time there were less than 4 other people swimming – sometimes we had the area to ourselves (yes, we went more than once)!
The Kidding Around Australia Team LOVE the Katherine Hot Springs!
Georgina Says
It is such a fantastic area to go Kidding Around! Take some snacks or a picnic, a pool noodle, towel and you are ready to go!
Alegría Says
There are no crocodiles because they are in the river (although there is a warning sign in the car park…)!
We LOVED visiting the Katherine Hot Springs, it was safe, clean, free and we highly recommend you visit too!
MORE INFORMATION
Days and Times: Open most of the year, 7 days a week. Closed during the wet season if it floods or is too dangerous to swim.
Location: Katherine Hot Springs, Riverbank Drive, Katherine South NT
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
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Are you hosting a Halloween themed party and want to create an easy menu item with your kids? Then these fun BLOOD ORANGE JELLY (JELLO) CUPS are the perfect way to get creative in the kitchen!
Follow our easy recipe to whip up these spooktastic ship cups in minutes!
Spooktastic Seas Blood Orange Ship Jelly Cup Halloween Recipe
Ingredients
1 box of blue jelly (we used Aeroplane Jelly in Blue Heaven flavour)
1 Blood orange or ruby grapefruit (any citrus fruit will work -but we like the red colour!)Lollipops (or suckers)
Other Items
Plastic cups
Long / short toothpicks
Card stock or stickers
Instructions
Prepare the jelly following the instructions on the box and pour into small clear cups or glasses, filling the cups almost to the top. Let this set in the refrigerator for AT LEAST 4 hours.
To Decorate
Once the jelly has set, cut the blood orange into wedges. If you are using grapefruit or mandarins then you will need to peel your fruit and separate into segments.
We inserted a toothpick into the bottom of our lollipop and then pushed this though our blood orange wedge and then into the middle of our jelly cups.
Note: If you are making a sail instead of using a lollipop then stick a triangular “sail” to a toothpick “mast” and then insert this into the fruit and jelly.
These Spooktastic Seas Blood Orange Ship Jelly Cups are simple to make and perfect for your Halloween celebrations!
With nothing left to do but enjoy your jelly cups, you may want to plan some other tasty treats to dish out when the mini monsters come knocking.
We were on our way to an appointment at our local vet for a check-up, vaccination and some holiday advice for Duke (our dog) and Ginger (our cat). Duke, who is always the best behaved in our family, is sitting nicely in the back seat between Alegría and Isaac and (of course) I couldn’t find the cat carrier so I have Ginger sitting on my lap whilst Tim is driving. It’s not ideal, I know!
Ah, the things we do for our furry family members! Our annual trip to the vet must mean one thing. It’s a time when I’d like to remind you to think about protecting your dog from paralysis ticks and fleas.
Media veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren has issued a strong warning to Aussie dog owners – protect your dog against paralysis ticks or be prepared for the consequences. Dr Katrina has seen the devastating effects of paralysis ticks first hand and is appealing to all dog owners to proactively talk to a local vet about paralysis ticks now, to avoid heartache later.
Australia’s paralysis tick season runs from about September to March – the time when adult female ticks are most abundant, although this can vary region to region. In order to protect Duke, we use Bravecto® which is the only oral chew to deliver 3 months flea and 4 months paralysis tick protection for dogs in a single dose. If you want to read more about Bravecto® or see Duke demonstrating how easy it is to administer, click HERE!
We want your dog to be protected too, so that’s why we are giving away 20 packs of Bravecto®! Yes, that’s right, 20 packs for 20 winners!
What do you have to do to win? Well, like us on Facebook (and Instagram if you have it!) to keep up-to-date with all that we do – PLUS like Bravecto® on Facebook and Instagram because their pages are full of interesting information and cute photos!
To Enter:
Fill in the following entry form and answer the question “In 25 words or less, what do you love about your dog?”
Terms & Conditions 1. Entry is open to Australian residents only who are aged 18 years and over and only one entry per household is permitted. By entering this competition, you agree to subscribe to the Kidding Around Australia mailing list, if you are not already subscribed. Your privacy is protected and you can unsubscribe at any time. By entering this competition, you are also agreeing to all other terms and conditions. 2. Entries open on 04/10/2016 and close at 11:59pm AEST on 15/10/2016. 3. This is a game of skill not a game of chance. Entries not filling in all the required fields and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, by a non-involved party. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 4. To enter the competition, entrants must fill in all fields of the form above and agree to supply Kidding Around Australia with their postal address so that the prize can be mailed to them. 5. Twenty (20) winners will be selected and receive a pack of Bravecto (1 chew). Total prize pool valued at up to $1200 (depending on the weight of the dog). 6. The winners will be drawn within 48hrs of the closing date and the winning entries will be announced on this website. The prize will be posted to the address supplied to Kidding Around Australia via email. Kidding Around Australia will not be held responsible if the address supplied is incorrect or for any side effects caused by Bravecto in your dog. Please seek your veterinarian’s advice before administering the product to your pet.
MORE INFORMATION
Bravecto is available at leading vet clinics, pet stores and online pet retailers across Australia.
Kidding Around Australia 