Halloween is a special day for so many of us. We prep for it by decorating our homes, carving jack-o-lanterns, and trying to find the best costume to answer the door and greet trick-or-treaters with and attend spooky parties. So here’s a few fun things you can do to celebrate and prep for Halloween for the entire month of October!

• Go on a haunted hayride.

Hayrides are fun for children and adults alike. There’s nothing that celebrates harvest season more than sitting on hay bales on the back of a tractor while a creepy character with a chainsaw jumps on and scares you! These events often have mazes and pumpkin patches as well as food and drink for all to enjoy!

• Go apple picking.

Apple picking is a fun and rewarding event for all involved. Whatever you decide to pick can later be turned into apple pie, apple cider, and other delicious apple-based snacks and drinks. This can also be a wonderful learning and sensory experience for children. They can become familiar with what an apple tree looks like while hearing the nature of the environment as well. They can feel the hardness of the apples and later can help make some delicious goodies to snack on, and learn about the aromas emanating from your kitchen.

• Bake apple and pumpkin pies.

Does the fall season put you in a mood to enjoy a certain homemade snack or dessert from your childhood? Does it bring back memories of your loved one sitting in a hot kitchen all day kneading dough and mixing items to make a delicious pie or cookie? While these desserts can be enjoyed year-round, I often find myself craving them as colder weather approaches and the leaves begin to change. What’s your favorite fall snack?

• Curl up in a blanket and watch horror films.

This may be my favorite pass-time in the fall. I love to turn off all of the lights and light a few of my favorite candles (fall scents of course) and watch a scary movie. Whether it be a classic or something new, it is always fun to see how high a scary movie can make me jump!

• Carve a jack-o-lantern.

There are so many different templates you can choose from to help you carve that Harry Potter themed jack-o-lantern, or you can choose a simpler design. Whichever you choose, the results will be stunning and will make a fun decoration on your porch or your front entrance for a passerby to enjoy as well.

• Decorate your yard and house.

This is a great event for the entire family to enjoy. There are so many economically friendly options for decorations as well as more expensive ones. From fake cobwebs and spiders to creepy graveyards, your decorations are at your will. Whatever you choose is sure to scare your neighbors.

• Go to a cider mill.

Cider mills are a great source of fresh apple cider, but there are so many other things to do at a cider mill. These facilities usually offer a tour of how the cider is processed in which you can usually try a sample as well. They also have humongous barrels of apples where you can choose how large of a bushel you would like. So, if apple picking from a tree doesn’t sound fun, this is a great alternative. They also have gift shops and often times offer different products such as cider donuts and even beef jerky and cheeses. This is also a great way to support your local businesses as well!