7 Netflix Inspired Halloween Costumes

Deciding on a Halloween costume is a big decision for a kid, but fulfilling a child's wishes doesn't have to be an expensive or difficult task for a parent. Today I am sharing some simple DIY Halloween costumes ideas inspired by Netflix. I'm also including delightfully frightful titles to add to your Halloween watch list. 

Check out these adorable DIY Halloween costume ideas, and click on the links for more info:

1) LEGO Ninjago inspired costumes - I based this no-sew ninja costume on "Zane" the white ninja from LEGO Ninjago. It cost less than $10 to make, and it was a huge hit with my 7 year old. You can find the full tutorial here.

And, if you prefer a black ninja, you can find a fantastic step-by-step tutorial here.

2) Walt Disney Short Films Collection inspired costume - Who doesn't love the characters from Frozen? A couple of years ago, I made this adorable "no sew" Olaf costume for my five year old, and I loved how it turned out. If you have a Frozen fan in your house, you can find the full tutorial and free templates here.

3) Pirates of the Caribbean inspired costumes - Dressing up as a pirate is simple and fun, and it's perfect for kids that ARRRRR on the hunt for adventure. Click on this link to see how my boys and I recycled old clothes and transformed them into simple pirate costumes. 

I have another pirate costume tutorial (including a template for a cardboard sword) here. 

4) How to Train Your Dragon inspired viking helmet - If your kids are a fan of the movie or the Netflix series, they will love this DIY viking helmet. It's made from paper, tinfoil, and tape, and you can find the full tutorial here.

5) Pee Wee's Big Adventure inspired costume - Seriously... you need to check out this adorable Pee Wee Herman costume here.

6) Care Bears inspired costume - I don't think I could get my boys to dress up as a Care Bear, but if they were younger, I will totally opt for this adorable costume. You can check out the Care Bear cuteness here.

7) King Julien inspired costume - I love how simple and original this costume is. You should totally check out the tutorial for this DIY King Julien costume here.

Once you have settled on a costume, kick back and watch a spooky flick on Netflix. Halloween may only be one day of the year, but with the ultimate guide to streams and screams, there’s enough spooky titles and inspiration to get you in the Halloween spirit all month long. Check out this fantastic stream and scream guide.

What are you planning for Halloween this year? I hope this guide to costumes and scary movies makes your Halloween a little more Spooktacular. Happy Halloween!

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I receive special gifts and perks as part of my affiliation with Netflix.... however (as always) the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt (with free printable)

Halloween is about more than candy. It is about decorating, dressing up, and having some fun. Today, I am sharing a fantastic Halloween scavenger hunt that you can share with your kids. It is perfect for a Halloween party, but it would be great for a simple activity at home too. And... you can download it for FREE below!

To download the scavenger hunt: right-click on the picture above, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo. I printed mine at my local office supply store for $0.39.

You can send the kids out in the neighbourhood looking for the items, or you can print the cards (below) for an easier search. To download the cards: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer and print it like a regular 8X10 photo. I printed mine onto card stock (for heavier cards) at my local office supply store for $0.48.

If the weather is good, I love the idea of making this an outdoor event.

Isn't this Halloween scavenger hunt a fun idea? If you use my free downloads, let me know.

Happy Hunting!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - You can find more easy and inexpensive Halloween ideas here.

15 Halloween Class Party Treats

Halloween class party treats are one of the reasons kids love October 31st, and my boys really enjoy sharing unique Halloween goodies with their friends.  Sometimes the treats are edible, and sometimes they aren't, but they are always easy, inexpensive and fun.  Here are 15 of our favorite Halloween Class Party Treats.

1) Mummy wrapped treats - Use cheese cloth and googly eyes to transform boring treats into something spooky and special. This is one of my favorite ideas because it is versatile, simple and cute.

2) Vampire treats - Use inexpensive dollar store treats to create unforgettable vampire goodies. You can check out some sweet packaging ideas and download adorable tags (for free) here. 

3) Halloween play dough kit - This adorable treat includes a package of orange Kool Aid, a pumpkin cookie cutter, and a recipe for homemade Halloween play dough. Click here to download the free printable playdough recipe gift tag.

4) Graham cracker bandaids - Cut up some graham crackers, add some white frosting for gauze, and finished with a smear of red gel icing blood. Simple, fun... and a little gross!

5)  Tic Tac Toe game - Click here to download this adorable Halloween "tic tac toe" board for free. You can use candy, buttons or googly eyes for the markers.

6) Treat bags with special tags - Make traditional treat bags extra special by adding a customized tag.  Click here to find out how I transformed pictures of my boys to make these tags.

7)  Googly eye glasses - These googly eye glasses are fantastic alternatives to candy.  You can find the full "how to" and a free downloadable bag topper here. (These toppers would work with "eyeball" candies or bouncy balls too.)

8)  Cookies with candy corn or candy eyeballs - For a simple treat, make your favorite cookie recipe and add a piece of candy corn or a candy eyeball to the top.  It doesn't get any easier than this! You can find the recipe for our favorite Halloween cookie here.

9)  Photos with treats - For a candy free treat, try pairing pictures with little toys or pencils.  You can find the full tutorial here.

10)  Mazes - This little "maze" game is inexpensive and guaranteed to be a hit with little ones. You can download the "I think you are an a'MAZE'ing friend" free printable gift tag here.

11) Ghost Pops - Ghosts are always fun for Halloween, and we have two favorite ghoulish treats.  To learn how to make our Oreo Ghost Pops, click here.  To make the sucker ghosts: cover a sucker with a piece of tissue paper, secure with an elastic, and add a face with googly eyes and a marker.

12)  Cupcakes with rings - To make these simple cupcakes, just bake mini cupcakes and insert a plastic ring (after washing, of course).

13)  Wormy cupcakes - These are an annual favorite around here. Bake cupcakes, frost with chocolate icing, dip in dirt (Oreo cookie crumbs), and insert some gummy worms.

14) Cookie pops - To make super-easy cookie pops, just add some sticks to "ready to bake" cookies.  Isn't everything more fun on a stick?

15) Eyeball treats - Nothing says "spooky Halloween treat" like a goodie with an eyeball (or two) on it.  You can find the full instructions for an eyeball cake (here), Halloween candy bark (here), and screaming pretzels (here).

And don't forget the teacher.  Click here for all the cute DIY details you'll need to make this cute teacher treat!

What is your favorite class party treat?  Did it make my list? I'm always looking for new ideas, so feel free to share your favourites in the comments.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (These pretzel brooms are cute too! Package pretzels with a paper straws and tie them with ribbons. Pretty cute, eh?)

You can find more easy and inexpensive Halloween ideas here.

DIY Gift (using dollar store socks)

Recently I saw some cute socks at a craft show, and I instantly wanted to make my own DIY version. Today I am sharing the easy and inexpensive way I transformed dollar store socks into an adorable gift.

To make these fun socks, you are going to need: dollar store socks, cardboard from an empty cereal box, and dimensional fabric paint. 

Then:

1) Cut two pieces of cardboard to the width of the recipient's foot, and insert them into the socks. This will give you a flat and easy-to-work-with surface to write on.

2) Write your message on the socks.

3) Allow the fabric paint to dry according to package directions. My paint said to leave it for 4 hours, but I left mine overnight to be safe.

4) That's it!

This craft could easily be adapted for anyone based on their interests. What about?

If you can read this, bring me beer.
If you can read this, bring me coffee.
If you can read this, bring me cookies.
If you can read this, bring me chocolate.
If you can read this, bring me a book.
If you can read this, bring me a crossword puzzle.
If you can read this, go bug daddy.

Fun, right?

I am loving these socks. I wonder if anyone will bring me wine if I wear them?

Can you think of someone that would enjoy receiving these DIY socks as a gift? What would you write on them?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Peanut Free Lunches for Picky Eaters

Packing lunches is one of the tasks I detest the most. My boys' schools are peanut free, and they don't like sandwiches, so my options for filling the lunch boxes are limited. I know I am not alone in this struggle, so today I am sharing some simple peanut free lunch ideas that kids will actually eat.

Make your own "lunchable" - These DIY "lunchables" are healthier and better for the environment than the pre-packaged, store-bought versions. The kids won't be able to resist the adorable (and easy to open) containers filled with their favorites. You can even get your kids involved by letting them choose what they want to put in the containers.

Make ahead freezable smoothies - Make a batch of your favorite smoothies, put them in these freezer jam jars, and stick them in the freezer. If you put them in the lunch boxes in the morning, they'll be ready to enjoy at lunch time.

Breakfast for lunch - My fussy eaters don't love sandwiches, but they really enjoy breakfast foods. So, "breakfast for lunch" is a perfect option for my boys. Their lunch box staples include: cereal in a thermos, french toast, and hard boiled eggs.

Homemade baked goods - It's always helpful to have a well stocked freezer. I bake large batches of goodies, store them in the freezer, and pop them in my boys' lunch boxes each morning. Three of my favorite lunchbox recipes are: 

• fluffy lunchbox biscuits
• my favorite chocolate chip cookies
• soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies

Fridge and pantry favorites - A well stocked fridge and pantry on Sunday will make it easier to pack lunches quickly and efficiently all week. In addition to fruits and veggies, I like to purchase: morning rounds, preservative free meats, unsweetened fruit cups, cheese strings, yogurt tubes, raisins, whole wheat crackers, pretzels, hummus, pasta and salad dressing (for a quick pasta salad), granola bars, etc...

My boys don't like taking leftovers because they think the school microwave is gross, and they take too long to eat. However, if your kids enjoy leftovers, that is another great option.

I hope some of these options work for you and your fussy eaters. I also have a school lunch ideas Pinterest board that you can check out for more simple lunch ideas.

Do have a fantastic peanut free lunch idea you'd like to share? I'd love to have you leave it in the comments below. I am always looking for school lunch inspirations.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like these helpful school lunch hacks.

Triple Peanut Butter Cookies

Have you ever had a peanut butter cookie craving? The next time the urge strikes, you need to try this recipe for triple peanut butter cookies. If you like peanut butter cookies, you'll love this cookie that is packed with THREE types of peanut butter goodness!

To make this cookie, you'll need:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 3/4 cup mini Reese's Pieces

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, peanut butter, and both sugars.
2. Add baking soda and baking powder, and beat until combined.
3. Add egg and vanilla, and beat again.
4. Stir in flour.
5. Stir in peanut butter chips and mini Reese's Pieces.
6. Spoon onto cookie sheet, and bake in preheated oven (at 375 degrees) for 8-10 minutes.
7. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

These cookies were a huge hit with my boys. If you are a fan of peanut butter cookies, you are going to love these triple peanut butter cookies.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)