Frugal Ideas to Countdown to Fall Festivities

October is such a fun month!  No wonder my kids list it as one of their favorite months of the year.  With the weather finally (maybe?) turning a little cooler in North Florida, getting outdoors and enjoying the sites is a tradition.

In our family, we go trick or treating to a few houses around town.  We stick to houses where we know the family and we know that they love to hand out candy to the neighborhood kids.  We aren't really in it for the loot but having a fun time, in costume, visiting with friends is a reward for a long month of anticipation!

Other favorite traditions in our area are the Great Pumpkin Escape in Downtown Starke.  This year the event is on Halloween night, the 31st.  Unfortunately, we have a home football game that night so we will probably miss the downtown event.  Many of the elementary schools hold open to the public fall festivals.  These are usually fun and tickets are cheap.

Of course, we can't forget the Florida-Georgia game weekend! Go Gators!

Here's a few ideas to help your kids countdown to the events of October, as well as an editable, printable calendar that you can use for getting your family organized for the month.

Make a countdown tree:  

 

I thought this was a cute idea.  I found it at Split Coast Stampers.  Use things you already have:

Jack O Latern or Pumpkin

Small Christmas Tree or even a branch from your yard

String of any October color

printable numbers, printable Halloween or Fall pictures

Make a Countdown Calendar from a Muffin Tin

The instructions for this are over at Something from Cassie.  Again use what you have.  My muffin tins have only 12 spots but that's okay.  I could use this for the last 12 days before Halloween or just reuse the tin. Not everyday has to have a treat!  I would also use construction paper, more printable numbers, a few fake spiders from our stash, and for magnets I would definitely cut up and reuse the calendar magnets on my fridge.  The years almost over, right?

Got candy?  Then make a countdown candy calendar.  

This idea is over at Jana Eubanks blog.  If you don't have cellophane freezer paper or plastic wrap might be a good substitution. 

Not feeling so craft?  Make a paper chain. 

One of my favorite kid crafts sites, Make and Takes, featured this easy one that the kids can make themselves from construction paper, glue, and tape.

And for the very busy, just print a calendar and mark off the days!

Links to print this are at the Explorations blog. 

Want to print a calendar to help you get organized for October events.  Here's one I created.