15 Super Easy Halloween Hacks

'It's Halloween already?' said every busy parent ever. Left everything to the last-minute or just short of a few spooctacular ideas? Don't worry, we have you covered AND they are all super easy...

1. Mummified Toast

This quick and easy tea option is fantastic for both you and the kids. Choose your bread, add a tomato sauce as a base, add strips of cheese and finish with some olives for eyes. Whack under the grill and enjoy!

2. Shrunken Heads

Thoroughly wash your apples, then peel and core them. Next, combine lemon juice and salt in the bowl and set aside. Take your pencil or marker to sketch a face on your apple, then use your vegetable peeler (great for nostrils and eyes) and knife to carve it. Dunk the carved apple in the lemon juice and salt mixture for at least 30 seconds, ensuring that all of it is covered, then place the carved apples somewhere warm and dry so they can thoroughly wither. Add to a bucket of water and watch people shudder.

3. Rise Krispie Critters

Pick yourself up some of the well-known Rice Krispie squares from any Supermarket and cut them in half. Melt white chocolate, add food colouring of your choice and dip until half of the critter is covered. Add edible eyes and cool.

4. Jack-O-ranges

No pumpkin? No problem. Satsumas, oranges or mandarins make perfect mini jackos and the kids can have great fun designing their own.

5. Fruity Fangs

Put lemon juice in a bowl with 1 litre cold water. Cut all the apples into quarters. Cut out a small wedge from the centre of each apple quarter and place in the water to prevent browning. Using the tip of a skewer, pierce rows of holes along the edges of the cut sides of the apples and push a piece of almond into each hole to resemble teeth. For a little extra umph try popping jam in for a bloody mouth effect.

6. Kiwi Franks

Peel the kiwi leaving some of the skin on the top as ‘hair’ and stick two chocolate chips on as eyes using a bit of icing. Create a mouth and bolts using bread sticks or pretzels.

7. Bogeyman Bricks

Everyone loves jenga, so covering it in glow in the dark paint and turning the lights off makes it even better.

8. Zombie Limbs

Strategically slice some hotdogs and secure some onion “nails” with ketchup. Add buns and feed to all that dare.

9. Gingerdead Men

DIY Gingerbread is fantastic way of letting your children be creative whilst keeping them busy. Buy the pre baked treats and plenty of icing from your local store and leave in the trusty hands of your little artists.

10. Dragon Eggs

For each dye bath combine 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 tsp vinegar and 10 drops of food colouring in a bowl. Lightly crack your hard-boiled eggs and soak in your dye concoctions for 3-5 minutes, extend time for richer colour. Remove eggs and blot dry with a paper towel, then remove shell.

11. Beastly Bingo

 Print activity sheets off from Activity village or Pinterest and spend the afternoon screaming BINGO. Halloween sweets make great counters and keep the kiddies quiet too!

12. Brain Bags

Use your children's trick or treat buckets, a few bean bags (or balls) and get chuckin'. A great family game for ALL ages.

13. BOOnana

Chop bananas in half and dip in yoghurt. Add two beady chocolate chip eyes and a lollipop stick for less mess. Pop in the freezer and serve chilled. No one will ever know they are healthy, we promise!

14. Afterlife Apples

Apples? Check. Bandages from the cupboard? Check. Easy, quick and super effective. Cover your fruit and add some beady eyes to create these scarily healthy mummies.

15. Terror Tumble

Plastic cups make the most fantastic ghouls and all it takes is two beady eyes! Have your kids draw on their favourite scary faces, pile high and smash down with an orange. Who needs a trip to the bowling alley when you can do it from home?