Save the Date
Thu, Nov 15: Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Magic at Vivint Smart Home Arena
Tue, Nov 20: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Ghosts of Christmas Eve at Vivint Smart Home Arena
Thu, Nov 22: Pilgrim 5k - Thanksgiving Point
Mon, Nov 26: GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST DEADLINE Gale Center of History and Culture - South Jordan, UT
Thu, Nov 29: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert at Abravanel Hall
Sat, Dec 1: Jingle Bell Run Salt Lake City - Arthritis Foundation Utah at Highland High School - Salt Lake City
Mon, Dec 10: Candy Cane Hunt 2018 at Draper City Park, Utah
Wed, Dec 19: Christmas with the Celts at Egyptian Theatre Historic Park City, Utah
Sat, Dec 22: Darci Lynne & Friends Live! at Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City
Sat, Dec 29: A Magical Cirque Christmas at Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City
*Some events may have additional dates. Click through to see more information.
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
We often talk about masks as though they're a bad thing. But I don't think so, especially when it comes to kids.
To a kid, a mask can be liberating, especially at Halloween. Think about it: Kids are almost never fully comfortable in their own skins, because they're continually in the process of growing out of them. They're also at least dimly aware that who they grow into someday is their own decision, and that's pretty scary. But give a kid a mask and they get to try on a whole new identity, to tap into little parts of their personality that might blossom if given an opportunity. You've seen what happens when kids put on costumes, right? They suddenly transform into invulnerable superheroes, or cuddly bunnies, or silly clowns, or evil villains. It's only for a few hours, and it's low risk. But the payoff of trying on a whole new way of being can be big.
My friend Paul Salvatoriello is a Broadway actor. As a kid, Paul loved trying on a new identities for Halloween, just as the rest of us did. But he told me that he learned something recently that is truly fascinating: For adult actors, it's the opposite of what it is for kids: Over the years, adults accumulate lots of experiences, and therefore all kinds of masks—all different aspects of their personalities—that they wear at different times. But whereas kids get to grow by trying on masks, acting success for adults actually requires them to take their masks off, to peel back the accumulated layers and show the authentic face that suits the role. It's scary, the peeling back of the layers, but Paul says it's liberating, too.
So: Masks are useful, and Halloween provides the perfect excuse, for kids and adults, to try one on. Or, if you're feeling especially brave, take one off.
—Debra Ross, Publisher, EntertainmentCalendar.com
Get into the Spooky Spirit with These Books!
The wind is howling, the bats are swooping, the jack-o-lanterns are flickering. . . and you and your little one are curled up, safe and snug with a stack of not-too-spooky Halloween picture books! Click here to find a list of fifteen of our all-time favorite Halloween read-alouds.
FREE ADMISSION to the All Things Kids Expo!
FREE ADMISSION – Bring the whole family and spend the day at the “All Things Kids Expo” on Saturday, November 3rd from 9am – 6p at the Thanksgiving Point Showbarn in Lehi! Enjoy a live magic show, performances by Scales & Tales and One Voice Children’s Choir, photo ops with princesses & superheroes, carnival games, face painting, giveaways.. and much more! (ATK is brought to you by the Children’s Service Society of Utah!)
The Art and Science of Arachnids - Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter
Explore the largest arachnid exhibit in the United States and discover the connections between arachnids and literature, art, folklore, paleontology, science, and history. The Art and Science of Arachnids feature 100 live arachnids and exciting hands-on activities, experiments, and play. También en Español.
Click here for more information.
It’s not every day you could meet an alligator or greet a skunk. Animals are all around us, some live in your backyard, some live far away, but all are important to our world. Come get up close and personal with some of the most interesting animals you will meet as we explore some of the curious critters that make our world wonderful.
Click here for more information.
Haunted Hollow - American West Heritage Center
The West has its share of stories from train robberies to double-crosses where the spirits of the deceased have unfinished business with the living. The Hollow is truly Haunted. Experience it! Recommended for visitors ages 8 and older.
Click here for more information.
Mark your calendars, the Haunted Aquarium is almost here! Starting on Friday, October 12, through Halloween, visit the Aquarium to see fun and spooky decorations lurking throughout our halls. Plus, join us for special events such as Skeletons diving with the sharks, a scavenger hunt, and special Trick-or-Treating events. Visit our website for details and to plan your visit.
Click here for more information.
Halloween season is in full swing! We collect the Halloween activities all in one place, dividing them into Halloween-Scary and Halloween-Fun. Click here for KidsOutAndAbout's list of Halloween activities in our area.
And are you in the market for a pumpkin, to eat or to carve? Click here for our big list of pumpkin patches. Discover a new place to get them this year.
Where can you combine the great outdoors, exercise, problem-solving skills, and family bonding? Why at a corn maze, of course! Autumn means corn maze season: get out there and get lost!
Re-visit an old Favorite or Check Out a New Place with Our List of Local Corn Mazes.
Looking for some Corn Maze Tips? We've got them for you.
Fun and Scary Halloween Movies and Where To Find Them
We've compiled a huge list of fun and/or scary movies to watch with your kids this Halloween AND where to find them! Some you can stream for free on Netflix or Amazon Prime and others you can rent or purchase on Amazon (the listing will say Amazon (r) if it's not free). All of the movies are rated either G, PG, or PG-13. Use your discretion. If the movie doesn't have a listed rating it's because it either was originally made for tv or went straight to video.
Click here for more information.
Halloween Foods. . . Besides the Candy
Whether you welcome the idea of scaring guests silly with a feast of clever, spooky dishes or you're just trying to figure out how to fit a little nourishment into a busy evening of trick-or-treating and door-answering, we've got you covered!
Victoria Shearer, author of numerous cookbooks, shares a round-up of some favorite Halloween classics in her article Spooky Halloween Dinner. Looking for inspiration? You're sure to find it here.
Meanwhile KidsOutAndAbout's own June Santini, known among the home office staff for her exquisite pies, bacon jam, and paninis, offers up her solution to Halloween Dinner: Pumpkin Stew. If you find your October joy in the farmers' market instead of the candy aisle, you'll love this recipe. Leave it on the stove, easy-peasy, or pour it into a hollowed-out pumpkin to wow your friends.
