Halloween is right around the corner and soon, you'll need a way to keep the kids entertained. While the little ones are content trick-or-treating, and you may feel safe allowing older teens to attend Halloween parties, what about preteens? Is there a way for families with preteens to enjoy Halloween at home? Sure there is! In fact, Halloween is a wonderful evening for a family night.

First of all, Halloween at home is the perfect time to introduce your children to some of the scary movies you loved as a kid. Of course, you'll want to keep the rating appropriate for their age. You could show them such classics as Hocus Pocus or go even more classic with movies such as The Wolf Man or Frankenstein. Regardless of what you show, a movie marathon is a great option for Halloween night.

Another great way to spend the evening is making classic Halloween treats. Some great ideas include caramel apples, cut-out sugar cookies, festive cupcakes, or even a snack mix. There are a number of great places to get Halloween recipes. Of course, if you want free recipes, the internet is a perfect place to start.

Last, but not least, get your children involved in a good cause. There are a number of different ways to help charities on Halloween. A fun idea for the whole family though is to setup a haunted house and charge admission. The money raised with the haunted house can then be donated to your favorite charity. It could be a local pet shelter, food drive, or any other charity your family believes in. This is also an activity that could take up several family nights. The earlier in October you open your haunted house, the more money you'll earn for your charity.

Halloween doesn't have to be boring for preteens. The days of a big candy loot may be over, and they may still be too young to hit teen Halloween parties, but there are a number of fun ways to enjoy the holiday at home.