Trick-or-treat is all about dressing up in Halloween costumes, right? So how about free printable Halloween masks for kids to color, cut and paste? Perfect for preschool, special education and school Halloween parties. For families who don't do Halloween, I included links for generic masks so kids can still enjoy craft fun. Masks are grouped by theme and exclude creepy ones for little children. 

* Various: Colorbook Masks free printable Halloween masks in dozens of themes and styles. There are tribal masks from Africa, Bali, Native American, Aztec, Mayan, Inuit, Asian and more. Print animal, Mardi Gras, Harlequin, Tiki, calavera (skull) masks for Day of the Dead. To find the masks, you have to create a free account and log in. Click each mask image to get to different mask design pages.

* Animals: Activity Village has lots of free printable animals masks.

* Disney: Check Disney Family for free printable Disney Halloween masks. Print 3D masks of Winnie the Pooh, Ironman, Disney princesses, Hulk, Captain America, Frankenweenie and more.

* Samhain and fantasy: Phee Mcfaddel has free printable fairy masks plus other Wiccan-inspired designs. Some are rather eerie and some quite pretty and floral.

* Day of the Dead: How about free printable calavera masks? Happy Thoughts will email you free 3D skull mask printables if you submit your email. Here's another printable skull mask pattern from Instructables.

Many of the masks print in black and white so children can color them. Making homemade Halloween costume crafts means you keep antsy kids occupied productively as they await trick-or-treat.

Preschool DIY Cardboard Knight Suit of Armor

Kids going back to school equals bored preschool siblings. Summer may get a little crazy, but at least with big sisters and brothers at home, the not-yet-in-school one is entertained. Now he sits by the window moping and waiting for the bus to bring them home. And if you're a WAHM, a preschooler or half-day kindergarten kid with ennui means less productivity.

Fear not. Your helpful fairy schoolteacher is here to help. Use your recycle bin and get junior busy making a super-cool cardboard knight costume (complete with arsenal of safe "weaponry). Kid will be happily occupied, you can work and siblings will be drooling with envy. Here's a guide to make a suit of armor worthy of any knight. read more