🎃 Scare the kids this week—it's good for them.

SEE BELOW, CAN YOU GUESS THE RIGHT ANSWER? [VIEW ONLINE]( You might be sick of all the giant black cat balloons and cotton-covered bushes, but your kids are just getting started. Right on time for Halloween, discover why [spooky-yet-safe]( situations can be good for kids, get tips for encouraging [reasonable candy consumption]( and meet [adorable costumed pets](. Plus: Take the quiz to see which hybrid animals are real. (And it's up to you to decide if they're creepy or cute.) [Haunted House ]( Photo by Tom Williams / Roll Call / Getty Images [Scary good: Why it’s OK for kids to feel frightened sometimes]( It’s natural for kids to freak out over scary stuff. But you can boost their self-confidence with spooky-yet-safe situations. Here’s how. [SELF-CONFIDENCE IDEAS]( Photo by mediaphotos / Getty Images [Your kids are already over-snacking—and now it’s Halloween.]( Snacking season is upon us. Turn those sugar munchies into something more healthful with these ideas. (Sorry—it doesn’t involve you stealing candy from kids’ trick-or-treat bags.) [HEALTHY EATING TIPS]( PARENT’S ESCAPE: [Put these European historical haunts on your vision board](. BOREDOM BUSTERS PHOTO BY KUBAN_GIRL, SHUTTERSTOCK [GOT 5 MINUTES? Supercute costumes]( Show your kids this photo gallery of cute dogs and cats sporting spooky-season getups. They might inspire your child to dress up the family pet, but beware … they also might lead to a request for a new human costume. [SEE CUTE PHOTOSS]( PHOTO BY LORI EPSTEIN, NAT GEO [GOT 15 MINUTES? Scary good recipe]( Whether the gang’s fueling up for a night of trick-or-treating or hosting some after-party fun, this jack-o'-lantern personal pizza is easy for kids to make. The simple step-by-step instructions are key. [GET THE RECIPE]( As a participant in multiple affiliate marketing programs, National Geographic will earn a commission for certain purchases. See full disclaimer below.* [HALLOWEEN FACTS TO GO]( Packed with hilarious and terrifying tidbits, the Nat Geo Kids book Weird But True! Halloween will provide young readers surprising secrets about the holiday. (Just how fast does a giant pumpkin grow?) [SHOP NOW ON BOOKS-A-MILLION]( GOOD READS [Your worst nightmare might be your kids sleeping with bedbugs. Here’s why these parasites are so good at what they do](. [Can loading up children on vitamin C cure or prevent a cold? Here’s what the experts say](. [Your whole family might need to take a sick day after getting the latest COVID shot. Find out why that’s a good thing](. [Here’s great news for kids wanting to get out of raking: leaving dead leaves on the ground is good for your lawn](. Conversation starters from Nat Geo Kids magazine • Spirit bears are [black bears]( that carry a recessive gene that makes their fur white. Read the article to find out how genes work, then talk about which genes your kids think they might have gotten from you. • [Glass frogs]( have a superpower: see-through skin that can make them nearly invisible. After reading about the science, find out which superpower your child would choose. • Bats don’t really want to drink human blood. Learn the[truth behind this myth]( then chat about other superstitions your kids might have. [Not a subscriber? Subscribe to Nat Geo Kids magazine for just $30/yr (10 issues).]( Pop Quiz Photo by Arterra / Philippe Clément [Which one of these is NOT a real animal hybrid?]( A. [Liger (lion + tiger)]( B. [Zorse (zebra + horse)]( C. [Cog (cat + dog)]( READ OUR LATEST STORIES [SHOP]( [DONATE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [TRAVEL]( *By clicking on the featured links, visitors will leave NationalGeographic.com and be directed to third-party e-commerce sites that operate under different terms and privacy policies. National Geographic is not endorsing these experiences or products. It has not performed product safety testing on any of these products, did not manufacture them, and is not selling, or distributing them and is not making any representations about the safety or caliber of these products or experiences. Prices and availability are subject to change from the date of publication. Clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and National Geographic Channel links will take you away from our National Geographic Partners site where different terms of use and privacy policy apply. This email was sent to: {EMAIL}. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored. This email contains an advertisement from: National Geographic | 1145 17th Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036 [Stop all types of future commercial email]( from National Geographic regarding its products, services, or experiences. [Manage all email preferences]( with the Walt Disney Family of Companies. © 2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC, All rights reserved.