Children and families had the chance to hold slithering snakes and hissing cockroaches during a day of Halloween fun.
The half-term treat was organised by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) and held at Milton.
Six children receiving care joined in, along with 11 siblings and seven parents. Other highlights included spooky snacks, games and dancing, while the hospice was decorated with a giant spider and skeletons hanging from the ceiling.
The day started with a visit from the team at Animal Experience, who brought a blue-tongued skink, gecko, tortoise and stick insects.
The children also got to handle a python and colourful milk snake, passing them around and letting them sit on their shoulders.
They then enjoyed a tasty lunch of ghost-shaped pizzas and green slime jelly, served with sweets in the shape of vampire teeth, lizards and brains.
The day finished with dancing, puzzles, wordsearches and a game of ‘four corners’, where the children were gradually eliminated after picking one of the corners of the room represented by cards depicting a ghost, pumpkin, witch and cat.
“Our Halloween party was all about bringing smiles, laughter and a sense of togetherness to the children and families we support,” said Ceri Dobson, EACH’s Groups and Events Co-ordinator at Milton.
“It was wonderful to see them enjoying some spooky fun together and making happy memories.
“That’s what days like this are all about. Everyone got in the spirit, and it was lovely to see the hospice filled with laughter.”
Meanwhile, three children receiving care, plus parents and carers, attended a special Halloween-themed songs and stories session at Milton.
They adapted the words to children’s classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to sing We’re Going on a Pumpkin Hunt, using instruments to create special sound effects as they encountered ‘flipping, flapping bats’, ‘warty, jumping toads’ and ‘swooping, feathery owls’.
Other musical highlights included the creepy Cruella de Vil song from One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Trust in Me, sung by Kaa the python in The Jungle Book, and Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter.
The children also got stuck into special arts and crafts, including using paper plates to create shiny moons and orange tissue paper to make pumpkins.
“Our Halloween songs and stories session was such a joy, and the children loved joining in with the spooky songs,” said Ceri.
“It’s lovely to see how music and imagination can bring everyone together and create such a fun, heart-warming atmosphere.”
