Chills, Thrills and Creative Halloween Treats for Kids

Stuck for a new Halloween treat for the younger set? Here are some cavity-free possibilities:

* For an offbeat evening, adults can bring their children to see the Mums, masters of surrealistic circus comedy, in “The Mums Haunted Garden Party” outdoors at Stages Theatre Center in Hollywood on Saturday and Sunday. Tricks or treats will be awarded for outstanding costumes. Tickets are $15 per adult; $7.50 for children under 12. (213) 466-1767.

* Come to the Celtic Arts Center’s eighth annual, daylong “Celtic New Year Music & Dance Festival” on Sunday and see where many Halloween rituals came from. Family activities at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood include Celtic music, dance, art, storytelling and theater. Tickets are $10; children under 16 are free. (213) 660-8587.

* For the much younger set, the downtown Bob Baker Marionette Theatre includes a Halloween Costume Contest with the last performance of its musical carnival puppet show “Fiesta” on Sunday afternoon. Children are invited to wear a costume and take part. (213) 250-9995.

* Professional actors/improv artists Jed Mills and Al Alu, with puppet sidekick Benjamin Bookworm, perform “Scary Stories and Spooky Tales” for ages 4 to 12 on Sunday at 1 p.m., free at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood. (213) 485-7393.

* The Jim Gamble Puppets will put on a “Monster Mash” at Santa Monica College twice on Saturday afternoon. (310) 452-9396.

* Children ages 3-8 can hear funny and spooky tales in “Halloween Storytelling With Jennifer and Jon,” free at Children’s Book World on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (310) 559-2665.

* J.P. Nightingale and Dan Crow perform “Trolls, Crows and Nightingales,” a program of Halloween stories and songs for ages 5 and up, Sunday at Lakewood High School Auditorium. (310) 271-6402.

* The Tickle Tune Typhoon musical group presents a family concert today at Ventura High School auditorium, (805) 646-6997, and on Saturday at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium in Pasadena, (800) 423-8849, (818) 395-4652, TDD (818) 395-3700.

Or, for stay-at-home thrills and chills (mild ones), pick up Backyard Productions’ Halloween video “Spooky Tales & Tunes,” a mix of animation, puppetry and live action for ages 2 to 8. Kids can see a “Schnork” find his roar, watch “Spooky Dreams” and see if their own personal spine-tingler is on the list when real kids talk about “What Is Scary?” From the creators of “Babysongs,” the Video Treasures release, priced at $12.98, is available at Children’s Book World in West L.A. and Blockbuster stores. Or call (800) 745-1145.

Older children (8 and up) can turn out the lights and hear more gruesome fare with two new August House audiocassettes, “The Head on the High Road: Ghost Stories From the Southwest” and “There’s No Such Thing as Ghosts: Ghost Stories From the Southeast,” with storytellers Richard and Judy Dockrey Young. The pair spin tales about specters and ghouls, phantom lights, haunted houses and graveside phone calls. Price: $12 each. At Waldenbooks and other booksellers. Information: (800) 284-8784.