It’s that time of year: tiny vampires, witches, and zombies will soon be roaming the streets. Celebrate spooky season as a family by discovering the history behind your kids’ costumes, peeping some dapper dressed-up pets, and taking a Halloween quiz. Plus, why are these bears so fat?

Your kids might associate witches with the Harry Potter series, but the history of this cultural figure is more complicated: The threat of being accused of witchcraft might have kept older, unmarried women from revolting against society’s norms.

Kids aren’t the only ones who get in on the Halloween fun: According to one study, 75 percent of pet owners dress up their pets for fall festivities. (Last year’s top pet costumes? Pumpkin, hot dog, and bat.) Check out pics of decked-out pets, then get tips to keep fur babies safe on Halloween.

Need a break from the spookiness? Autumn has another fun holiday: Fat Bear Week! Each fall, the brown bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve grow up to a thousand pounds to prepare for their winter sleep. As the bears gorge on salmon, people watch them on a livestream—and then vote for their favorite bear. Meet the winner of Fat Bear Week 2025!

Swim alongside a group of not-so-scary wolves that live by the sea, decide which are the deadliest animals on the planet, and get 10 cool facts about spooky stuff, like a mushroom called dead man's fingers and a fungus that turns ants into zombies. Yikes! (Subscribe here!)

GIVEAWAY ALERT! Adults, now’s your chance to enter to win a dino prize pack for your kids: It includes a National Geographic Kids Dinosaur Tonie and a copy of the National Geographic Kids book I Know Dino.  

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Begins on 11/3/25 at 8 a.m. ET and ends on 11/10/25 at 11:59 p.m. ET or until 5 eligible entrants are verified, whichever is earlier. First come, first served. Open to 50 U.S./D.C.; 18+; with children ages 6-14. SUBMISSIONS MUST BE EMAILED BY YOUR PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: National Geographic Partners, LLC, 1145 17th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036. Rules/odds: https://natgeokids.com/giveaways

Now Available: Season 12 of Greeking Out on
Nat Geo Kids YouTube!

Calling all mega Greek mythology fans! In season 12, embark on new Greek mythology adventures jam-packed with dangerous monsters, epic heroes, and so much more. 

Hungry for more? Discover Greeking Out: Minute Myths, a new YouTube Original Series on Nat Geo Kids, and check out  Greeking Out Tales of the Underworld, our latest book in the New York Times bestselling series!