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.