Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight,

Make me a child again just for tonight!

Elizabeth Akers Allen, 'Rock Me to Sleep'

Have you ever felt like that? Somehow, the changing seasons bring on that kind of nostalgia – a sudden flood of memories from when you were younger. Food tasted better back then, jokes made you laugh harder, and a treat was more 'special'.

Stories were better, too. Remember all those books you liked?

The Hallowe'en month is a good one for this challenge. Here's what we want you to do, children: listen carefully to the instructions before we pass out the construction paper and safety scissors.

We want you to write like your kid self. Pretend you're twelve.

Now write:

• An imaginative story.
• A description of something you enjoy doing.
• An account of a trip you've taken, or something exciting you've seen.

Or send us a picture:

• Something you drew.
• A photo you took.
• A picture you dug out of your personal archives. Tell us about it.

Warning: Here's the one thing you can't do: Don't write about your favourite book or tv show or movie. We don't want to know. And no pics of DVD covers, please! We're not into consumerism here. We will return these things, politely. We want you, not anybody else.

For extra credit, you may get a real, actual Kid to do the writing or artwork for you. Submit it with a cover name for the Kid in question, to preserve anonymity. Just tell them how much the 'old people' will like their Stuff.

If you're really ambitious, and want to do a Guide Entry, how about chasing down some child prodigies to write about? Something cool Baby Mozart got up to? Scientific children? Or people and organisations who helped kids? We know you can think of something.

The Create Team believe that participation in this challenge will make your jack-o-lantern carving more fun this year, and your cider taste better.

Create