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Halloween is a fun holiday for kids, but this year it is going to look a lot different. Most families have their own traditions for Halloween. Perhaps it is visiting a certain neighborhood or attending a local festival or trunk or treat.
As with most things this year, trick or treating is being discouraged or cancelled due to the pandemic. But, that shouldn’t stop kids from enjoying all the fun that is Halloween!
Here are some ways you can create a “Stay Home Halloween” and avoid the virus!
Get them involved
If you want your children to be excited about your plans, have them help plan your Halloween activities. When children get to choose and plan something, they have more of an investment in it. This can work with many things.
Sit down as a family and talk about all the things that make Halloween fun. Reminisce about past Halloweens and what their favorite parts were. Talk about new things you can try. Visit Pinterest together, Google ideas, brainstorm.
Discuss what it will take to make these things happen. Make lists, draw pictures, have a clear vision.
When you go to the store to purchase items for your Stay at Home Halloween, have the children go with you to pick things out.
Decorate your house as a family. Have a haunted door contests with the doors in your house. Take pictures of each door and post on your social media to get others involved in voting! Have a special “door” prize.
Make your own costumes! Plan them out, Create them together. Have a costume contest and give out awards.
More than just a day
Who said Halloween has to be just one day? Decorate early and enjoy it the whole month of October if you like!
Plan special Halloween activities for the family to enjoy. Perhaps each family member can pick as activity each week/day. Make a Halloween calendar of events to keep everyone excited!
Check out Friendship activities
Halloween Activities and Fun
Baking Halloween treats – There are some really cool ways to “eat” Halloween! check out our Halloween Treats board!
There are meals to make, tasty snacks, healthy options, and of course the delicious sweets! Have the children help make some of the easier treats. This is a great way to get them involved and to learn how to cook!
You can play games to win prizes or just for fun! You can even make learning games that are Halloween themed! You will find games that are perfect for Halloween night and others that will be fun all October!
You can create fun contests for just about anything! Pumpkin carving, contests, bake offs, build your own haunted houses, etc. You can have a variety of awards from candy to trophies to special coupons!
There are some great family movies that everyone will enjoy. Hocus Pocus is a favorite as well as Nightmare Before Christmas. Create your own selection of movies and pick one each night to watch as a family!
Visit your local library to find a great selection of books for all ages! Your child will look forward to a special story every night! There are some great learning books as well as rebus books that your child can learn to repeat!
There are many different ways to build your own haunted house. You can pick up a kit from your favorite craft store, order one on Amazon or get creative with a cardboard box. I made one with my dad when I was a kid and it’s a favorite memory!
This can be tailored to your child(ren). Older children will be okay with scarier things that the young preschoolers would be. Don’t forget to add the creepy playlist in the background! That can be the scariest part!
There are some great songs out there that just scream Halloween! Have your kids help create a playlist to enjoy on car rides or just as background music at home! Don’t forget Ghostbusters, Thriller, Werewolves of London and Monster Mash!
While baked treats are fun, you can have a haunted meal too! Create a fun meal that everyone will not only enjoy but remember!
Check out our halloween pinterest board
Trick Or Treat Alternatives
In many cities, trick or treating has been banned, cancelled or strongly discouraged. But if there is anything we have learned about the pandemic it is that people have become very inventive!
In our area, Lowe’s is hold a curbside trick or treat event. Often mall’s will have trick or treating from store to store. Check out local FaceBook pages for these types of activities.
Don’t want to go out at all? Have a scavenger hunt for your child to find candy to add to their bucket!
I hope you have found some ways to create a safe and memorable Halloween for your family! What ideas have you heard about?
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