Here are some offerings to help make this Halloween as fun and memorable as possible for your little ones despite the strange year we are having. We've included safety tips for those of you Trick-or-Treating, and some fun at home activities as well!
Tips for at home Halloween:
Halloween Hunt
Get the kiddies pumped for the hunt by crafting their own candy treat bag! You can use whatever craft supplies you have around the house. Click here for some ideas!
Carve or decorate pumpkins & decorate your home.
On the eve of the hunt, kids can dress up and get ready as they would for trick or treating with costumes/facepaint etc.
Parents, time to hide the goods! Hint – depending on your kids age, keep things interesting by hiding the treats around the whole house rather than just one room, and really challenge your kiddos with the locations of the treats. We also recommend hiding unexpected treats for the little ones like colouring or activity books & small toys, along with what they are more obviously looking for; CANDY!
Put on some Halloween tunes (Check out ‘Shake them Skeleton Bones’ playlist on Spotify)
Wrap up the hunt with a fun not-too-spooky movie and a fun dinner option such as Pumpkin Pancakes or a pizza party!
Make your own haunted room
Ok, as a child who couldn’t even hear the word ‘spooky’ without needing to run and hide, I absolutely understand that this one might not be for everyone. The do-it-yourself haunted house (or in this case haunted room is more realistic) can be fun for older kids to create their own spooky experience. You don’t need much to make this happen. We recommend/suggest:
a few bed sheets to hang and divide up the space
a flashlight or two
a spooky sounds playlist (Check out ‘Disney Spooky Sounds’ on Spotify)
a few costume pieces (hats/wigs/homemade masks etc)
Tips for Safe Trick-Or-Treating
Giving out Candy…
One idea is to keep the door open for the period of time that you’re giving out candy. Yes it might get a bit chilly inside but you’ll be saving people from ringing your door bell or knockin on the door and therefore minimizing contact. You can leave a bowl at the bottom of the stiars and give a wave and hello to the little goblins or throw candy from a safe 6 feet away. You can also put a line of tape down on your front porch 6+ feet away to indicate where visitors should stop. Another option, hire this incredible plumber for a trick-or-treat candy chute!
For the trick-or-treaters…
A large bag to carry the candy in is helpful this year especially, and gives a larger target for the parents throwing the treats their way! Incorporating a mask into your child’s costume is also a great idea, and especially important if you’re in a busy neighborhood. No harm in using sanitizer throughout your journey, and be sure that the kids know that the treats and hands will need to be sprayed down before being consumed.
It is important to remember that there are many members of our community who are immune compromised and having a group of kids approach their home would be quite stressful at this time. With this in mind, if you are participating in giving out candy, be sure to put up some decorations and have your porch lights on to make it clear that you are giving out treats. It’s a good idea to chat with the kids before going out and making a pact that any home that does not look like it’s giving out candy should not be approached.
Wishing you all a safe & happy Halloween!
Allie + The Summerhill Club Team
