How to Celebrate Halloween with Kids…COVID-Style
With all of the unexpected changes that have happened this year, one thing that may have slipped many minds is the impending lack of a celebrating a traditional Halloween with kids. According to the experts, it is not inadvisable to take children from door-to-door to traditionally trick-or-treat this year due to the increased health risks.
Don’t let that stop your family’s Halloween spirit though! Keeping health guidelines in mind, here are a few ways to help your kids have fun this Halloween while keeping them safe!
Get Prepared Early
Children will often look forward to Halloween, if not for the experience of trick-or-treating, then for the candy that comes with it. Keeping that in mind, buying candy for your kids ahead of time is a strategic move, as it is likely that the supply may become scarce as we get closer to Halloween.
To give even more a semblance of normalcy, there are a few different options you can go with to make the day feel more special.
Get in the Spooooky Spirit
Use these unprecedented times as an opportunity to get creative. Try these simple Halloween-themed ideas to celebrate the season:
- Bake and deliver festive treats. For example, spider-web cupcakes or black cat cookies are a simple treat the whole family can make!
- Decorate the house with homemade Halloween crafts while listening to Monster Mash.
- Break out your best Halloween jokes for a joke-off!
The Virtual Halloween Option
Call all your friends and family, near and far! Try two different methods to organize a series of video calls, using Zoom or a similar platform. First, organize calls with family members or friends. Have them connect to the call long enough to say an enthusiastic “Happy Halloween” and give your child the chance to say “trick-or-treat.” Then, give your child a piece of candy for each person, allowing them to have a semblance of normalcy for their Halloween.
Second, try organizing it with other parents: have your child digitally trick-or-treat with each of them, while their children, in turn, call you. You would still have to provide the candy for your child, but having other parents to help organize it will help take some of the burden off of you!
Act Like A Kid
You, as a parent, may be missing the excitement of the average Halloween, so join in with your kids and make the most of it! Try dressing up in family-themed costumes, such as Scooby Doo & the Gang or nearly any Disney/Pixar movie.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to Halloween (cue the movie “Up”). Truly, after the year of ultimate ups and downs, make the most of this holiday with your family.
Make it Fun
Many children find the excitement of going out to get the candy almost as fun as eating it when they are done. As they cannot go out this year, something you can do to help preserve that feeling of excitement is helping them to ‘earn’ candy by playing games with them.
These games can be anything from party video games to card games. Keep in mind though, that children will still want candy at the end of the night, so be sure to either reward them in part for losses, or to take it easy on them.
