Halloween can be a really fun time for kids, but it can also be potentially terrifying. Younger children can easily become overwhelmed by the spooky decorations and costumes. They may also find general Halloween activities a little too scary.
So, how can you make sure this ghoulish holiday is fun not frightening for young kids? Below, you’ll discover some great tips you can follow to ensure your little one has the best time.
Great Craft Ideas You Can Try
There are lots of great craft ideas you can try with younger kids. From simple cat mask ideas to Halloween paper chains, you can spend hours of fun with your young child creating simple crafts.
To create a Halloween paper chain, you’ll simply need large pieces of paper, pens and a pencil, small scissors, a ruler and tape. Look for Halloween shapes online, then trace them onto the paper. Cut the shape out to use as a template. You can find the full activity instructions here.
Other fun crafts suitable for young children include Halloween cards and Halloween-themed coloring books.
Halloween Baking
All kids love to bake, and Halloween is a great excuse to whip up a batch of treats. However, when baking with young children, avoid creating anything too gross or scary. For example, your kids may not appreciate cupcakes with oozing eyeballs.
Focus on less scary alternatives such as witches’ hats, friendly ghosts and bats.
You’ll find hundreds of Halloween baking ideas online suitable for younger children.
Happy Halloween Stories
Did you know you can find happy Halloween story books? Designed specifically for younger kids, these books can be a fab way to introduce your younger kids to Halloween.
These types of stories tend to feature more friendly characters such as funny witches and cute characters. They give the fears and folklore of the holiday a more lighthearted touch. These types of stories can also be great for older kids who are still scared of Halloween.
Don’t Force Them to Go Trick or Treating
While trick or treating is the main attraction of Halloween, not all children want to participate. It’s best to avoid taking younger children trick or treating anyway, but if you are planning on taking them and they don’t want to go, don’t force them.
If you force them to trick or treat now, it could scare them further and put them off Halloween in the future. They will let you know when they are ready to trick or treat and, in the meantime, you can plan fun, less scary Halloween activities at home.
These are just some of the ways you can ensure Halloween is fun and not frightening for the kids. No matter what their age, there is an idea above that they are sure to love. And if you’re struggling to come up with ideas, you’ll find a lot of inspiration online too. Do a quick internet search for fun, not frightening Halloween ideas for kids and see just how many ideas you’re presented with.