By Timberley Christie

Our child has concerns, “but what about Halloween?!” 

In a time where everything is cancelled and we are encouraged to keep our distance, parents have had to be creative when it comes to providing pieces of normal for our little ones. So far, we have managed; but with the holidays approaching, we are going to have to take it up a notch.  Halloween is a holiday centered around fun, friendly gatherings focused mainly on socializing. This year will require a new approach, so I did some searching and found some simple options to help maintain the fun of the day without the closeness.

CANDY SLIDE
This is a project for all you creative DIYers – build a social distancing slide for candy to travel through. The idea is simple and the supplies affordable. It’s an easy way to engage with kids while being respectful of the social distancing guidelines. Build it, decorate it and they will come. What kid wouldn’t want to catch candy out of a ghostly candy chute?!

CANDY HUNT
It’s like looking for Easter eggs but instead we’re looking for prewrapped candy!

• Outside Edition: Decorate your yard and ‘hide’ candy. Wrapped candy can be taped to kitchen skewers and stuck in the ground for easy picking. Get several large plastic pumpkins and fill them up. Then place them around a well-lit yard and let kids search for the sweets. Decorate plastic Easter eggs to look like your favorite character!  Here’s a link for some inspiration!
  https://activitiesforkids.com/halloween-egg-hunt/

• Inside Edition: Our child prefers all things inside so she suggested hiding candy throughout the house. Candy can be hidden in each room or it can be turned in to a scavenger hunt. Create easy clues that kids must solve in order to reach the next candy stash. This is also a fantastic rain option!

Do you have a group of fun neighbors who like to participate? The next two options are for you!

DRIVE-THROUGH HAUNTED STREET

Coordinate with the neighborhood to make a Halloween Spooktacular for the kids in your area. Think Christmas lights but with skeletons and spiders. Deck out those yards with all the spooky, scary items you can find. Shine a bright white spotlight on the ghost up in your tree. Add scary music, broomsticks, smoke. Open the garage and create the scariest scene you can imagine (while also considering your young, impressionable audience). Go. All. Out. And then invite everyone to drive through and witness the horror.

REVERSE TRICK OR TREATING
Picture costumed children waiting excitedly on their driveways while a line of cars drive by throwing out candy. And that’s it! SIMPLE. It can be taken up a notch by decorating the vehicles or blasting a spooky playlist over the radio. If the neighborhood is golf cart friendly – it can be a golf cart parade. This option ensures social distancing while allowing little ones to wear their costumes and catch candy.

 This year, Halloween will have to look different but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!