How to Have a Safe and Enjoyable Halloween…
For most people on the planet, this year has been one for the record books. The many peaks and valleys that every living creature has endured throughout the course of the past 10 months has been beyond our wildest imaginations. The rampant forest fires in California, the on-going threat of tropical storms, the upcoming and very controversial election, and of course the global pandemic that COVID-19 has brought forth has made 2020 truly unbelievable.
Slowly, steadily and very cautiously we are all returning to some semblance of ‘a new normal,’ whatever form that may take. Many of us have purchased stock in Lysol and Clorox products, bought face masks for every possible occasion, and have enough toilet paper and hand gel to last another decade. Since September, most all school age children have returned to learning in either a hybrid or completely virtual model, and at the back of every one of their minds is the notion that, regardless of a global pandemic, October is a time to celebrate Halloween in some way or another.
Having a son with cerebral palsy, ADHD, Autism and a sensory integration disorder, we’ve always modified how we partake in the festivities. This year will require us to make ever more modification to help maintain safe social distancing while still having some fun!
Here are some tips on how to have a fun and safe Halloween.
1.) Be Selective: Due to social distancing, the notion of a tradition form of trick-or-treating is simply not an option. Therefore, you will need to determine what’s most important about the occasion and prioritize accordingly. What’s the most important part of a celebrating Halloween for your child? Is it carving pumpkins, access to their friends, collecting candy or watching a spooky movie of some sort? Try to focus on the most obtainable so that your child is not disappointed. In some cases, you might be able to combine a few of your child’s favorite activities so that they feel as though they’re not disappointed.
2.) Create a new tradition: My children have always spent Halloween with my mom, my sister and my niece. Since I’m a full time teacher and have a longer school day than my children, my mom has always graciously picked them up and gone trick or treating while it’s still light outside. My son, Evan, has difficulty walking for long periods and on varied terrains due to his mobility issues, so they would begin their trick-or-treating route in the local mall. This was an ingenious initiative started by local vendors, who very generously gave candy to children as parents shopped and relaxed inside the temperate conditions of an inside space. We never had to worry about the weather or having to bundle up in heavy coats while trick-or-treating. After spending time together, we’d all gather for pizza at my sister’s house for a party with lots of friends and family. However, due to COVID, there has been a ban on any kind of trick-or-treating and/or larger social gatherings, so this year, we are going to gather in a purely virtual manner. We’ll still have pizza, but now, we’ll connect via a Zoom call so that we can still see one another in costume, without having to worry about maintaining social distance.
3.) Get Creative: There’s more to Halloween than carving pumpkins. For years, my kids have enjoyed the Halloween arts and craft projects that my sister traditionally plans as much as they enjoy the bundles of candy they collect. They say that necessity is the mother of invention, so it’s times like these that call for creative thinking. Stores such as Michael’s, Target, Wal-Mart, Dollar Plus, etc. offer dollar bins loaded with loads of inexpensive ways to be crafty. Some of my favorites include the balsa wood bird houses, door knob decorations, key chains, etc. that can be easily painted. There are also many other ways to get creative; hand paint puzzle pieces, make sock-puppets, string beaded necklaces/keychains, weave lanyards, personalize a foam visor, the list is truly endless once you set your mind to finding ways to get creative! Below I have included a link to Halloween craft bins at Target! (*This is not an ad*)
https://www.passionforsavings.com/online/target-dollar-spot-finds/
4.) Get cooking! There are so many fun and adorable Halloween themed treats that you can make without having to bake and/or even turn on your oven! It’s a great way to spend time together without having to leave your house. Below are some links to fun and tasty Halloween treats!
https://www.brit.co/no-bake-halloween-treats/
https://www.brit.co/simple-no-bake-halloween-treats/
5.) Hunker down!: As the days become shorter and the nights darker, my kids begin to hunker down earlier and earlier every day. Halloween marks the end of October and where we live, it’s already dark by 5:30pm. We love nothing more than getting into our pj’s, eating dinner and watching some of the classics on tv. Some of our favorites include; “The Great Pumpkin,” “Nightmare Before Christmas,” “The Adam’s Family,” “Hotel Transylvania,” “Hocus Pocus,” and of course “Beetlejuice!” Make a huge bowl of popcorn, gather together, hunker down and let the fun begin with some family friendly Halloween themed movies!
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g2661/halloween-movies/
6.) Trunk or Treat: If it’s within the realm of possibility, gather friends and family and meet at a local park or even someone’s driveway. Open up your trunks and let the good times roll. Due to the restrictions that social distancing may present, this may mean that you can only provide treats for your family, however just the act of gathering together, six feet apart with masks, will make the experience all the more special.
7.) Make a Halloween Themed Dinner: A very good friend of mine, Amy, has been making dinner in a pumpkin for her family every Halloween since her children were very young. They are both now in their twenties and still look forward to the culinary treat! See the link for the recipe. If you are feeling a little more ambitious, there are endless ways to create Halloween themed pizza, treats, and much more! https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/dinner-pumpkin/https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/10/fun-halloween-pizza-ideas.html
8.) Do a Drive By: Since my kids were very young, we’ve always enjoyed family rides. In the summer when it’s just too hot to move, we’ll pile in the car, turn up the ac, crank up the music and just cruise through our little town and the neighboring area. Around the holidays, we love to take a drive at night to view all of the decorations that people display. Halloween is also a great time to experience the enthusiasm some people have for celebrating the holiday. One family has taken decorating for Halloween to a whole new level- their entire yard is full of a tableau featuring thirteen skeletons that change scenes every few days. It’s simply amazing!
http://13skeletons.com/gallery.html
9.) Play games: Recently, we’ve had a series of wind storms and as a result lost power for an extended period of time. It always seem to happen at night, so as a result, we’ve had to get very creative when trying to stay busy! One way is to put on a little play using a flashlight and shadow puppets. It’s amazing how involved some of the stories can become! We’ve also played Monopoly by candlelight, Bingo, Twister, you name it, we’ve dug it out, dusted it off and gotten busy. Playing the game of Clue on Halloween night is particularly fun given the mystery it involves. Try to return to an electronic device-free Halloween, even if it’s just for one night!
https://www.dadsuggests.com/home/the-best-halloween-board-games-for-kids
10.) Look at old pictures/videos of past Halloweens: My kids love nothing more than to see old videos of themselves when they were very little. They laugh hysterically at their own toddler voices, antics and celebrations of past birthdays, holidays and of course Halloween costumes. It’s always great fun for us as well. It’s amazing how fast time flies by, and it seems like just yesterday that we were carting our now 16 year old daughter and 14 year old son around the neighborhood in a red Radio Flyer wagon!
No matter how you spend Halloween, enjoy the time together! It truly goes by so fast!
