With ghosts, witches, monsters, and other scary creatures popping up all over the place, even the bravest kids may feel a little uncomfortable during the Halloween season. Sometimes it is a good idea to take a little break from the frightening parts and celebrate in a friendlier, less frightening way. Here are some fun ways to bring family and friends together without the unsettling sites and sounds of the notoriously creepy holiday.
Things To Do With Children Afraid of Halloween
The origins of Halloween can be traced back to a Celtic festival where people wore costumes to scare ghosts away. Over 2000 years ago, the Celts in Ireland, northern France and the United Kingdom celebrated their new year on November 1st. The night before, October 31st, the people believed the ghosts of the dead would return to earth and ruin their harvest. People gathered around bonfires and dressed in frightening costumes to ward off these ghosts and usher in the new year. This historic ritual explains why so many people to this day dress up in scary costumes on Halloween. But what if your child has a case of the jitters? Do goblins and skeletons cause them to quiver? You can still celebrate this festive holiday by putting your own non-scary spin on things. Follow these tips to take the spook out of Halloween!
Halloween costumes can be pretty frightening. Not know who is hiding behind a mask is unsettling, but it's even worse when the costume itself is scary. Lots of kids love to dress up as witches, monster, ghouls, and ghosts, which can cause some discomfort for your nervous child. Instead, invite guests to an Ugly Halloween Sweater party! Kids will still have the experience of "dressing up" for Halloween, but without the masks and the bloody costumes. Hold a contest for the winner, take lots of pictures, and watch your child enjoy a scare-free party.
(2) Turn off the Scary Movies and Make Some Holiday Crafts
Halloween movies, even the ones made just for kids, will inevitably have a few scary parts. Even if it is not a horror movie by design, almost all of them will have a few startles. For kids already feeling a bit nervous, these shows will only fuel their fear. Instead, turn off the television and spend the evening hours making Halloween crafts. Browse some creative haunted house kits and building sets for siblings to put their creative minds to use. Quiet time at the kitchen table with a wide array of art supplies is a fun, relaxing way to wind down before bedtime. Painting pumkpins is always a fun favorite!
(3) Skip the Haunted Hay Rides and Head to the Kitchen
It's tempting to head to a local farm to participate in all the activities. Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hay rides, and haunted houses are popular attractions. But for timid little children, these places can be very scary. Farms are decorated will all kinds of frightening figures, like towering ghosts blowing in the wind, nasty witches stirring ingredients in a cauldron, and more. The worst part of live attractions are hay rides notorious for jump scares around every bend. Rather than taking your child to one of these places, spend some quality time in the kitchen baking festive Halloween cookies!
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