It’s that special time of year, the one all kids have been waiting for. We have officially entered holiday season and Halloween is just around the corner. But of course, this year will be slightly different as we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Yep… we’re not out of the woods just yet unfortunately.
But honestly, pandemic or no pandemic, the kiddos are thinking all things halloween right now, and why shouldn’t they?
So we’re going to plan for an all things Safe and Socially Distanced Halloween in the year 2020.
This post is a short and sweet prep list for even the busiest parents, so let’s get to it.
* Prep COVID Friendly Costumes
First things first, it’s not halloween without costumes. It’s just not.
Kids plan for their halloween costumes all year long. The day after halloween kids are already planning for next years costumes. It’s the only day each year that kids get to dress up as princesses, super heros, ghosts, goblins, cowboys, etc. and have a party.
And Covid can’t take that away from them…and honestly it wouldn’t make sense. In a time where wearing a mask is now required by law in some to most places, the kiddos should enjoy all the pleasure of costumes with masks! Of course they can dress up as whatever they want, but having a costume with a mask already incorporated just makes it easier.
So let the kids dress up and have their costumes at the ready!
* Go All Out With Decor!
This is another area that covid has no precedence over. Halloween decorations should be seen far and wide, even if you’ve never dabbled in it before.
Why you ask?
Because the festivities the kids are going to be able to partake in this year will be minimal and restricted at best. Trick or treating is all but canceled. But you know what isn’t? Making it the coolest and most decorative halloween yet.
So go to the store! Grab all the cob webs, grab all the pretend skeletons, grab the squishy rats, get all the pumpkins… get everything. Decorate your house from the front porch to the backyard and everything in between. CVS should be empty by the time you’re done :).
Also this will be one of the areas that will still make halloween special for your kids because the next few items will be a little more restricted. So go all out on the decorations.
* Keep It Small
So this is the first area that will be significantly different from halloweens past and hopefully from future halloweens as well.
It’s not safe for anyone to be trick or treating right now. That would probably go against all kinds of social distancing regulations and increase your exposure to so many new individuals, which is quite the opposite of what we want given the current climate.
However, let’s say you’ve been pretty safe and your friends have been so as well. If you should so feel to plan a little outdoor shin dig with open air, no more than 6ish people, then that might be alright.
The idea is to keep it small, keep it socially distanced if possible, and include open air. If the kiddos are running around in the backyard, it can still be fun and halloween themed and better than having a crowded house full of people.
Think small. 2-3 little ones with parents. That’s all it needs and they’ll still have fun.
* Ideas for Celebrating
Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt: This is such a fun idea and helps provide a replacement for actual trick or treating, which we mentioned above is not that safe at the moment. One of the activities kids love doing all the time in the preschool are scavenger hunts. They love finding clues and love finding prizes even more. Make it halloween themed by hiding their treats all around the house or backyard. They’ll have just as much fun and might even forget about trick or treating all together.
Pumpkin Painting: This is a classic! This is good for any halloween occasion at any age, and is especially a hit with the little ones. Anytime you pull out paint and some brushes you’ll be sure to put a smile on their face.
Ghost Bowling: This is another fun preschool activity we do each year with the kids. You’ll need 6 paper towel rolls lined up with 1 in front, then 2, then 3 in pyramid form.
You will also need to cut out a handful of black ovals out of construction paper.
Take 2 of the ovals and tape them vertically on a paper towel roll for the eyes. Then take a 3rd black oval and tape it horizontally on the paper towel roll for the mouth. There’s your ghost! So for six paper towel rolls you will need 24 black construction paper ovals.
You can use any of your kids balls as a bowling ball and have them roll it towards the ghost bowling pins. They’ll be sure to leave happy and laughing.
* Summary
Alright parents, I said this one will be short and sweet!!
I hope you got some good tips and ideas that are easy to implement and will still be a hit with your kids this halloween. Remember, just because we’re in a pandemic doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate in a special, fun, and safe way. Sure we need to adjust a bit but we can still make the most of the holidays in 2020.
So make this halloween as fun as can be. Go the extra distance in some areas you haven’t tried before, and make the little things count. Have a fun and happy halloween!
And as always, If you have any questions, comments, or ideas please share them in the comments section below with your fellow parents! And definitely subscribe to the newsletter for updates and ongoing happenings at TylekTeaches.com. The subscription link is just at the bottom of this post.
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