Residents of Toronto and much of the GTA have been advised by Ontario’s chief medical officer that they should skip trick-or-treating this year. Honestly, it’s a real bummer—there’s no denying that. Our kids have had to deal with a lot of change throughout this year and many parents were looking forward to a bit of normalcy come October 31st.
But just because going door-to-door to collect candy is off the books for 2020, doesn’t mean Halloween has to be a complete wash. There are lots of other fun activities you can plan for your kids to ensure they have a wonderful Halloween. And who knows, you might just create a whole new tradition that your kids beg for every year!
So let’s take a look at some of the fun and spooky at-home Halloween activities that you can do in the comfort of your own home!
Have a Halloween candy taste test.
Okay, the best thing about Halloween is, arguably, all the free candy. I’m a grown-up with my own kiddos and I still love the idea of trick-or-treating and coming home with a pillowcase (let’s be honest here) full of free candy. But the nice thing about being a kid is that most things in life seem to be free!
So this year, why not gather up a wide variety of delectable candies—and maybe a few questionable Halloween staples—and have a full-blown Halloween taste-test? You can rate each candy on a scale of 1 to 10 and pick and an overall family favourite. Thankfully, Halloween is on a Saturday this year so spread the treats out throughout the day!
Carve pumpkins.
This is classic Halloween and really can’t be missed. Grab some pumpkins and get carving! If you have younger kids you can also use paints, markers or even stickers to safely let them decorate their own pumpkins.
Roast the pumpkin seeds.
This is another favourite Halloween activity of mine—roasting the pumpkin seeds is a great healthy snack for the kids and also a fun activity that’s a little messy and a lot of fun.
Have a Halloween movie marathon.
I am not one for horror movies, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love a good Halloween movie marathon. There are so many great films out there that are perfect for kids—remember to pick movies that are a good fit for your kids’ ages and ability to tolerate spookiness. My go-to’s include It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown 1-3, and Casper—and once the kids are in bed, The Craft of course!
Wear. Your. Costume.
Who cares if you aren’t going out into the cold to ask strangers for candy? Is that a good enough reason not to get dressed up in your costume? Absolutely not! I say wear the costumes, all the costumes, all day long!
Have a Halloween dance party.
It’s time to bust out the Monster Mash, Thriller, and the Ghostbusters theme song. Head to your favourite music streaming service and search for “Halloween”—you will not be disappointed by all the amazing playlists out there!
Decorate!
You’ve already carved your pumpkins, but don’t stop there—decorate the whole house in all things bats, witches, ghosts, and goblins! And if the weather holds up, why not decorate outdoors as well?! Sure, kids might not be knocking on your door for treats, but who doesn’t love checking out all the amazing decorations while they walk around the neighbourhood?
Have an at-home candy hunt.
This is more of an Easter tradition, but this year we are co-opting it for Halloween. Make it extra spooky by turning off all the lights and giving your kids glow sticks or a flashlight to help them find the candy. You can also take advantage of any outdoor space you have and hide candy there, too.
Prepare a Halloween dinner.
Embrace the Halloween theme and make every element of your day as spooktacular as possible. Even dinner should be a Halloween masterpiece. Try these yummy TexMex stuffed Jack O’Lantern peppers or this delicious Mummy Brie!
Get crafty.
There are so many amazing Halloween crafts out there for kids of all ages. And it’s a great way to keep the kids entertained, create some handmade Halloween decor, and just have fun. We love these popsicle stick spiderwebs—a great craft for all ages—and these toilet paper roll bats are just too cute!
Go for a walk in your neighbourhood.
Wait until the sun has set and take a moonlight walk through your neighbourhood to check out all the spooky decorations on display. Be sure to wear your costumes and bring a few pieces of candy for the road!
