Motherhood and Kids

Last-Minute Tips & Trinkets for Halloween

I don’t know about your kids but mine are counting down the seconds ’til Halloween night. We’ve honestly had so much construction drama this week, I’m feeling behind with Halloween stuff but I’m getting serious today. I know a lot of you guys are just as busy, so I thought it’d be helpful to put together a post with all my last-minute tips & trinkets.

We’ve been through 15 Halloweens with kids at this point (crazy to type that!) and it’s always amazing the new stuff they come out with each year. I’m loving some of the more ‘safety’ Halloween things that I’m sharing below and I wanted to outline some tips we share with our kids. And you know we’ve gotta have FUN so there’s, of course, some of that, too!

I hope you guys have an awesome Halloween with your family and friends!

Fun Things to Do Halloween Night

• Have your kids’ friends over for takeout before or as a break so you can trick-or-treat as a group.
• Host a costume contest with neighborhood kids and cast votes for the scariest, most creative, and whatever other categories you like.
• Do a friendly competition and see who can collect the most candy and hit the most houses. Whoever wins gets a prize!
• Host a candy swap the following weekend or after trick-or-treating. That way, everyone gets the candy they love most. I’m also loving this idea of the Switch Witch- have y’all heard?
• Play spooky Halloween music during dinner and while getting costumes on. You could also play your favorite Halloween movie in the background to really get in the spirt!
• Make some Halloween-themed food and desserts for dinner. For instance, you could make a jack-o-lantern pizza and for adults, you have to try this Bloody Pomegranate Margarita!

Halloween Safety Tips

• Carry flashlights and use reflective tape on bikes or helmets so cars can easily see them. I love these light up candy bags and headlamps as well!
• Have a meet up spot in case someone gets lost.
• Go over rules of strangers with your kids and communicate which neighbors you trust for them to go to if they get lost or scared. Caution them to never enter a stranger’s home or car for a treat.
• Remind kids and your trick-or-treat group of anyone with allergies. For more treat awareness tips and candy alternatives, check out this blog post.
• Have a curfew for older kids and map out the route they plan to take ahead of time. Also remind them to stay with the group and not to wander off on their own.
• For older kids with cell phones, have them turn on their location finder. For the little ones, these walkie talkies are not only fun, but great for staying in communication with one another.
• Don’t assume cars will stop for you. There’s always a chance they don’t see you or are driving distracted.
• Make sure kids know not to dart out into the street or cross between driveways or parked cars. Always cross as a group and at designated crosswalks if possible.
• Have your kids’ friends over for takeout before or as a break so you can trick-or-treat as a group.
• Avoid tripping hazards by making sure your kid’s shoes and costumes fit properly.

More Halloween Gadgets