Halloween night, although exciting and fun, can be stressful and traumatic on toddlers who don’t yet understand the concept of the holiday.
Here are a few tips to help you keep Halloween simple and stress-free for the little guys.
Borrow A Costume
These kiddos are so little and chances are they have no idea what they are being dressed as or why. Save the money and borrow a costume from another family whose toddler has outgrown the costume.
Another idea is to have the costume work double duty. One mom purchased a winter coat for her one-year-old that was designed like “Blue” from “Blue’s Clue’s.” The coat was furry and the hood had two ears. The father who trick-or-treated with the toddler was dressed as Blue’s sidekick, “Steve.” To make the “Steve” costume, the mom purchased scrap fabric in two shades of green. She cut the fabric in strips and safety pinned the stripes onto one of her husband’s golf shirts. He wore a khaki jacket over it and the only thing that shows were the “Steve” stripes. The toddlers coat doubled as a warm winter coat AND a Halloween costume.
No Masks
They don’t stay on. They are not safe as they block the child’s peripheral vision, which is, of course, unsafe when walking from house to house, and they are uncomfortable. Consider light face painting instead.
Consider The Weather
If you live in a climate where on Halloween night the temperature could range from 40-degress F on up to 80-degrees F, take that into consideration when selecting your child’s costume.
Don’t use the Blue’s Clue’s idea above if you live in a year-round warm weather climate and don’t make your child a belly dancer if there’s a chance that the weather will be cold and rainy. Consider the weather in advance to avoid disappointment.
Don’t Force Them To Tell Jokes
In some areas, telling a joke or riddle before being given a treat is customary. Don’t force a two or three year old to tell a joke. A simple “Trick Or Treat” will do. And if they won’t talk, simply ask them to smile. Do encourage them to say “Thank you” at every house, but don’t stress out a shy toddler over this.
Don’t Take A Toddler To Houses Where They Are Unfamiliar With Those Who Live There
A toddler doesn’t need a bucket full of treats. It can be confusing to tell your toddler “Don’t talk to Strangers” but then to send him door to door asking him to do just that.
Take the child to a handful of houses where he/she is familiar with the residents. Or better yet, take the child to relative’s houses like grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. They will love to see the child dressed up and the child will experience no fear.
Find A Local Mall Or Community Center
In many cities, malls or community centers will hold ‘in house’ trick-or-treating activities. These are great places for the little ones to get their feet wet to learning what Halloween is all about.
