Halloween with preschoolers can be super fun, overwhelming, filled with too much candy (or figuring out how much is too much), and sometimes scary for young children. Balance is key for having a happy Halloween.
Some families worry about young children being scared at Halloween. It does happen, but in general research shows that most 3 and 4 year olds are pretty good at differentiating between real and pretend. More importantly it’s both fun and important to practice pretending. At Halloween you get to try out different persona. You can be a scientist, a bat, or an explorer, and you are not alone…adults are pretending too.
There are children who do have some difficultly to differentiating between what is real and what is pretend. The key for these children is to keep it fun and not overwhelming so they can practice sorting out reality from fantasy. A little party at your child’s preschool may be enough excitement for Halloween. Perhaps you visit a couple neighbors’ houses, people your child knows, or have a small family celebration.
As a parent, you want to keep it fairly simple and keep your expectations in check so you can enjoy the day even if you child refuses to wear the costume you worked on for the last 2 weeks! Your child will probably enjoy it later so don’t marry your enjoyment of the day to someone else’s actions, especially if your child is one of those who gets over excited or nervous when there is a change to their routine. Seeing everyone else dressed up and acting differently is quite a lot for some children to take in but with a little encouragement even an apprehensive child can have a fun Halloween.
Here’s a link to Happy Hooligans for some simple decoration ideas for Halloween. They are preschool level…
https://happyhooligans.ca/21-easy-halloween-crafts-toddler-will-love/
