Take the Fright Out of Halloween Night

Provided by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

For some of us, Halloween is an exciting and fun-filled holiday with thrilling ghosts and goblins, decorations, and costumes. However, as a preschooler or toddler, this may not be as much fun as adults and teenagers may think. Young children have not yet developed the ability to distinguish a pretend world from the real world. Monsters and scary things are very real to them. Below are some tips to take the scare out your child’s first Halloween:

• Do not allow young children, even elementary school-age children, to watch the Halloween horror movies that are popular this time of year. Save those for another time.
• Use face paint instead of masks.
• For the baby’s safety as well as to help them not be frightened, attend community-sponsored parties rather than trick-or-treating door-to-door in the dark.
• Allow baby to play with costumes and masks ahead of time, so that they become familiar with them.
• If you as an adult are costuming for some event, select a non-scary costume. Go as a butterfly rather than a witch.
• Ask people to take off their masks so that baby can see who is behind them, rather than being confused.
• Do not force an anxious toddler to participate if they don’t want to.

There will be lots of years ahead when your baby is old enough to enjoy the fantasies of Halloween. In the meantime, you can decorate pumpkins and celebrate without using scary costumes and noises.