Make Halloween fun for nervous kids
This doesn’t mean your family has to opt out of Halloween altogether. A few simple strategies can ensure everyone has a happy evening.
If your child is afraid of the dark
The easiest solution here is to start trick or treating early, while it’s still light outside. Giving your little one a torch to carry and getting them to wear glow bands is also a good idea.
Most importantly of all, make sure you’re there to hold their hand. Everything looks less scary with mum and dad around!
If your child worries about monsters
For some little ones, the ghoulish masks and costumes look all too real.
It can help if you ask older siblings to include their little brother or sister in the ‘transforming’ process by getting them to help out with clothes and face paint.
Showing them masks in the daylight will help too. Anything to reinforce that this is all just pretend.
Build confidence at home
It’s a good idea to build up to the Big Night in small steps. Maybe by getting your child involved in making some Halloween decorations or helping to carve pumpkins.
Many preschools have their own Halloween parties or dress up days and this can be a good way of getting little people to ‘rehearse’ for the real thing and get used to witches, ghosts and goblins.
Tune into your child
Nobody knows your child better than you and perhaps the best advice of all is to trust your instincts about what’s best for them.
If you’ve got a shy child who’s uncomfortable about big crowds, they might prefer to go out early when things are less busy.
The key is to make the experience fit your child and not the other way round. Children will let you know when they’re ready for new experiences, be it entering a haunted house or knocking on a strange door.