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Why you should let your kids go trick or treating for Halloween

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays, but it can be a controversial subject for some. While many families like to go all-out and deck the halls with ghosts and ghouls, there are others that aren’t so keen on celebrations and activities related to Halloween. One of the most contentious issues is whether or not to take your kids trick or treating. If you’re on the fence, or you’re thinking about how you’re going to celebrate Halloween with your children this year, here are some reasons to seriously consider letting your tribe enjoy trick or treating.

Why you should let your kids go trick or treating this Halloween.

Getting to know your neighbors

Trick or treating: children holding Halloween banner.

We all know that cellphones and tablets play an increasingly integral role in our modern lives, and often, we lament the blissful days gone by when neighbours used to chat on their porches and you used to receive phone calls rather than texts. Trick or treating is one of the few community activities that remain, and it’s a great opportunity to get to know the people that live around you, to appreciate your local area, and hopefully, to forge new friendships. You can meet new people and discover places you never even knew existed, even though they’re right around the corner. 

Active lifestyles

We are more inactive than ever before. Research shows that we spend more and more time sitting down as a result of the growth of sedentary jobs and the proliferation of video games, digital TV, and the Internet. Trick or treating at Halloween provides a perfect excuse to get the kids out of the house and encourage them to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. If you’re used to battling with your children to get them out of their rooms or off the couch, this is a surefire means of boosting activity levels without any arguments. Walking is good for your body and your mind, and you might be surprised at just how many steps you take while scouring the neighborhood for fellow Halloween enthusiasts.

Socialisation

Trick or treating: girl with black Zorro mask and hat.

Both children and adults can find it difficult to socialize and meet new people. If you haven’t seen your friends for an age, or your children haven’t had time to catch up with old buddies they don’t go to school with, trick or treating is an ideal opportunity to get together. Going as a group is safer, and it’s also likely to be more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Celebrating traditions

Many people are eager to carry on family traditions they loved as a child when they become a parent. If you have fond memories of dressing up, knocking on your neighbour’s doors and coming home with a bucket full of sugary treats, it’s natural to want to share the fun and create new memories with your own kids.

Helping charities

Trick or treating: children carrying Halloween buckets and pumpkins

Some parents aren’t overly keen on the abundance of sweets their kids come home with after a trick or treating masterclass. If you don’t want your children to consume a year’s worth of sugar in a single night, there are ways to celebrate Halloween without overdoing it. Encourage your children to collect donations for charity instead of bags of sweets, or take any surplus treats to a local charity that is handing them out to children from poorer backgrounds or troops serving abroad. There are various initiatives that run around Halloween, and they enable your kids to enjoy the trick or treating experience while helping others out.

Having fun

Trick or treating: girl with pumpkin on her head.

We often read about kids being under more pressure than ever before, and there’s no better remedy for exam stress or worries about falling out with schoolmates than having fun with your family and friends. Trick or treating is part and parcel of many a family history in the US, and it’s an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages. From toddlers to grandparents, why not get everyone together and enjoy a night to remember?

Trick or treating: why you should let your kids go.

Halloween can be a controversial holiday. Many people love to celebrate Halloween, while others are more sceptical. In recent years, trick or treating has become a contentious issue, especially among safety-conscious parents. Neighbourhoods may not be as safe as they used to be, and it’s natural for parents to be worried. As Halloween approaches, think about the benefits of trick or treating and if you want to participate in this activity with your children, get everyone involved, go as a group, and enjoy making new memories. Trick or treating is a fantastic way to spend time with family and friends, get to know your neighbours, and get into the spirit of Halloween.

Now we have presenting the arguments FOR trick or treating – what do you think?

Will you be letting your kids go trick or treating this year?

If you do decide to go, in order to help you out with trick or treating – we’ve got a few extra ideas for you – why not check them out?

  • How about some trick or treat boxes for you to take with you on the day?
  • We have a few lollipop covers on the site, so why not get some special Halloween lollipop covers for the trick or treaters that visit your house?
  • If you want to get a little hands on, we’ve got a trick or treat bag you can make with a cute spider on it as well, and
  • What about some Halloween party ideas as well, just so the evening goes really well? We’ve got some Halloween food ideas, as well as some Halloween props for the photos!

Lots of great fun ideas there – but we’ve got a few other suggestions as well for you for trick or treat night…why not try some of these out as well?

Plenty to be getting on with here!

We trust you like this post, and find it helpful, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter as well – we’ll be looking at why perhaps we shouldn’t let our kids trick or treat soon; so don’t miss that! It might help you decide which way to go this year….

Thanks for visiting us today.

Helen

Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!

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Dalene Ekirapa

Monday 30th of September 2019

I love the idea of helping charities during the Haloween season. That would make it even more special. Socialization is also so great since you get to interact and celebrate the holiday with more people.

Laura

Sunday 29th of September 2019

It's not part of my culture, so I don't have that problem. Thank you for your for sharing your reasons x

Laura

Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place

Sunday 29th of September 2019

My kids are teens now and don't really want to go trick or treating anymore, lol. It's a great family tradition and an excuse to hang out with other people :)

aisasami

Saturday 28th of September 2019

Trick or treating is a timeless tradition that has so many great benefits for the family and community!

Catherine Santiago Jose

Saturday 28th of September 2019

Halloween and trick or treat is the day that the kids are waiting for because it's for them to enjoy and have fun with other kids.

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