Now that I’m a mom to a middle schooler and a high schooler Halloween activities have changed a bit. Long gone are the princess costumes and sparkly tiaras. My girls are now more into the scarier side of Halloween.
Getting into the Halloween spirit is a fun way for our entire family to enjoy fall and create memories. Even when your kids have outgrown trick or treating, there are so many fun ways to celebrate Halloween. My older daughter no longer goes trick or treating but still counts this spooky season as one of her favorite holidays.
Here are a few ideas for enjoying Halloween with older kids:
Pumpkin carving. Going to the pumpkin patch and picking out their own personal Great Pumpkin is an annual tradition for my girls that we started when they were just old enough to walk. When they were little they weren’t as involved in the actual carving of the pumpkin, however. These days they have fun sketching out their own creative Jack O’Lanterns that reflect their individual personality. Recycling the pumpkin seeds into a tasty treat by roasting them in the oven is also a perfect activity for teenagers to oversee.
Have a movie marathon. At my house, we are all about Harry Potter in the fall. We love watching the entire series. My girls are also rereading some of the books this fall. Halloween is a great time to enjoy scary or suspenseful TV shows as well, whether you’re into the classic Twilight Zone series or watching the new Netflix series, Stranger Things. If you don’t care to scare, Halloween is also a great time to rewatch some classics, like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, which we actually own on DVD.
Bake together. My younger daughter loves to cook and any holiday is a great excuse to put on an apron and bake. Put your older kids in charge of making some fun and festive treats for Halloween and consider making extras to share with your neighbors. (See “Boo your neighbor” below!)
Roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories. We don’t make S’mores very often but as the sun sets earlier and earlier in October, we have enjoyed our fire pit. We recently spent a cool Saturday evening roasting marshmallows and taking turns telling scary stories. My husband and I had fun recalling some spooky memories from our youth and our girls had fun trying to out scare one another with the creepiest tale.
Boo your neighbor. This is a fun tradition that I’ve seen friends in other neighborhoods participate in. Do a quick search on Pinterest for ways to “Boo” your neighbor and you’ll find hundreds of ideas. This is a neighborly tradition that is all about treats, minus the tricks. “Booing” involves secretly leaving some goodies, along with a Boo sign and instructions, on a friend or neighbor’s doorstep. In turn, the person who receives the Boo is asked to Boo others.
Celebrating Halloween is fun with kids of all ages and a great way to share fun activities with your family.
Categories: Family
