WHAT DO YOU DO FOR TEENS FOR HALLOWEEN DURING A PANDEMIC?
Halloween for teens in 2021 is a tough one. We are still dealing with the COVID pandemic. In addition to that, as kids get a little older, tweens and teens are frequently not welcomed for trick or treating. I have never really understood that because older kids do not stop loving candy, social interaction, and fun every October 31st! I see no reason for them to not enjoy this holiday just like the younger kids. With this being a second Halloween during COVID, it is a good time to come up with creative solutions for this annual October event. Things this fall are looking a little different than pre-covid but there is lots of fun still to be had.
A GOOD ACTIVITY FOR ALL OF OCTOBER….HALLOWEEN MOVIES!
One of my most favorite fall activities (and especially Halloween) is the MOVIES! Each year the Freeform channel airs the “31 days of Halloween” schedule and we love picking out a few to watch. Some favorites for older kids include “The Goonies”, “Ghostbusters”, “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Scared Shrekless”, “Goosebumps”, and “Beetlejuice”. Invite over some of the kid’s friends and have a super fun movie night. If the teens are into movies a bit more spooky, try out “It or It 2”, “Zombieland”, “Super 8”, or “The Sixth Sense”. Get out the popcorn and I’m sure that your movie night will be a big hit.
You can check out the 31 days of Halloween on the Freeform channel schedule here:
https://www.freeform.com/news/recaps-and-news/31-nights-of-halloween-schedule
HERE ARE TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO AT HALLOWEEN FOR TEENS…
Next up on the Halloween (also known as “All Hallows Eve”) holiday, is the candy of course! Our family has a new tradition for this. Because of COVID, we will not consider any type of traditional trick or treating (I have a tween as well as a teen). That doesn’t mean that there will not be candy though! Last year (and it will be repeated this year), I took my boys to the store and let them pick out a bag of candy from the Halloween section. We picked out an orange and black table cloth (that they really didn’t care about, it was more for me), pulled out or jack o lantern bowl, and filled it up with deliciousness. Kids, no matter what age, enjoy a giant bowl of holiday treats. Even better, since they picked it all themselves, there is no candy that they don’t like! A quick tip on this – Halloween candy can get expensive! Check the sales for it, look at Aldi or Costco to get good deals on the candy.
As kids get older, there may be occasions for Halloween costumes, such as a party. However, many times there is no need, especially during COVID. Picking out a fun mask is our solution to this. The masks are so much fun, we have spent tons of time in the costume store looking at them all. The kids get a real kick out of some of them. My son has an alien mask that still makes an appearance from time to time. The masks are something that they can break out quickly if an occasion arises. We have had many laughs with the Halloween masks. A quick tip on this – If you go looking for a mask at the seasonal Halloween store, take a coupon! They publish them regularly.
NEXT UP….DO YOU LIKE TO GET SCARED? GETTING SCARED IS ONE OF THE MOST FUN THINGS TO DO FOR HALLOWEEN WITH TEENS.
Now, one of my favorites…HAUNTED HOUSES! Is being scared your thing (or your teens)? Never fear! You can find many haunted houses and hayrides in your local area. But this activity isn’t for everyone. Pre-covid, I personally enjoyed the haunted hayrides much more than the haunted houses or haunted forests. But the teen crowd seems to enjoy people jumping out and scaring them. If you really want to go big on the ghost and goblins, and scary activities, some of the amusement parks do Halloween events. In my area, both Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens have fall events where your teens can get their fill of scary. Because COVID is still around, I highly recommend going at a low traffic time at the beginning of the season or on a weeknight if possible.
Check out a preview of Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream event for 2021! This video is great as it gives you a tour after the intro!
ONE THING THAT I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE OUT…
Let’s not forget the decorations! Halloween decorations are so much fun for all ages. I love riding by houses that are decorated for fall and Halloween. They are so much fun to see and no two are alike. The best part is that seeing these decorations puts us all in the fall holiday spirit! It kicks off the season of several holidays and I just love seeing them and my kids do as well. Getting pumpkins, mums, a few scary items, and you are all set! And don’t forget to throw up a few strands of Halloween lights. These really take the holiday spirit up a notch and the teens really seem to like this. The most fun part of decorations is that my teen loves putting these up! Let them help and it is a great way to get them outside and in a Halloween state of mind.
DON’T FORGET THE MOST IMPORTANT HALLOWEEN ACTIVITY, TO GATHER!
The most important Halloween activity is gathering with family and friends. Pandemic or not, we can safely gather in small numbers with precautions and have the most fall family fun. And teens love to gather too. Help your teen plan a Halloween-related activity to get together with friends, one of their favorite things. And this is a fun time to bring out your Halloween snacks! Some fun ones that I have seen lately are Jack-O-Lantern Reece’s cups, orange-filled Oreos, and of course a household favorite, Count Chocula! You can also have a night during October to hang with family! Intentionally planning and making time for family gatherings, in whatever format, is the most important thing about any of the holidays. Making time to spend together including teens, their friends, or whoever wants to come will be the best way to spend this holiday season, even during a pandemic.
While Halloween with teens is more challenging than younger kids, they can still be a part of it and still have fun! Planning activities to include teens, friends, and family can give them things to do. While they don’t often let parents know, teens still like and need to actively be a part of things. And those friends that they bring along, include them too. They will look back on the memories that you make fondly (and you will too). You can do Halloween big, or on a budget…but it can always be fun. Scary movies, candy, masks, haunted houses, decorations, and gatherings are all things that you can incorporate to make the best of this holiday even with current covid restrictions.
NOW GO AND GET STARTED WITH YOUR SPOOKY HALLOWEEN PLANS! YOUR TEEN WILL LOVE IT!
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Sandra Ans says
Great post not only for teens but also for adults, haha 😀 I really love decorating my house and watching Halloween movies!
Baking Halloween snacks and foods is also something very cool!
cbrooks0312@comcast.net says
I love it too! My favorite holiday because it is no pressure, just fun!
cbrooks0312@comcast.net says
I have to admit that I love it just as much as the kids and teens as well! The decorations, etc. give you that fall feeling!
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
As there is no actual border between pre-teens and teens these days, since all kids are in an insane race to grow up, I have to go with older kids fun things, so your post is quite helpful here!:)) Thanks for the brilliant ideas!
cbrooks0312@comcast.net says
I agree! It all seems like a rat-race at times, rushing to get older. I like to let them slow down and just do something fun every now and again and Halloween gives me an excuse to do just that.
Adriane says
Great ideas! I think teens are at that odd age where they might be too old to trick or treat but not enough to enjoy the Jell-O shots.
cbrooks0312@comcast.net says
You summed that up exactly! They just want to have fun.