So your little one is no longer a little bundle you can carry safely wrapped in some sort of cute bee or bunny warm and fuzzy outfit. You’ve got an adventurous toddler – an easy assumption as the two go together hand in hand. Halloween is a perfect holiday for toddlers to experience costumes, decorations, crafts, festivals, and, of course, candy. Here’s a little guide to make this first children’s favorite holiday more special.
Costume
Before you decide on the costume for your toddler Halloween, think about what the weather is like in your area end of October. If it tends to be chilly and rainy, pick either a warm costume or one that’s spacious enough to wear something underneath. And while you can now get a costume for $20 or less at your local Target or Wal-Mart, you can certainly make one at home at the same price or less. Does your toddler have any preferences yet? Little dancers can easily fit into a leotard, tights and a tutu, which will all come handy for parties, dance classes or just fun days – a nice investment. Decorate a leotard with paper flowers and you’ve got a garden. Green dress and silver strings and you’ve got a Christmas tree. Black dress and a hat and you’ve got a witch. Collect some leaves and apply them to an outfit and you’ve got Fall. A little bow, wand and a hat, and you’ve got a magician. There are tons of other ideas you can come up with yourself or find on the Internet. While it’s easy to just buy a costume, creating your own may be more fun, if you’ve got the time. Avoid the masks, though, toddlers may get antsy with a mask at such a young age.
Festivals
It seems all the holidays start early these days. Stores are playing holiday music and spotting Christmas trees as early as October. So, Halloween gets bumped up too, and festivals around town start early. You can catch many of them weeks leading into Halloween. If you can’t find one in your local paper or community center, look for the nearest farm. Farms use this opportunity to attract crowds by offering plenty of fun for the kids, and fruits, vegetables and plants for the adults. Some festivals offer carnival rides, giant inflatables, pony (or even giraffe!) rides, haunted houses, face painting and more. While some of this excitement is more appropriate for bigger kids, little toddlers will enjoy just strolling through a pumpkin patch and bouncing around in the inflatables (try to get a small child group for safety). They will love sipping warm cider and going on a train ride through spooky trail, or a hayride. Have your little one wear a costume early on, and they will really enjoy the Halloween spirit. It is the exposure to different events and places that is so important for their personal enrichment.
Decorate
Young toddlers may not be able to carve a pumpkin yet but they can certainly decorate it in other ways. Putting little stickers on or drawing eyes, nose and mouth (with your help) to make a cat, is super easy. You can have her help you arrange a few pumpkins and gourds at the door, hang around some orange lights, or put out some scary signs. Making a ghost is another easy craft – simply take a small balloon, hang a piece of old white sheet over and tie with a string; hang on a tree and you are done! Decorating for Halloween is a great crafting experience for little toddlers.
Treats
Kids love candy, but what they will find particularly fun on Halloween day or previous occasions for trick-or-treating, is going door-to-door to get something in their little bucket. If they can say trick or treat, it’s a good opportunity to learn cause and effect. If they are not big enough to say the entire phrase, they can hear others and perhaps try to say it later. When going trick or treating, make sure you are holding your toddler’s hand while crossing the street and teaching him to stop and look for cars. There is a lot of excitement, and they may be more ebullient than ever. Going earlier in the day will make it an easier experience, with older kids not yet out and streets not as scary when it’s not too dark. Bring along a little wagon, for a fun ride if (or when) the little one gets tired. When getting a treat, ask the person to put one in your toddler’s bucket. Don’t have him/her reach in for a treat; this is an important safeguard against any possible tricks. Avoid nuts and gum – they are too young for either. Finally, when you get all the treats back home, don’t keep them in sight all day long – too much temptation, though a little candy is a must on Halloween!
