As spooky celebrations get underway across the county this weekend, the Donegal County Childcare Committee has tips for making Halloween more fun and less frightening for young children.
Halloween is the time when scary skeletons, spooky ghosts and wicked witches roam the world. Some children love the thrill of Halloween horror, but younger children may find the noise, decorations, costumes and masks quite frightening. It can be hard to know what reaction your child will have, but let’s try to anticipate any potential problems to make the day fun for everyone.
• Listen to your child and reassure them that you will be there to help them no matter what their worry is. Don’t dismiss their feelings and fears. Be aware of signs of stress or anxiety and find out what makes your child afraid and help them find ways to manage their anxiety.
• Be aware that something that you don’t find scary can still be frightening for your child. Be patient. Try to remember what it was like when you were young.
• Let them pick their own costume. Letting them pick something out that they like themselves, like a superhero or favourite cartoon character. This will encourage your child to discover the excitement of dressing up in costumes in their own terms.
• Read some Halloween stories with your child. Choose books about Halloween that are friendly, not scary. Local libraries have good selections.
• Create a Halloween feast and play fun games. Make treats such as ghost-shaped cookies and toffee-coated apples.
• Cut out silly faces on pumpkins or create some fun Halloween crafts for kids.
• Children may be afraid of masks or costumes. Ask trick-or-treaters to remove their masks when they call to your door, so your child can see that it is just a costume and not real.
Remember, a 3-year-old who doesn’t want to participate in the Halloween activities this year will be at a completely different developmental stage next year. They may grow into the 4-year-old who wants to dress like a witch.
Happy Halloween from all at DCCC!
Tags: