Halloween 2020 is going to be different from what you might be used to, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday, meaning we get to celebrate an entire day of candies, costumes, movies, and more!

While the kids might not be able to go trick or treating with their friends, celebrating Halloween at home can be just as fun!

There are plenty of ways to enjoy a fun, spooky Halloween while staying safe at home. From putting on a costume and carving pumpkins to watching scary movies for kids, there are many Halloween activities that can still be enjoyed this year.

Our 8 Favorite Ways To Celebrate A Safe, Family-friendly Halloween:

• Decorate Your Home

Decorating the house is always a fun family activity, no matter the holiday or occasion. You can put up fake spider webs, skulls, ghosts, or other spooky decorations around the house to get your children in the Halloween spirit. Our favorite decorations are purple and orange lights that give your home the perfect spooky Halloween feel.

Pro tip: put on some eerie Halloween tunes while you decorate to make the activity even more fun!

• Put On A Costume

Dressing up in creative costumes is fun any time of the year. Even if you aren’t planning on going out for a Halloween party or to trick-or-treat, kids will have fun pretending to be their favorite characters. Take some photos of your costume and your kids’ to show your friends and family.

This is where those spooky lights come in handy—for a great Halloween photo, add orange, red, or purple lighting in the background!

• Carve A Pumpkin

One of the most memorable pastimes of Halloween is pumpkin carving. When you think of Halloween, you probably think of pumpkins. So get out the carving supplies and decorating kits and make your own scary pumpkin. You can even make it a family competition and judge who had the best design!

Don’t want to carve the pumpkin? No problem, you can just paint it instead! This is a great (and safe) option for young children who can’t use carving tools yet.

Pro tip: if you live near a pumpkin patch, take the kids to pick out their own pumpkin. It’ll make the experience even more specialized and memorable!

• Bake Some Spooky Treats

You may not be able to go trick-or-treating this year, but you can still satisfy your sweet tooth by creating your own spooky-themed sweet treats. Bake some ghost-shaped cookies or spider muffins to share with your family. For inspiration, check out Fun popcorn recipes for kids to cook as family! Check our especially the Googly-Eyed Cookie Monster one!

• Share Scary Stories

There’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by telling or hearing a good scary story. Here is a list of family-friendly spooky stories for kids. Huddle around a bonfire or use a flashlight to add that extra spooky effect.

No Halloween party would be complete without some music to get your little ones in the spooky spirit! Your little monsters will have some seriously ghoulish fun singing along to our Halloween Song. It’s time to BOO-gie!

Pro tip: Many children experience new emotions related to fear during Halloween. It’s important to be sensitive to their fears, while also using it as an opportunity for growth. For tips on how to help your kids cope with their fears on Halloween, check out our article on the Lingokids blog.

• Family-Friendly Scary Movie Marathon

If the spooky decorations, costumes, and lighting weren’t enough, you can watch some kid-friendly horror movies too! Grab some popcorn and a blanket and get comfortable with these classic family-friendly Halloween movies for kids. Our all-time favorites are Hotel Transylvania, The Corpse Bride, The Addams Family, Ghostbusters, and E.T.

Or what about watching together our Halloween Special Compilation with spooky songs, stories, and games?

• Trick-or-treat At Home

Instead of a traditional trick-or-treat where you go door to door in your neighborhood, design your own scavenger hunt at home and hide chocolates and candy all over the house for your child to find. Kids love hunting for things—especially things that are delicious! You can leave clues or puzzles that your child has to solve in order to find their treasure. Don’t forget to leave some of your own favorite candy for yourself!

Pro tip: Looking for Halloween activities at home for toddlers and babies? Just adapt the game! Rather than a full-on scavenger hunt, get in costume and play hide-and-seek. When they find you, give them a sweet, safe treat.

P.S. Don’t forget to save your favorite candy for yourself! You deserve it.

• Observe The Full Moon

Did you know that, this year, there will be a full moon on October 31st? It’s an incredibly rare coincidence that last occurred in 2001. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about the solar system—and tell scary stories afterwards. Go outside and observe it for yourselves, but remember, beware of werewolves!

We hope that this has inspired you to plan your own unique Halloween experience for your children at home!

Here at Lingokids, we believe the best way for kids to learn is through play, and even better when it’s with the whole family. To learn more about our playlearning methodology and to see some examples of our fun-filled educational games, visit our webpage.