How To Make Halloween Safe, But Still Fun

As Halloween approaches, most parents share the anticipation of the scary night with their children, but not necessarily with the same eagerness. Times have changed, since we grew up, roaming the neighborhood in costumed groups, without adults shadowing our every move. Nowadays, parents wouldn't think of allowing their children to roam free, ringing strangers' doorbells and demanding candy, then bringing their loot home and hiding it away, to savor in private.

Not only must parents accompany children, as they make their rounds-parents then have to examine every piece of treasure their children collect in their bags. Kids may have a ball, but for parents, it's a stressful time, if they follow the Halloween traditions they grew up with. But, parents can make Halloween less stressful for themselves, by changing with the times, and creating new traditions.

One way to create a fun and memorably ghostly night for your children, without the worry of having them literally taking candy from strangers, is to make your home the center of their celebration, with a Halloween sleepover. Such a night will give you peace of mind, and a project for your whole family to create.

Start by designating three or four rooms, at most, as the "haunted" portion of your house. With your children, design each room around a specific theme: The Bat's Basement, The Ghostly Garage, The Witch's Kitchen, etc. Your decorations for each room don't have to be elaborate-a few construction paper set pieces, a hanging plastic spider, a plastic skeleton sitting in the corner, etc., will set the scene, nicely. Remember, you'll probably keep the lights low, so a few scary pieces will go a long way.

Set aside one room-the living room, for instance-as a place where your children and their friends can retreat from the frightening business of the night, if they need to.

As a family, prepare plenty of food and snacks for the evening. It's Halloween, so you'll want to serve at least some candy, but you can also include plenty of nutritious foods, like fruits and sandwiches-foods that won't keep your guests up all night. The other parents will thank you, for that.

Invite a handful of your children's' friends over, for the night. Invite their parents to enjoy the "pre-slumber" part of the evening, as well. Have them all arrive, in costume. Alert them, beforehand, that "trick-or-treat" is their password for entry. Greet them in costume, yourself-be their "ghostly guide" for the evening.

Plan plenty of games to make the time go by. There are a myriad of Halloween-themed board games and video games available for young children. Traditional games like Hide-And-Seek can also be perfect for a Halloween party.

A perfect way to top off the evening is to gather everyone for ghost stories. A great way to do this with younger children is to have them "design" stories. Begin by setting the scene of the story, yourself, then go around the room, asking each child to contribute the next moment of the story. They'll enjoy being in control, having their imaginations stimulated-and will naturally limit the scariness-factor to what they can withstand.

Creating new Halloween traditions to match our changing times can preserve the spirit of the holiday, while maintaining safety and parents' peace of mind.