Most older children love and have a Happy Halloween. What’s not to love? They get to dress up, stay up later than normal, and get bags full of candy! But with preschool-aged children it can be a hit or miss.
Children at this age are just beginning to recognize the difference between fantasy and reality. Pretending to dress up in a Halloween costume can be a difficult concept for them to fully understand. Sometimes preschoolers worry if they dress up in a costume, the people they love will not recognize them. They may even believe their friend has become the mysterious creature behind their mask.
Fortunately, I have learned some tips over the years to help your preschool-aged children have a safe and Happy Halloween.
Avoid Scary Costumes
Very scary monsters, skeletons, witches, goblins and other creatures can be frightening costumes for a child to see or wear. My general tip is to avoid these costumes altogether. Yes, some preschoolers are excited by these kinds of costumes, but not all will be. If your child wants to wear a scary costume, maybe save that costume for trick or treating, and have them wear a different costume to school.
Successful costumes in the past include favorite animals, story characters, or less scary versions of the classic Halloween characters. You can also be creative! Simple, washable costumes that allow for freedom of movement are the most successful for this age.
Avoid Costumes With Masks
Additionally, avoid costumes with masks. Masks can be confining and may make it difficult for the child to safely move around without bumping into things. A great alternative is to paint your child’s face with face paint. It creates a disguise which is usually less frightening, but equally satisfying. The important thing is to give your child opportunities to explore painting their face in advance. This will allow them opportunities to explore the transformation over and over again.
Avoid Costumes with Weapons
Weapons are often included with commercial costumes, but please consider carefully before you include weapons with your costumes. Schools generally ban all weapons from costume events. Not to mention, weapons often wind up becoming actual weapons during imaginary play.
Practice Dressing Up Beforehand
If you are concerned trick or treat time at your house may be overwhelming for your child, visit a Halloween store to look at the masks and costumes your child might encounter on Halloween night. In addition, you can find a wide selection of fabulous second-hand costumes at our local St. Vincent De Paul stores. Previewing typical costumes in a commercial, the neutral setting might relieve some fear of the unknown.
This next one is important; let your child dress up several times before Halloween. Allowing your child to practice putting on and taking off their costume will make the whole process more understandable and less frightening. But if your child is not interested in wearing a costume, please do not force them to do so. After Halloween is over, young children typically grasp the concept of costumes and may want to experiment with dressing up. If this is the case for your child, just go with it. Who cares if it is almost Thanksgiving?? To them, Halloween is just a random day on the calendar.
Don’t Expect Them To Wear It All Day
In preschool classroom celebrations, children are generally welcome to wear a costume, bring a costume along to school, or come dressed as they normally do. Let your child guide you as to what they want to do on this day. For those children who choose to wear a costume, make sure to label all the parts of their costume. And don’t forget to send along a complete change of clothes. Often kids will be done with their costume partway through their schoolday and want their regular clothes back on.
Be Culturally Sensitive
Take care to be respectful of all cultures, beliefs, and ethnicities. Halloween should be a time of joy and make-believe. So whatever costume you and your child choose to explore, make sure it does not stereotype, or demean, a group of people based on their race, gender, age, differing abilities, or nationality.
Just Have Fun!
Most importantly, children see Halloween as a time to have fun, dress up, and get candy! Enjoy this opportunity to establish familiar family Halloween traditions, such as pumpkin carving, decorating, and dressing up. Have a safe, fun and Happy Halloween!
Before you go, check out some of our previous posts!