5 fun activities for a COVID-friendly Halloween
Halloween is just around the corner and doctors in Canada and the United States are saying that trick-or-treating is a no-go this year. Even though COVID-19 has us completely spooked, it doesn’t mean you have to completely ghost this fun tradition!
Check out this guide by the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) on how you can celebrate Halloween safely in the U.S and this one from the Government of Ontario for suggestions in Canada.
We might not be able to collect candy door-to-door with our friends or attend a costume party this time around, but check out our list of Halloween activities that are a little less trick and a little more treat (and just as fun)!
Note: to participate in some of the online Halloween activities you’ll need a Zoom account (it’s free), so make sure to sign up!
1. Plan a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt
Photo by Reasons to Skip the Housework
Halloween is all about dressing up, so get in that costume and go on a spooky scavenger hunt for pumpkins, spiders, monsters, ghosts and decorations. Plan it for dusk to get into the spooky spirit and download one of the free Halloween scavenger hunt printables online.
If you’d prefer to go paperless, download the GooseChase app to keep track of your progress virtually. The free app gives you the option to choose from many of its “missions” or you can create your own scavenger hunt for your kids or friends!
2. Set up a spooky movie marathon
Photo by Getty Images
Celebrating indoors can be just as fun when you set the right mood. Grab some blankets and lots of mini treats (if you’re not giving it out, you might as well eat it!), dim the lights and snuggle up on the couch with your family to watch a line-up of fun and frightful Halloween films.
Some of our favourite currently streaming on Canadian Netflix:
• Coraline
• Monster House
• Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
• Hotel Transylvania
• Ghostbusters (1 and 2, of course!)
Amazon Prime has lots of spooktacular movies and shows as well:
• Hocus Pocus
• IT (1 and 2)
• The Addams Family
• The Nightmare before Christmas
• Gremlins (1 and 2)
If you really want to take your spooky movie marathon to the next level, check out the insanely adorable, super fun Halloween snacks for kids by Yummy Healthy Easy or these 45 spooky eats for adults by Delish.
3. Host a virtual Halloween party
Photo by olia danilevich from Pexels
We can’t be in the same room with our friends and family this year but we can be there in spirit by using video conferencing apps like Zoom. Check out our list of virtual party themes for freaky fun:
• Host a costume contest: Don’t miss out on the best part of Halloween! Grab that costume and hop on a Zoom call with your friends for a fun contest. Create different categories like funniest and scariest costumes, and give out prizes like an epic pizza party that can be delivered right to the winner’s door.
• Have a pumpkin carving party: Put your best pumpkin forward with a virtual carving party, then suggest a jack-o-lantern drive-by to see the finished designs from afar.
• Start a dance party: Dress up the kids in their costumes, invite their friends to join by FaceTime or Zoom and bust a move to Halloween classics like Monster Mash. Check out this list of 50 spooky Halloween songs by Good House Keeping.
• Try cookie decorating: The Chef Upstairs is hosting a virtual family cooking class on October 31st! Throw on your costume and have some frightful fun while making yummy Halloween treats.
4. Suggest a neighbourhood decorating contest
Photo by Getty Images
Reach out to your neighbours and plan a little Halloween decorating fun! If you don’t have email addresses or phone numbers, spread the word by putting flyers up around your neighbourhood displaying the different categories and prizes that are up for grabs, as well as the day that judging will take place. Some of the categories to include might be:
• The Best Halloween Spirit
• The Spookiest
• The Ghouliest
• The Silliest
• The Most Original
Follow up with a social-distanced walkabout so everyone can see all the spooktacular decorations!
5. Have a kiddie costume parade
Photo by Steven Libralon on Unsplash
Kids plan their costumes months in advance and can’t wait to show them off to their friends. Give them the opportunity to do so with a costume parade on your block or with your nearest neighbours in your building. Here’s how:
• Coordinate a time that everyone will stand out on their front step or outside their door. Late afternoon before the sun sets is a good time to do this so you can clearly see the costumes
• Pre-package treats and have them in a bowl, ready to grab
• Place dots on the ground 6 feet apart that the kids will jump to to move forward to pick up their treats while giving everyone a chance to see their costumes
This fun and frightful tradition doesn’t have to be completely cancelled this year – we just have to be a little more creative about the way we celebrate it. And isn’t being creative what Halloween is all about?
Share you spooky, scary and silly costumes with us on social – and remember to always maintain a physical distance of 2 metres, wear your mask and be sure to wash your hands often – and most importantly, have fun!