Fun and safe Halloween activities for children, nannies and parents

With Halloween just around the corner, nannies and parents across the country will find themselves wondering whether or not they can celebrate the spooky occasion with their little ones while keeping them safe from the coronavirus.

Traditional Halloween activities, such as apple-bobbing and fancy-dress parties, are no longer on the cards this year, as these activities often mean large groups of people gather together in confined spaces, increasing the likelihood of transmission.

So, does this mean Halloween is cancelled? We’ve answered the most commonly asked questions from nannies and parents, offering alternative ways to have fun this Halloween while staying safe.

Can I still go trick or treating?

If you’re in England, the answer depends on which tier you’re in.

As London is in Tier 2 lockdown, nannies and parents can still take their children trick-or-treating, but must adhere to the rule of six. This means that as long as you are outside, you can meet in a group of up to six people; for example, two nannies can go trick-or-treating with two charges each.

As you will be meeting a lot of people that you wouldn’t usually come into contact with, trick-or-treating this year is particularly risky, so it’s wise to take extra precautions. Stay 2 metres away from the door when it is opened, ask for individually wrapped sweets so your child won’t be putting something someone else has touched in their mouth and apply hand sanitizer each time after placing your hand into a bowl of sweets.

One fun way to make trick-or-treating safer is to incorporate a mask into your Halloween costume. This means perhaps going as a zombie surgeon, or as a cowboy with a bandana covering your face.

Can I go to a Halloween party?

In London, it is illegal to mix households indoors, so for many nannies and parents this year, in-person Halloween parties will not be allowed to take place.

So what can I do instead?

While some Halloween activities may be cancelled, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things nannies and parents can do to keep the children entertained this year. Below, we’ve outlined some of our favourite coronavirus-safe activities for children this Halloween:

Have a virtual Halloween party

While you may not be able to attend a Halloween party in person, you can still host a virtual event. Team up with other nannies and parents in the area to host an online party, complete with a Halloween themed quiz and a prize for the best costume. Don’t forget to throw in a Halloween themed playlist!

Snacks

Hide sweets around the house for an at-home trick-or-treat

Instead of taking your children door to door, why not hide some treats around the house and have a spooky scavenger hunt instead? Just remember nannies, ask the parents if they’re happy for you to do this - they might not want to be surprised by a forgotten lollipop stuck to the carpet a few days later.

Ghost bananas

Carve your own pumpkins

Carving creepy faces into ghoulish gourds is an excellent example of a coronavirus-friendly Halloween pastime. If you’re looking after more than one child in the household, you can host a competition to see who carves the best pumpkin! (Make sure that children are supervised by a nanny or parent at all times).

Decorate the household

Everyone loves spooky decorations outside a house, so why not decorate the inside too? Hang spider web decorations from the ceiling, place pumpkins on doorsteps and make bats out of black sugar paper.

Decor

Bake some spooky surprises

If you’re not keen on taking the kids trick-or-treating this year, consider baking some spooky goods with them instead. Some orange and black icing can turn cookies into tasty jack-o-lanterns, while green icing with chocolate eyeballs can make for quick-and-easy monster cupcakes.

Watch a spooky film

Grab your trick-or-treat spoils and settle in for a night in front of a Halloween film. If you’re a nanny looking after young children, make sure the film isn’t too spooky - you don’t want to frighten them too much! Instead, myTamarin nannies recommend child-friendly films such as Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town and The Nightmare Before Christmas to keep your little ones in the Halloween spirit while staying safe.

For more information on staying safe this Halloween, check out our coronavirus safety and hygiene course for nannies and our blog on coronavirus health and hygiene for parents.

Happy Halloween!

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