Are you stuck trying to plan fun, safe Halloween activities for your family this year? This Halloween might look different from year’s past, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it! So for this week’s blog, we turned to some of our staff members to see what they’re doing to celebrate the holiday, AND stay safe.
Julie Friedman, Director of Programs
I am still planning to dress [my daughter] up for her school party. My plan for trick-or-treating is to probably fill a bowl with pre-packaged candy bags so kids only touch their one bag!
Courtney Basso, Events Manager
We are having a backyard candy scavenger hunt for our youngest, complete with the Spotify Halloween playlist, bonfire, and cookies from Sweets by Anna (former JMF staff member).
We will play pin-the-fang on the vampire and monster bowling (2-liters decorated as monsters and filled with water). We’ve also saved pumpkin carving for Halloween night this year.
Halloween night ALWAYS ends with popcorn and the whole family watching Hocus Pocus.
Jane Seib, Curriculum Manager
We are carving pumpkins and dressing up (of course), driving to family & friends houses to trick or treat (they stand on the porch and throw candy), making cookies with sprinkles that look like eyeballs, and our go-to movies are Curious George Halloween Boo Fest and Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!
I’ve also heard of candy scavenger hunts happening this year.
Halloween games can be a fun activity at home too – like making slime, having gross feeling items in paper bags that kids try to guess (like peeled grapes, ooblek, or cooked spaghetti noodles), and mummy wrapping contests with toilet paper.
Erica Christie, Director of Grants and Professional Development
This year we plan to do simple things. We will paint or carve pumpkins. We are going to get a pinata and get together with another neighborhood family to let the kids get candy that way! We have been looking at pinterest for fun Halloween foods to try – there’s tons of cool ideas out there for creepy or funny Halloween foods that will make the holiday still feel special.
We are still planning to dress up, even though we aren’t trick or treating. A Halloween photo shoot and costumed FaceTime with grandparents will likely occur!
Bri Dimit, Professional Development Coordinator
We are baking and decorating halloween cookies, carving pumpkins, and watching Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown on Disney+!
Blog written and interviews conducted by JMF Communications Associate, Gino Maley