When Should Your Child Start Trick Or Treating?

Halloween is right around the corner, and kids are excited to wear their scary costumes and collect lots of treats. For others, this will be a first to them. Maybe they have just turned a year older and are starting to grasp how trick-or-treating works.

As a parent, we would like to make sure our little kids will not get overwhelmed or scared when they see people in different masks walking around. We are glad to share some helpful tips and give you more info on "When should your child start trick-or-treating?" 

Toddlers may find trick-or-treat overwhelming, but other parents feel three is a great age to introduce them. It is best to prepare them so they will not be scared of masks and costumes. For families with kids and a baby, bringing your little one in a stroller is okay, and do the Halloween activity as a family. But there are factors to consider in bringing along your little one. It would be best to consider their mood, the time of the day, the weather, etc. Here are some tips if you will be bringing your baby to trick-or-treating:

• Best to go when the sun is out (the baby will have more energy since it is still daytime)
• Consider them wearing long sleeves, pants, socks in their costumes to make them cozy and warm
• Have a costume rehearsal the night before so your baby can get used to the clothing
• Decide whether you will put your baby in a stroller or carrier. Determine their pros and cons.

Experts say that kids can distinguish fantasy from reality by age 5. They can be able to understand that those masks and costumes are just for the event and not real. Kids this age prefer to see familiar faces like families or relatives. If you have family close to your area, visit them and have your kids flex their cute costumes. Here are a few tips you can do for these little trick-or-treaters:

• Check out Halloween books, stories, and movies so your little kids can be familiar with the holiday.
• Let your child know what to expect. Repeat this over and over a week before the event.
• Set their expectation on things they might see and refer to decors as silly and funny. not "scary"
• Since kids can get cranky when hungry, offer them a healthy snack before heading out.
• Celebrate your Halloween events before dark so other costumes will not spook little kids
• Bring a flashlight so you can use it at night, and it may lessen the fear of your little ones.

Solos or going with friends

Based on other parents' experience, trick-or-treating solos or with friends starts around 11 to 13 years old. Kids around this age prefer to trick-or-treat around the neighborhood door-to-door. Set ground rules with them, not to eat a lot of sweets, remind them of the time they need to be home, and allow them to bring a mobile phone to contact them quickly. Also, tell your kids what to expect, that when it gets dark, decorations around the neighborhood can get scary. Just advise them know to stick with their friends or with the adult supervising them.


We hope that you find these tips helpful; it's still up to you, the parents, on how you would like your kids to spend Halloween. We hope that you and your family have a fang-tastic trick-or-treat!