We all know that Halloween will definitely look different this year especially now that the CDC is calling traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating a higher risk activity. But that doesn’t mean Halloween is canceled. Now is a great time to start thinking about ways to have fun while maintaining social distancing. We’ve put together a list of ideas on how you can have a scary good time with the kids on October 31st (with a little less fear of the virus and more scares of the spooktacular kind).

Halloween 2020
©istockphoto.com/Anchiy

Go Over-the-Top With Decorations
Taking your Halloween decorations to the next level is a great way to keep the little ones’ spirits high this year (and to spread spooky cheer in your community!). In addition to putting out pumpkins, decorate your door and windows. Stores like Target have a great selection of fun items, but you can also DIY your decorations.

Set Up a “Candy Graveyard”
Similar to an Easter egg hunt that you set up in your own backyard, some parents had the great idea to hide candy next to tombstones for the little ones to collect. To take things even further, create a scavenger hunt for candy around your home or in your neighborhood.

Attend a Trunk-or-Treat
Many community centers have hosted these events where kids go trunk-to-trunk to collect treats and during COVID the idea can be a great one if cars are spaced out and kids can collect their goodies without having them handed off. This is a fun way to still dress up and get outside without person-to-person contact.

“Ghost” Friends with Surprise Treats
Leaving sweet surprises on your friends’ doorsteps is a boo-tiful way to still interact and kids will be delighted by the treats they’ll find.

Try a Treat Table
Consider putting a table or candy station at the end of your driveway as a way for kids to collect their fun-sized treats. With one-way trick-or-treating, everyone avoids touching doors and doorbells and neighbors can still have the thrill of seeing all the cute costumed kids heading up and down the street (at a safe distance).

Have a Pumpkin Carving Party
Any event that takes place outdoors is considered lower risk than indoors, so how about hosting a small pumpkin carving party if you have space? Guests can bring their own pumpkins and tools. Station kids six feet apart from each other and you’ve got a festive, memorable activity that will make it feel more like a normal Halloween.

Plan Your Own Socially Distant Halloween Parade
The biggest risk of traditional trick-or-treating lies in the fact that people will often congregate in large groups. A socially distanced parade can eliminate the close proximity but still allow kids to dress up and get outside.

Host or Attend a Small Outdoor Party
“Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart” is ranked as a moderate risk activity by the CDC. Limit the guest list to your kids’ closest ghouls and ghosts and offer pre-bagged treats instead of big bowls of snacks.

Check out a Hallowen Attraction
If your kids love the thrills and chills of Halloween, consider taking them to a scary in-person event like Six Flags’ Fright Fest (and be sure to wear a mask) or the drive-thru Jack-o-Lantern Experience at Skylands Stadium.

Hold an Outdoor Scary (or Not-So-Scary) Movie Fest
With a device like CINEMOOD, you can stream movies from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney and more and project in the backyard or driveway. Invite a few friends over or keep it to just your family and watch some Halloween classics to get in the spirit!

How will you make Halloween special for the kids this year? Tell us in the comments!