Source: David Weisenhorn, senior extension specialist for parent and child adolescence education

Due to COVID-19, Halloween might seem very different this year, but you can still make it fun for your ghouls and goblins. Here are some ideas for safe trick-or-treating and ways to celebrate the holiday at home.

Door-to-door trick-or-treating is possible if you take proper precautions. Trick-or-treaters and their parents should wear masks and practice social distancing. Limit the trick-or-treat area to your neighborhood. Only dispense or allow your children to accept individually wrapped pieces of candy. Placing candy out on a table in your yard where children can easily access it is preferred over personally handing out individual pieces of candy or allowing children to put their hands in a candy dish. After you return from the magic night, make sure everyone washes their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. You may also want to sanitize the candy before giving it to your children.

If you do not feel comfortable sending your children door-to-door for goodies, you can still have a great time celebrating the holiday at home. Pumpkin carving or decorating is an annual tradition that is not affected by the pandemic. It is also a great family bonding activity.

Have a costume party with members of your family. Wear a costume to dinner and allow each member of the family to introduce themselves to the others while in character. Serve Halloween-inspired foods. Get your kids active in the kitchen by allowing them to help with the meal preparation.

You can spend the evening playing lots of Halloween-themed games. Hide pieces of candy around your house and let your children find them. Go on a Halloween decoration scavenger hunt as a family by adding extra decorations around your home or driving around your community looking for spiders, witches, skeletons and pumpkins.

For more ideas on raising healthy families, contact the (COUNTY NAME) office of the UK Cooperative Extension Service.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

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FCS