Tips for Socially Distanced Trick or Treating for Halloween

You may find this surprising, but Halloween is certainly not cancelled this year due to the virus. However, trick or treating will be a little different this year

With any luck this article will have a few tips and tricks to help everyone stay safe during this time.

Before we get into the meat of this article, we need to let you know that the government is discouraging people to go out trick or treating this year. 

For obvious reasons, it’s much better for you to spend as little time with strangers as possible. If you can imagine how many different people you’re likely to come into contact with, it’s quite scary.

Saying that, they haven’t outlawed it just yet. It’s purely a recommendation at this point.

Tips for Socially Distanced Trick or Treating for Halloween

Now, just because it’s not cancelled this year, it doesn’t mean you HAVE TO participate. This is a purely subject and personal choice. 

You need to weigh the options to see how important it is for your kids to participate this year. Just don’t be bullied or persuaded to do something you don’t want to.

Tips for Safer Trick or Treating

Now, we all know that trick or treating involves some type of sweet collection. Above all else, this is your child’s main motivation, right? ;) Now, whether you plan to go trick or treating or hand out sweets yourself, these tips should help:

* It probably goes without saying, and this would apply during “normal times”, but, ensure there is a responsible adult or guardian going on the trick or treat. Even an older brother or sister over 16 is OK.

* This might sound a little extreme, but, planning your route before you leave the house and sticking to it would be a good idea. This will ensure you don’t make any unnecessary turns meaning you’re not outside too long.

* Where possible (and you probably did this anyway), try to leave sweets in a bowl on your doorstep so you don’t even have to answer the door. This will alleviate you having to open the door and interact.

* Don’t hand out unwrapped sweets. Ensure all sweets you provide are of the wrapped variety.

* If you don’t want to take the advice from the first point, then, ensure you keep a clear 2 metres away and wear a facemask. 

If you want to be really extreme, you could hand the sweets out with a fishing net, but you may get a few strange looks if you open the door, mask on and with a fishing net in your hand :)

* Constantly remind your kids not to continuously touch their eyes or face. In fact, it would be a brilliant idea to take some hand sanitiser with you just in case they need it.

* Where possible, try to keep the group as small as possible. We know it can seem like a good idea for parents and children to go round together, but, in this scenario, we would recommend keeping the group unit as small as possible.

* Before you head out, go over the ground rules with your child and explain why you have to take certain precautions. This should eliminate any confusion or tantrums later on as you’re walking around the neighbourhood. 

* We would recommend taking one sweet from the bowl or jar. There’s no point in them taking extra time to hunt around in the bowl. If you think about it, the longer you take, the more chance there is for you to bump into more people (worse, people you know). 

The less people you come into contact with that night the better. Infectious disease experts say that it’s the prolonged contact with people that’s the issue. It doesn’t even need to be strangers. We’re talking about family and friends too.

* This might seem like a good idea, but we would recommend that your children don’t share their masks or costumes with anyone. Sharing them is a bad idea and could be one of the ways for the virus to spread pretty quickly between families.

* This goes for normal times, but, never enter a strangers home for any reason. This might sound obvious, but it's really easy to carried away if you haven’t seen a friend or neighbour for a long time.

* If you do happen to collect sweets that are naked or unwrapped, then safely dispose them and definitely, don’t let your children consume them. This is BIG, BIG, no, no.

* You have probably never done this before, but It’s a good idea to take a hot or cold drink with you, just in case you guys feel thirsty. What you’re trying to avoid is to avoid having to ask or take a drink from anyone.

In Summary

I hope that you have found these tips and tricks helpful? Of course, we’re in no way suggesting that you do or don’t go trick or treating. That is completely your choice. As long as whatever you decide, you stay safe, that’s good enough for us :)