7 Ways to Safely Celebrate Halloween

At Starlight, we know that Halloween is a special time for kids and their families, but realize it may look different this year. 2020 has been filled with uncertainty and many new challenges that may feel more overwhelming as the holidays are fast approaching.

While the coronavirus pandemic may cause your family to adjust their Halloween traditions, parents of hospitalized kids are often familiar with the challenge of changing plans during difficult times.

Every year, seriously ill kids miss out on experiences because of their illnesses. Even though they may not get to participate in traditional ways, hospitals have figured out ways to bring the Halloween excitement to hospitalized kids.

If hospitals can get creative to make sure sick kids still get to celebrate, then people at home can too! It may look a little different than past years, but we’ve come up with seven fun ways to have a safe and spook-tacular Halloween in 2020!

1. Watch Your Favorite Halloween Movies
   Whether your kids love scary movies or prefer more lighthearted ones, watching Halloween movies is a great way to get into the spirit!

2. Make Your Own Halloween Decorations
   Ghosts and bats and pumpkins, oh my! Grab some constructive paper, orange lights, and fake spider webs and start getting crafty.

3. Host a Virtual Costume Party
   Are your kids extra excited about their Halloween costume? Set up a virtual costume party with their friends so they can show off their costume and enjoy being a kid!

4. Make Halloween-Inspired Treats
   From caramel apples to monster cookies and cake pop eyeballs, there are so many fun and yummy treats to make!

5. Carve or Decorate Pumpkins
   A Halloween tradition that you can easily do at home! Plus, you can also turn the pumpkin seeds into a delicious snack.

6. Organize a Drive-By Trick-or-Treat in Your Neighborhood
   Call your neighbors and friends to organize drive-by trick-or-treating. Every family can decorate their car, kids can dress up (incorporating their masks into their costume), and they can safely get treats from neighbors while in the car.

7. Give Hospitalized Kids a Spook-tacular Halloween. Donate today.