🎃 4 Easy Halloween Tips (No Tricks!)

Halloween can be so much fun — costumes, candy, and memory-making galore. But it can also bring sensory overload, sugar highs, and bedtime chaos. Whether you’re a parent or a professional supporting families, here are some simple, proactive strategies to make this spooky season a little smoother.

🍬 1. Set Candy Limits Ahead of Time

We’ve all been there — the pillowcase full of candy, the sugar crash, and the negotiation over “just one more.” Instead, set expectations before heading out. Let your child know that you will hold onto the candy at home, and they’ll get to pick a certain number of pieces to enjoy that night. Setting limits upfront prevents power struggles later — it’s much easier to stick to a plan than to take the candy bag away once they’ve already had too much.

🚪 2. Practice Trick-or-Treating

Practice makes progress! You can easily do a trial run at home — close a bedroom door, have your child knock, say “trick or treat,” and practice taking one piece of candy. If your child benefits from visuals, draw a simple number “1” reminder or use pictures of candy to guide them. It doesn’t have to be fancy — just something to make the expectations clear and predictable.

👻 3. Try on Costumes in Advance

There’s nothing worse than a costume that’s too small, too itchy, or full of scratchy tags — especially five minutes before you’re supposed to leave the house. Try everything on a few days before Halloween so you can make adjustments or swap out pieces if needed. For kids with sensory sensitivities, consider seamless fabrics, tagless options, or familiar clothing underneath costumes to make it more comfortable.

😴 4. Protect Sleep (and Recovery Time)

Daylight savings time doesn't end until early Sunday morning, but the time to start preparing for it is now. For the next few days, start moving bedtime later by about 15 minutes per night (don't forget that calming bedtime routine!), so that the time change doesn't feel like such a big leap all at once.

Good news — Halloween falls on a Friday this year, which means a late bedtime won’t throw things off too much. Let your child enjoy the fun and sleep in a little bit on Saturday (no more than 1 hour to keep things on track). The key is to get back to the regular wake-up time on Sunday morning (the time they need to wake up on Monday), even if they’re a little tired. Since it is also the end of daylight savings time, they may wake up earlier than usual on Sunday morning anyway. With a regular (or slightly earlier) bedtime Sunday night, they’ll be back to their normal rhythm and ready for a well-rested Monday.

Happy Halloween!

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