The increasingly popular festival can be traumatising for kids – and not to mention, expensive and worrisome for you, with all the fancy costumes and unhealthy candy. Survive it with these tips.
The increasingly popular festival can be traumatising for kids – and not to mention, expensive and worrisome for you, with all the fancy costumes and unhealthy candy. Survive it with these tips.
Prepare your child for trick-or-treating
Before exposing Junior to ghoulish witch and monster costumes and gory house decorations, explain the festival to him to put the experience into perspective. Daniel Koh, a psychologist at Insights Mind Centre, suggests telling your child that the monsters and scary characters he will see are not real. Use drawings or pictures to illustrate your point.
Daniel adds that when your child understands that Halloween is like “dress-up”, he will feel more in control of the situation. “Play up the fun aspect of the festival, too, like the games and activities, so he can see that it’s not all scary.”
Make instead of buy
Don’t want to spend too much on his costume? Christie Xu, director of kids’ party planning company Partymojo, shares some ideas for saving a few bucks: “If you have time and are creative, try making your child’s costume and accessories. They needn’t be complicated – a Dracula cape, for example, requires minimal sewing, and a mask or hat can be made with materials found at value stores or craft shops.
Get Junior involved and turn it into a craft project.” Face painting can also have a big impact. “Use Youtube tutorials as a guide,” Christie says. “The Facepaintify channel, for example, teaches you how to transform your child’s face into that of a doll, a unicorn, and even Frankenstein. Art Friend, which has branches in Bras Basah and Clementi, sells face-painting kits for under $10.”
Quell his anxiety
When you’re trick-or-treating with your child, hold his hand to give him extra comfort, Daniel advises. “If you know that a scarylooking prop is just around the corner, warn your child or give that street or house a miss altogether. Point out the funny-looking cartoon characters to keep his focus off the scary ones.” If he has specific fears, don’t brush them off. Instead, encourage him to open up so that you have a better understanding of what he’s afraid of. “Address them there and then by reminding him that the characters are not real and that everyone’s just there to show off their costumes and have fun,” Daniel says.
Ration the candy
Let your little one know that he will be receiving a lot of sweets during trick-ortreating, but make it clear that he’s not allowed to eat any until he gets home. “Ration it so that he can eat it over a few weeks, or ask him to share his bounty with his friends,” says Bibi Chia, principal dietician at Raffles Endocrine and Diabetes Centre. You may also decide to limit what he can eat.
“Healthier sweet treats include dark chocolate, which tends to be lower in sugar than most sweets, dried fruit, and chocolate-covered nuts. “Check the label to ensure that sugar isn’t the first ingredient because this usually means that it’s the main ingredient. Pick sweets that contain only natural flavours and colours.”
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE More kid-friendly Halloween tips. Visit www.youngparents.com.sg/digital.
Coat, $69.90, from H&M. Sweater, $65, from Massimo Dutti. Button-down shirt (worn underneath), $140, and bow tie, $160, both from Hackett. Chino pants, $54.90, from Marks & Spencer. Mask, stylist’s own.
Left Halter-top swimsuit (worn as top), $49.90, from Marks & Spencer. Culottes, $22.90, from Privikids. Headband, $14, from Crayon. Mini Dressing knee-high socks, $15 for a pair, from Dreams Avenue. Boots, $59.90, from H&M. Cape, stylist’s own Centre Sweater, $110, from Hackett. Wolf & Rita button-down shirt (worn underneath), $89, from Nana & Bird. Chino pants, $39.95, from Cotton On Kids.
Adventure Time boots, $129, from Dr. Martens. Mask, stylist’s own Right Bomber jacket, $59.90, from Zara Kids. Blouse (worn underneath), $74.90, and jeans, $39.90, both from Marks & Spencer. Headband, $14, from Crayon. Shoes, stylist’s own.
Left Cape, $135, from Massimo Dutti. Paxton & Co Crown T-shirt (worn underneath), $28, and Mini Dressing knee-high socks, $15 for a pair, both from Dreams Avenue. Skirt, $69.90, rabbit magic wand, $17.90, and boots, $59.90, all from H&M.
Scarf and plastic pumpkin bucket, both stylist’s own Right Blouse, $49.90, from H&M. Bobo Choses pants, $80, from Nana & Bird. Headband, $14, from Crayon. Mini Dressing knee-high socks, $15 for a pair, from Dreams Avenue. Shoes, $119, from Dr. Martens. Balloon, stylist’s own.
Left Cavalier cardigan, $148, from Threadbare & Squirrel. T-shirt (worn underneath), $16.95, from Cotton On Kids. LXK harem pants with suspenders, $42.90, from Privikids. Boots, $139, from Dr. Martens.
Headpiece, stylist’s own Right Huxbaby dress, $59, from Privikids. Mask, $4.95, from Cotton On Kids. Mini Dressing knee-high socks, $15 for a pair, from Dreams Avenue. T-bar shoes, $129, from Dr. Martens. Mask and jacket, both stylist’s own.
Wolf & Rita blouse, $109, from Nana & Bird. Belted jumpsuit, $64.90, from Marks & Spencer. Eyes pin-on badge, $12, and lips pin-on badge, $7, both from Crayon. Sling bag, $39.90, from Zara Kids. Beret, stylist’s own.
Left Milky Way trench coat, $59, from Kookies+Milk. Diamond in the Ruff dress (worn underneath), $25, from Dreams Avenue. Hat, $24.90, and shoes, $39.90, both from Privikids. Scarf, $19.90, from Zara Kids. Erin Patches purse, $24.95, from Cotton On Kids.
Right Kukukid hoodie, $99, from Dreams Avenue. T-shirt (worn underneath), $14.90, and camouflage-print jeans, $54.90, both from Marks & Spencer. Slip-ons, $34.95, from Cotton On Kids.
Left Leather biker jacket, $149, from H&M. Hoodie, $58, from Chateau de Sable. Jogger pants, $19.95, from Cotton On Kids. Headpiece, stylist’s own Centre T-shirt, $18.95, from Cotton On Kids.
Mask, $17.90, from H&M. Necklace, $14, from Crayon. Mini Dressing knee-high socks, $15 for a pair, from Dreams Avenue. Skirt, stylist’s own Right Dress, $65, from Kookies+Milk. Mini Dressing T-shirt (worn underneath), $35.90, from Privikids. Necklace, $28, from Crayon. Mini Dressing knee-high socks, $15 for a pair, from Dreams Avenue. Hairclips, stylist’s own.
Left Bomber jacket, $69.90, and sneakers, $59.90, both from Zara Kids. Sleeveless hoodie (worn underneath), $24.95, from Cotton On Kids. Huxbaby drop-crotch pants, $47, from Dreams Avenue.
Mask, stylist’s own Right Oh Deer! blouse, $22, from Dreams Avenue. Pants, $65, from Massimo Dutti. Cavalier hat, $58, from Threadbare & Squirrel. Scarf, $14, from Crayon. Sling bag, $35.90, and boots, $69.90, both from Zara Kids. Balloon, stylist’s own.
