Fall is rapidly falling upon us, and that means that Halloween is closer than you may think. While usually seen as a fun day for children, people of all ages can get in on the Halloween fun, with skill-level appropriate activities. Not everyone may be able to partake in something the “traditional” way, but don’t be afraid to make adaptations so that whoever you care for can have a fun time. There are a lot of fun things you can do with supplies you already have, and you don’t have to put on the perfect party for people of all ages to have a good time. Here are some ideas for activities everyone can enjoy, along with tips to make everything run smoothly.
Fun, inclusive Halloween ideas:
- Arts and Crafts: Find simple crafts that are both engaging to any children at the party but also accessible to the older adults in your life. You could also break up a craft into smaller parts and have people be a part of an assembly line. Great examples of this are paper lanyards, no-carve pumpkins (decorated with paint or paper), goodie bags, and even just coloring pages. These can then be put up as decorations that everyone had a hand in making!
- Festive Baking: Cookies and cupcakes are easy to make and even easier to decorate! Make the goodies ahead of time, or get them from the store, and lay out frosting, sprinkles, and other candy for participants to put on their treat. A simple activity suitable for all ages!
- Games: There are a lot of classic games that can be spun into a fun Halloween, or even just Fall variety! Bingo but in fall colors and with fun shaped stamps, Halloween trivia (What was originally carved instead of pumpkins? Turnips!), or a scavenger hunt, either outside with Fall foliage or inside with candy, toys, or decorations.
- Costumes: A staple of Halloween, but not every older adult is interested or able to put a lot of effort into something, and some costumes may simply be too scary for some people. But anyone can still dress festively by making an outfit in fall colors or adding smaller accessories to convey a costume. You could even have a little costume parade through the house so everyone can show off what they came up with!
Some Things to Keep in Mind:
- Informing about the upcoming holiday: Fall can be a busy time, and dates like holidays can easily slip by someone’s mind. Give gentle reminders to your loved one about when Halloween is and what you will be doing for it, so it isn’t a surprise when routine gets broken to make way for the festivities.
- Motor skill differences: Does your loved one have the control it takes to do the activity? If you’re doing crafts, will cutting things out or gluing them down be a challenge to them? Make sure to select activities or make modifications that make it safe and accessible to those both young and old participating, like having shapes already cut out or using washable paint.
- Time of Day: Halloween festivities usually take place late at night after it’s dark, but this is also a time when some older adults get more agitated and tired. Try having activities earlier in the day, when it’s lighter outside and everyone has more energy.
- Trick-or-Treaters: While hearing the doorbell ring and answering to find kids in costumes is usually considered part of the fun, some people may find these disruptions irritating, or the costumes scary. One solution is to have the party or activities in a room away from the front door and have someone assigned to door duty to keep disruptions to a minimum. Alternatively, you could turn off the porch lights, put a sign saying no trick-or-treaters up, and/or leave out a bowl of candy for free taking to just avoid visitors altogether.
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-Kayla Regli
