Halloween Ideas for Teens

Hi Louise,
I read your wonderful ideas in the Dollar Stretcher for children's party ideas. They were great! I have teenagers and am looking for ideas to keep them busy on Halloween as they are too old for Trick or Treating. Any suggestions you can give me are warmly welcome!

Good idea! It's a smart parent who's prepared ahead of time! Some ideas include:

Have Your Teens Decorate for Halloween

Put your teens in charge of Halloween at your house. Give them a budget and guidelines as you deem appropriate. They can decorate your yard, entry and/or front door, decide on and buy (or make, if it's possible in your community) the treats, devise their own costumes, choose scary music, props, etc., and hand out the treats. Encourage improvising and recycling. You'll probably be surprised at the results!

Let Teens Volunteer at Halloween Events

Many nonprofit organizations hold Halloween spook houses and pumpkin patches as fundraisers and are looking for volunteers to help. There are usually any number of different jobs needing to be done, so good matches can be found. Encourage your young people to offer their skills and time. Teens need opportunities to build community and give back. If your teen belongs to a group (official or not), they may consider visiting (in costume) shut-in neighbors, nursing homes, or senior centers to recite Halloween poems, sing and/or play seasonal songs, deliver homemade tray favors or greeting cards, and dispense Halloween spirit.

A Special Halloween Dinner Made by Your Teen

Teens can make any or all of a special family Halloween dinner, complete with table setting. Or they can just bake seasonal cookies and quick breads, make pumpkin soup, etc. Baked goods can be shared with family, friends, and neighbors and delivered in costume.

Invite your teens to do a quick web search for ideas on Halloween crafts, costumes, games, and recipes.

Louise is a regular contributor to The Dollar Stretcher. She often writes about issues relating to raising children.

Take the Next Step:

• Check out Costume Craze for a huge selection of costumes for all ages.
• Create Your Own Haunted House - If you don't mind your house becoming spooky.
• Halloween on a Dime - Everything from black eyes, to bloody eyeballs, to spider webs, oh my!
• Halloween Fun and Games - Add some games and throw a party!
• Subscribe to Dollar Stretcher for Parents newsletter. It's a free weekly newsletter with time- and money-saving articles for parents.

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