# Introducing a baby/toddler to Halloween...



## DocK (Apr 1, 2013)

Hey,

Quick question here: how did you guys introduce your baby/toddler to Halloween...

Last year my son was too little to really remember anything, 
but now (he's turning 2 in januari) I think he will be scared by some simple decorations...

Any tips would be helpfull...

Thanks


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Exposure. Get him used to seeing things. Both of you look at a prop together and show him how it works, etc. I think letting him see everything as being fun, involve him decorating, and showing him things may not be as scary as they seem. He may still be scared of a prop or two, and that's okay, that's part of the halloween fun and experience.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

What Copchick said. I don't have kids, but we certainly get young children visiting our house decorated with full graveyard and skellies at Halloween, and we've always found that talking to them about the props works very well if they're at all nervous or scared by something. We tell the little ones that the skellies, ghosts, demons, werewolves, and anything else are very friendly and don't jump out at anyone. We have an animated grave grabber that scared a little boy one year until Spooky1 let him hold the remote and trigger the prop. After that, he thought it was cool and fun

With small children, you want to emphasize the fun part of Halloween by talking about how pretty or cute or funny or goofy a decoration is. Since you do Halloween yourself, you can also, as CC suggested, get him involved in some small way. Many parents here let their kids help (under supervision) with the prop making and decorating.

Don't be surprised if he's not scared at all, by the way. The majority of kids we see every year are all about how spooky fun the holiday is.


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## DocK (Apr 1, 2013)

Allright, so letting him help set up everything can be a good thing  
Thanks


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

I would agree with all of that. Deconstruct things to show him what everything is made of. Make some really simple props - or at least paint some - and allow him to do his own. No different than craft. The deconstructing has made our haunt "scared child" friendly every year now. You point out that the cobwebs aren't sticky like real cobwebs - more like nice soft fluffy cotton wool. Masks are just plastic. Let him put one on and scare you - emphasis on let HIM put one on. It's treating it like it is just normal every day stuff. If you side step it too much he will feel that there IS something to be afraid of.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

My kid is 15 months old now. Last year we had him around everything, and in costume etc. I will tell you that he loves being scared. I come from around a corner and yell boo and he laughs and we do it over and over. 

Something to think about is unless you have super gory stuff, the kid is not going to know something should or should not be scary. To him a skeleton is going to look like a toy. He doesn't know it is what is under your skin and freaks some people out. Ignorance is bliss. So treat things as fun and not scary and he will be right in line with that as well. 

At his age, a jump scare is the scary thing, not the props. Keep it that way and have him helping with everything. He will catch onto the fun and not the scare. 

If you dress up in a costume and mask and scare him, it might go differently though. 

Good luck


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## HavenHaunt (May 17, 2013)

Exposure, exposure. Copchick has it right. I leave my skeletons in the garage and my 3 years old loves them. She talks to them as they are her friends (maybe she sees more than I do) but one day I moved them to the shed and she started crying because her friend buddy was gone. Yes my 3 year old still gets scared with the startle scares but when they see them all the time and help build things they do just fine with the props.


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## hauntedyardofdoom (Nov 6, 2008)

My two kids (they're 5 and 3 now) have been exposed to our props from day one. I've taken them to the Haunters Convention every year and they love going to Spirit. I would say start with some less scary stuff and let them play/interact with it as much you can. My kids like to go in the closet and grab some scary masks and try to scare me. Like the others said, explain to them how the props work and show them, let them explore. I explain to them how the "robots" work and always remind them that monsters and ghosts and zombies are not real. Mine still get scared at times - the oldest still won't go into the mild haunted house at one of the stores by us but they are still kids. I won't push them - the worst you could do is scare them off of Halloween altogether by pushing them too much.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

_*I think you need to go with the knowledge that kids at any age can be scared. Being that you son is not quite 2 yet, I can pretty much say that when you take him out on Halloween night, he will be scared of something.

The majority of toddlers and very young children when they come to my haunt with their parents, if I'm in full costume they usually get scared. Heck they won't even take candy from me. Now I won't say that my mask is very scary, but to a very young child it can be. That's when I will usually take my mask off and let the child see that it's just a person under the mask. Even that doesn't change some of the kids into thinking that it's alright. I would suggest that you ease him into Halloween.

Exposure is a good thing if you can keep it positive! I would start early by asking him what he wants to be for Halloween. Talk to him about Halloween, and keep it simple when explaining it. On Halloween night, limit the time you expose him to trick or treating. Ease him into it, and by next year he will be more receptive to going out and go Trick or Treating with you. I would also maybe team up with some of his friends families and go together, it will add support in seeing his friends maybe not be afraid when Trick or Treating.

Also, and this is the most important thing to remember.....Don't let him go to the door by himself. I've seen more and more parents stay back on the sidewalk, making their toddler kids come to the door alone. There is nothing worse than having your child at this age get freaked out by someone in costume opening the door and scarring the holy you know what out of them. And if he wants to go home after a few houses then go home, don't push him to do more!

Going to the door with your child, will make him feel more comfortable knowing mom or dad is with him when you ring the doorbell. Just remember to have patience and go slow with him and I know you and your son will have great fun on Halloween night. Cherish these times when they are young, because one day, (and it comes faster than you think) they won't need you to go with them anymore! :jol:

*_


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## DocK (Apr 1, 2013)

First of all: thanks for all the responses.

I know it's a tough age to get them to like the stuff we do.

Since we don't have the tradition of "Trick Or Treat" over here eek: I know, right?) I don't think that will be the problem for him. 

And since we're the only house doing something besides putting up a pumpkin (I really hope it catches on someday), I'll just let him help me (instead of putting something up during his nap) and hope for the best.


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## drspookymuffins (May 1, 2014)

get him/her used to the easy kid friendly stuff first pumpkins and ghosts, stuffed animals, ect.. while the babys young, then start building it up over the first few years. thats what i did with my son , hes 10 years old and pretty numb to it all now. Hope that helped


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## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

What I did was not only allow them to "help" as much as possible, but "gave" them a part of the display. They each have a skeleton that is theirs. One is "Ariel" and has red hair, pink LEDs for lighting and a pink prom dress (suitably torn of course). The other is "Rapunzel" and has purple LEDs and a purple dress and long hair. They both have eyelashes.

I make it work with my display but they have their own part of it. They get a sense of ownership and possession that makes it more okay.

And really, really, really avoid startle scares. I accidentally spooked my youngest and she hated Halloween that year.


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## DocK (Apr 1, 2013)

Quick update here: yesterday I went shopping for Halloween decorations and I came home with a fake crow and a small skeleton (amongst other things) and my son (he's 20 months old now) started playing with the skeleton. He was not at all scared of it (but why would he, he doesn't know what skeletons really are). He was a bit scared of the crow at first, but only until I showed him it wasn't real. So far so good.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Sounds as if he's off to a good start, Doc It's all about seeing the fun in the otherwise spooky items.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Sounds like you are off to a good start with him. When kids are scared at my house I like to stress how everything is just pretend. Show them how things work. When kids come up and tell me, "You don't scare me. " I say Good, I do all this in fun. I just want kids to have a good time. When I did my army of Elmo's I told the kids I didn't hurt Elmo. He was just wearing a costume like they were. Only one little girl called me out to the fact I removed their heads and stuck weapons in them. Everyone else seemed to buy it. But I digress. Raising him with props will get him used to them.


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## scarycher (Aug 4, 2014)

I gave my grandson a small hammer and had him put the tie downs on the grave grabber and other creepy items in my grave yard, it was day light and he used a very small hammer but at 2 he couldn't do much dammage. then at night he recognized the things he put in the cemetary and every thing was fine...does not like things that jump out but other than that it took away the fear. sounds like he is off to a good start now.. have fun!!


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## The Feejee Merman (Sep 13, 2014)

Do you have any Halloween related catalogs like Oriental Trading Co. or otherwise in Belgium? I distinctly remember flipping through those things when I wasn't much older than your son. That parade of awesome really stuck with me.


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## DocK (Apr 1, 2013)

There are Halloween catalogs? OMG :tonguekin:

We don't have that over here... (the most we see is half a page in an advert folder from a play store, and then it's mostly all costumes - witches/devils/... that kind of stuff)

Although more and more stores are (finally) catching up on the Halloween trend, their stock is still very limited...

That's why I DIY :coolkin::biggrinkin:


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## willow39 (May 5, 2015)

do preparation of halloween together!!


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## akshaynimbalkar (Oct 11, 2015)

OOOO waw the special halloween with new born is very funny and remembering
i have idea to present your baby on this halloween 
design same costume for both of you if baby's mom interested then she will also dressed same costume like you. Its looks great when all family dressed same. But do not makeup more horror because your baby will start crying.


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## Hsnopi (Oct 26, 2012)

we took our out at 2 last year. she was a dinosaur. My friend had a 15 moth old, dressed her up like a bunny and took her out in a wagon.


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