Halloween and other fall activities with kids

Halloween is celebrated mainly in English-speaking countries, where the tradition of going trick-or-treating in spooky costumes is followed. In the Czech Republic, we do not celebrate Halloween; for us, the more important day is the one when we remember our loved ones who are no longer among us, the so-called All Souls' Day. What is Halloween, and what activities can you do with children to enjoy autumn to the fullest? 

The origins of Halloween

The name comes from All Hallows´Eve, or the Eve of All Saints' Day. Halloween is celebrated on October 31, the day before the Christian feast of All Saints. It originally comes from a Celtic holiday, but besides the Anglo-Saxon countries it is also very popular in other parts of the world. For the Celts, October 31 represented the transition between summer and winter, as well as a boundary between the world of the living and the dead. They therefore built altars and held worship rituals, thanks to which they could connect with the dead. 

Modern Halloween traditions

In the 20th century, Halloween became more commercial, and around 1950 children began going trick-or-treating in spooky costumes. They trick-or-treat for sweets, and if they do not get any, they carry out some mischief, such as painting the front door or a parked car. 

The best-known custom is decorations in the form of spooky pumpkins. People place them in front of their houses, and the candle inside then protects them from evil spirits. It is a beautiful decoration that you can make with children during the autumn season. 

Halloween symbols

• pumpkin
• ghosts, spirits and skeletons
• spiders and bats
• a witch, her broom and pointed hat
• black cat and owl
• fire and candles

Halloween activities

Get inspired by activities that will entertain both you and your children, and just like baking Christmas cookies or coloring Easter eggs together (How to Spend Easter with Children), you can include them in your yearly traditions. 

1. Carving a pumpkin
2. Making a spooky mask
3. Making ghosts from paper, paper towel rolls, fallen leaves, tissue paper, etc. 
4. Making a spooky candle holder from a jam jar
5. Making spooky window decorations
6. Baking spooky gingerbread cookies
7. Visiting the zoo, a castle, or a park - take a look to see whether any Halloween-themed event is taking place in your city

Other autumn activities

Autumn is a wonderful season. Nature is slowly settling into its winter sleep, but it still has a lot to offer. The days tend to be colder, but that does not mean you cannot be outside with children and enjoy the wind, rain, fallen leaves, and lots of other autumn fun. 

1. Jumping in puddles
2. Picking mushrooms
3. Flying a kite
4. Collecting chestnuts and acorns and then making little animals from them
5. Drinking rosehip tea
6. Drying apples
7. Making plum jam
8. Making an autumn wreath
9. Raking leaves and jumping in them
10. Making a bird feeder

Whether you are a fan of Halloween or not, the autumn season offers plenty of interesting fun that cannot be enjoyed in other seasons, and it would be a shame not to try something with the children.