Taking the Kids: 10 ways to celebrate Halloween safely in these strange times
The good news is no one will be arguing over whether to wear a mask, or not.
It’s Halloween season, after all.
The bad news: This will be a different Halloween experience with virtual or socially distant outdoor costume parades, face coverings, socially distant trick or treating, frequent hand washing and the necessity to sanitize treats, if trick or treating is allowed at all.
(Consider nonedible treats — better this pandemic year and certainly better for children with food allergies — or a scavenger hunt for Halloween treats at home instead.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds us this Halloween, it is safer to be outdoors and to avoid groups. And a costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth face covering unless the covering has multiple layers of breathable fabric and covers the face and nose snugly.
“This is a good time to teach children the importance of protecting not just themselves, but each other,” said American Academy of Pediatrics spokesman Dr. Shelly Vaziri Flais. “The decisions we make on this one day can have a ripple effect on our family members. We can find safe ways to celebrate and create magical memories.”
While the Academy of Pediatrics suggests avoiding indoor events like haunted houses, there are many outdoor options — everything from special programs at zoos, theme parks, campgrounds, corn mazes, apple orchards, pumpkin patches and more. (If you go to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard, use hand sanitizer before and after touching what you pick, pediatricians suggest.)
While Half Moon Bay, California’s famous Art & Pumpkin Festival is canceled this year, there are still plenty of places to pick your own pumpkin in the World Pumpkin Capital, including at Farmer John’s Pumpkins.
Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove, Illinois, is said to have the world’s biggest and most intricate corn maze — 10 miles of trail winding through 28 acres of live corn. There’s also a petting zoo, chicken show, private hayrides, go-karts and more.
Go apple picking. Terhune Orchards in New Jersey has dwarf trees — easy for kids to reach apples without a ladder — while Apple Jack Orchards in Minnesota includes 29 Minnesota apple varieties. At Mt. View Orchards in Mount Hood, Oregon, you can picnic after you pick amid views of Mt. Hood. Family Travel Forum has links to local farms in top apple-picking regions. Just make sure to check their websites and call ahead to make sure they are open!
...continued
(c) 2020 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
