It looks like COVID-19 is going to crash our Halloween festivities, no surprise there! Looking on the bright side, being outdoors with masks on will finally feel like it makes sense. Yay for a bit of normalcy. Maybe our kids won’t be able to get together with their friends and go door to door (hello shared candy bowls) but we can still make their first (and, please, last) quarantineoween a fun holiday to remember. We just have to get creative! Here are 10 ideas for a great Halloween in 2020.

1. Make individual treat bags for the trick-or-treaters. Let’s say that trick or treating isn’t cancelled. You’ll still want to maintain social distancing to keep the kids safe, so why not grab a box of sandwich baggies and create cute little individual treat bags? Place them in a box and set them at the end of your driveway. The kiddos can walk by and grab a treat bag at a nice safe distance of 6 feet or more. Plus, couldn’t these kids use a little something extra special this year?
2. Kick up your decorating. At the very least, we can add some extra holiday cheer to our neighborhoods by going all out with the Halloween decorations this year. Will yours be the spooky house with the skeletons and spiders or the pretty fall decor home with pumpkins and orange lights? Make your style stand out and give the neighborhood kids something awesome to look at. anadolucasino
3. Have a small pumpkin carving party. Invite a few of your closest friends over for a fun evening of fall frolicking. We may be avoiding the crowds, but we can still have a few people in our circles over for a good time. Eat apple pies, carve up some jack-o-lanterns, rake up a big leaf pile for the children, roast wieners, and make S’mores. Enjoy connecting with others again. It’s probably been a while!
4. Settle in for a spooky movie marathon. Hocus Pocus or Halloween? Pick a couple of spooky flicks, get the popcorn popping, and grab some blankets. Snuggle down for a little fright!
5. Try ghost hunting in the dark. For this fun, non-scary Halloween activity, you’ll need white or clear balloons, clear plastic cups, glow sticks, a sharpie, and something to hunt with like a foam sword or Nerf gun. Break the glow sticks and put one inside each balloon and clear cup. Draw ghost faces on all of them, and place them around your home or yard. Turn off the lights or wait until it’s dark out, and let your kids “hunt” the ghosts!
6. Have a Zoom Halloween party. Your kids are probably quite proficient at Zoom now, right? Have them invite all their friends for a costume party via Zoom. Give out virtual awards for wackiest, scariest, most creative, silliest, and funniest costumes. Hey, we have to roll with the times, right?
7. DIY a spooky mask for the season. Buy plain white cloth masks for your kids and let them decorate it for Halloween. This activity will definitely let their creativity shine, and they’ll have a one-of-a-kind mask of their own making!
8. Whip up some scary good treats. How about mini spider pizzas or witch’s finger breadsticks? I think a mummy cupcake would be delicious to unwrap!
9. Scour the neighborhood for Trunk or Treat events that maintain social distancing guidelines. Lots of churches and businesses host Trunk or Treats every year, and I’m sure many of them will adapt to the new guidelines and still offer your kids a chance to get some candy.
10. Camp out and tell scary stories. You can’t beat a great classic like this. Grab your flashlights, pitch a tent out back, and tell your kids some spooky tales. Now that’s how to quarantineoween!

Rebecca Eanes is the bestselling author of multiple books including Positive Parenting: An Essential Guide, The Positive Parenting Workbook, and The Gift of a Happy Mother. She is the grateful mom of two boys.