Preparing Your Child for Halloween: From Scary to Merry

(Originally written: October 23, 2025)

Written by Yadira Sanchez, Ph.D.

Many children look forward to spooky season. From time with friends, Halloween parades at school, and of course, candy. However, for some children, Halloween can be a time filled with anxiety instead of fun. Children can become fearful when seeing Halloween-themed episodes of their favorite shows, walking past a home with Halloween decorations, or anticipating seeing people in costume. Instead of wanting to participate in many of the Halloween festivities, some children prefer to avoid them, which can cause parents to feel unsure of how to support their child best.

Signs that your child may be feeling anxious about Halloween

• Your child is asking many “what if” questions and is looking for reassurance. Many times these questions have to do with worries about safety, such as “What if there is a monster in the house?”

• Your child is having difficulty falling/staying asleep.

• Your child is having difficulty separating from you. This might include reluctance to go to another floor of the house without a parent or difficulty completing tasks independently, such as going to the bathroom alone.

• Your child is engaging in avoidance behaviors. This can look like refusing to participate in Halloween-related activities or taking extra steps to avoid situations (e.g., drive a different route home to avoid a Halloween decorated house).

If your child is displaying these behaviors, it may be time to support them in managing their anxiety around Halloween.

Strategies to Support Your Child During Spooky Season:

Help children evaluate their thoughts:

We often want to reassure our children when they ask “what if” questions. However, that often leaves us in a loop of answering endless “what if” questions which can increase time spent on worries. Instead, you can assist your child in evaluating these questions. An example: “Have you ever seen monsters in the house/in real life before?” Help them come to their own conclusion about this worry thought so they can use this strategy next time they have a similar worry.

Use Humor:

Scary thoughts can often be diffused by using humor. Activities like giving the “monster” in the worry thought a silly name or funny characteristic can make the thought feel less overwhelming.

Help approach instead of avoid: Anxiety tends to increase the more we avoid situations.

Encourage your child to take small steps towards approaching situations, such as working with them to find something they are willing to participate in instead of altogether avoiding an activity. Always follow their lead so they can feel supported and know that you are working as a team.

When to Consider Therapy for Your Child

If your child continues to struggle with managing anxiety and you are noticing behaviors such as seeking reassurance or avoidance, it might be time to consider therapy. Therapy can assist children in developing coping skills to manage anxiety and not have it take away from activities they would like to enjoy.