It is strange how October is the ultimate month for festivities in India, where everything is positive and light, and then – boo! – the month ends with a ‘scary’ theme night. Well, of course, Halloween is a Western concept, but count Indians in when it comes to celebrating anything that involves a lot of fun. Children are excited about dressing up and workshops are in full swing. My son wants to be a super werewolf (aside: does he even know what a werewolf is?!)
In case your child loves Halloween, I have compiled some things right here.
Costumes
Children love to dress up. Honestly, I feel that’s why they love Halloween so much. Superheroes, unicorns, ghouls unite and imaginative play is at its peak. Wanna Party at AJC Bose Road has a wide collection of costumes from Iron Man to vampires, and also some fun props for those who are brave enough to try a DIY costume at home.
Zara and H&M Online have some spooky night suits and shirts, which you can also use post dress-up day. The easiest and quickest costume is by using safe paints to make the little ones look scary and make their spooky dreams come true. Sure, you could just take your kid shopping and let them pick out a mask and a costume for Halloween night. But, wouldn’t it be more fun if you helped them use some make-up to make a mask themselves? If you want to take this a step further, feel free to pick up some face paint and let your child uncage their creativity! Face paint is easy to take off, so if their first attempt doesn’t go quite as planned, you can help them out with their next one.
Workshops
If your little one loves engaging in formal activities, there are a few workshops you can pick from.
- Little Nerds x Baby Potato have Storytelling, STEM, sensory play art and craft for ages 2-6 on October 27
-
Young Minds Collective is back with its annual Halloween carnival on October 17 for ages 1-7. All things spooky and mysterious, this one is not to be missed.
- The Holistic Approach will celebrate Halloween with a fun-filled party on October 26 for ages 2.5-6. Trick-or-treating, fun experiments and visits from Halloween characters – it’s sure to be loads of fun!
- For the older teens, who love the Halloween aesthetic, Calcutta Walks has a haunted walk that’s not for the fainthearted. They do it on request for groups of eight and above.
Activities
The idea is not to terrify children and send them to bed scared. You have to turn it into a fun activity, scout for the right costume and throw in copious amounts of treats. One game to try at home is the Mummy Wrap. The aim of this hilarious game is to wrap up a person using rolls of toilet paper and turn the person into a mummy. It’s the simple games that make them have fun. I love to bake cookies so I get the orange and black buttercream out and let my son have a go at it. Sweet treats, craft and Halloweeny – it ticks all the boxes. If you have kind neighbours, children do enjoy trick or treating. Organised trick-or-treating events in housing societies or gated communities offer just that – a safe space where children can immerse themselves in the Halloween spirit.
I have grown up watching cult Halloween movies like Hocus Pocus and Beetlejuice. If my son wants to celebrate Halloween, I am all for it. I’ll let him be a super werewolf, and also paint an Indian pumpkin while at it.
The author is an economist and full-time millennial mother, struggling to cope with daily chores.