Halloween is an exciting night for many children and adults. Parents often dress with their toddlers, assisting them as they walk from house to house. As they get older, kids start dressing up with their friends, going out trick-or-treating, and having a great time. Either way, kids are getting free candy, who wouldn’t be excited? Eventually, the question arises, how old is too old to trick-or-treat? Conversely, how young is too young?
In a study run by Rachel Paula Abrahamson and Elise Sole`, 26% of adults believe it’s never too late to trick-or-treat, while 19% of adults surveyed believe kids should stop this tradition at 17 years old, and 16% expressed that kids should stop trick-or-treating at the age of 15. Only one percent believe that kids should stop walking from house to house at the age of nine.
In general, it is accepted that people between the ages of three and twelve are at a good age to go trick-or-treating. At that age, kids can enjoy the night with friends and consume the candy given to them. Children within that age range must be accompanied by someone older and should have a set time in which they should return home. Although parents want their children to have fun, it’s important that parents secure their child’s safety before they let their kids go out for the night and be on their own.
Ages thirteen through seventeen should still be considered an acceptable age to trick-or-treat as well. Kids this age should be responsible enough to know when to return home and how to be cautious throughout the night. Many parents whose children fall within this age group fear that their children will contribute to bad choices such as going to explicit parties, engaging in sexual activities, underage drinking/drugs, lying about their costumes, and pulling extreme pranks. However, most teens only engage in such activities if their environment makes such pursuits accessible to them.
As long as parents feel that their children are being honest about their plans for the night and are able to check up on them via text message or phone call, everything should be fine. It is also possible that some teens within that age group stay home for the night to help the family hand out candy to trick-or-treaters or they accompany their younger siblings while they are out trick-or-treating. Some kids even participate in Halloween events at school rather than going out and about in the neighborhood.
Many people consider those aged eighteen and older too old to trick-or-treat, but that does not mean they cannot partake in Halloween. People within that listed age range could throw parties, help hand out candy, decorate their homes, go apple picking, pumpkin carving, bake Halloween cookies and pies, experience haunted houses, or go for a night drive while reminiscing about how fun trick-or-treating used to be. One could also invite their friends over and throw a movie night while watching their favorite fall movies. Not to mention, everyone can always dress up on Halloween night, even if they are not necessarily trick-or-treating.
Halloween is supposed to be fun, dressing up with friends or family. Even the day leading up to Halloween, many go hay riding or shopping to buy pumpkins and craving them with loved ones.
Again, on the other end of the spectrum are those who might be too young to be trick-or-treating. Understandably, children get hyped for the fall season, however, a newborn baby or a toddler around two years old is not old enough to comprehend a Halloween night or be able to eat the candy handed to them. When they are going around with their parents it’s really mom or dad who is eating the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or Twix you gave to them. Should they be going out either?
It would be an exception for any older child who seems “too old” to be able to go trick-or-treating if they have never done it before. Every child deserves to have this experience at least once during their childhood or in their lifetime, unless, of course, they are an individual who has never celebrated Halloween as a result of cultural or religious differences. Otherwise, it’s one night! Enjoy it!
