Coronavirus (COVID-19) didn't cancel Halloween. It may be different. But we are in this together and can still have fun.
1) Decorate Your House - What could entertain your neighbors? Turn your yard into a haunted maze. Or the lawn is now a graveyard. Make a scary backdrop for kids to do a photoshoot.
2) Decorate A Neighbor's House - Surprise someone by making signs, filling their yard with witches and skeletons. Decorate pumpkins and leave them on their stoop.
3) You've Been Boo'ed - It's like a Halloween Secret Santa. Make two signs or decorations, two gift packs, and secretly deliver the goodies to your neighbors. Display sign/decoration somewhere prominently and leave instructions to do the same for two more neighbors. Watch the fun spread through the neighborhood
4) Hands-Free Bag-O-Candy - Grocery stores have bags and bags of candy. Some are all the same. Others are a mix of your favorites. The virus only lasts about 3 hours on paper and non-solid wrappers (at last update)
5) Neighborhood Costume Parade - Set a time for families to have a social distance parade down the street. If you have a neighborhood Facebook Group or other social media, share photos and give online awards for costumes like: scariest, funniest, most original, cutest, etc.
6) Zoom Costume Party - Send out invites, wear costumes, have a matching virtual background, make something together (spooky food, carve pumpkins, scary science experiment), play games (20 questions, truth or dare, would you rather). And don't forget the food and drinks.
7) Netflix Party (Scary Movies) - Watch a scary movie at home and invite your friends with Netflix Party (https://www.netflixparty.com/). Or share with the neighbors by projecting on your garage or bedsheet. Projectors are as cheap as $55 USD (https://www.lifewire.com/best-cheap-projectors-to-buy-4062263).
Need movie suggestions? Here's the Top 100 Horror Movies according to Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/top/bestofrt/top_100_horror_movies/
8) Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt - Invite your neighbors to participate in a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Have every participating neighbor provide item hidden in their yard for your list. This list can be shared to participants by email, Facebook Groups, or other way you communicate with neighbors. Consider using a hashtag and having participants share their finds on social media.
*Consider clues and prizes for all younger kids.
9) Haunted Drive-Thru - Coordinate with your neighbors to make your street haunted. Have a friendly competition with inflatable displays, choreography/actors, and outrageous designs for car viewing.
Too ambitious? Maybe partner with a few neighbors and friends to combine decorations. If someone has a good sized plot of land or a circular driveway, that's fun too.
10) Adults Too! - Halloween isn't just for kids. Grown-ups need fun too. Holidays are about bonding and shared experience. So find ways that everyone can participate in the fun.
AND DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN! And, please feel free to contact if you have any questions or suggestions!
Health and Safety Considerations for gathering:
1) No indoor activities
2) No sharing bathrooms
3) Wash hands before and after gathering. Don't touch your face.
4) Bring your own food, snacks, drinks, and utensils.
5) Do not attend if you have asthma, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, have/survived cancer, or 50+ year old.
6) Do not attend if you have or have had Coronavirus or showing symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).
7) Wear a mask and practice social distancing (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html)
8) Limit attendance. Check local health department for guidelines and restrictions.
9) Talk with everyone about comfort levels. Expect and allow non-participation and last minute cancellations.
Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.
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