How to support your children when Halloween can be overwhelming
Halloween can be an intense time for children, even if your family doesn’t celebrate it. The lights, costumes, decorations, and sounds are everywhere, and for some children these stimuli can be overwhelming or even frightening.
Beyond whether or not they participate in activities, it is important to support them and offer them tools to manage the emotions that arise.
Practical tips to support intense emotions during this season:
1. Validate what they feel
Phrases like “I see that this scares you” or “it seems that this is making you very excited” help children feel understood and safe.
2. Explore their reactions through play
They can draw, dramatize, or invent stories about the characters they see. This allows them to process strong emotions safely.
3. Allow control of exposure
Some children prefer to watch from afar, others want to participate actively. Respecting their decisions reduces anxiety and increases the feeling of security.
4. Create moments of Emotional Regulation before and after
A quiet space with breathing, hugs, reading, or soft music helps their body and mind regulate after exposure to intense stimuli.
5. Observe how they integrate what they have experienced
If they repeat games or conversations about “scary” characters or situations, accompany them with curiosity and without judging: they are learning to manage their emotions.
6. Remember your own Regulation model
Children learn to regulate themselves by observing how you handle emotion and overload. Your calm voice, pauses, and breaths help them feel safe.
Remember:
Halloween can be an opportunity to teach that all emotions are valid, that feeling fear or excitement is normal, and that there are strategies to regulate and feel safe, even in the face of situations that can be overwhelming.
