Learn everything there is to know about the origins of Halloween and fun Halloween activities you can enjoy with your kids during this frightful holiday, including advice on carving pumpkins.
One of the most celebrated holidays worldwide is now Halloween! As a night full of tricks and goodies, October 31st has grown to be one of the most exciting occasions on children’s calendars.
Continue reading to learn more about Halloween, fun facts you can tell your kids, and activities you can do to mark this frightening occasion.
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The History of Halloween
Halloween’s roots can be found in the Celtic holiday of Samhain, which marked the end of summer before the coming of winter. Samhain also translates as “November” in Irish. On the legend, the Samhain festival was based. Samhain is the time of year when, according to Celtic legend, the chasm between the physical world and the spiritual one became sufficiently shallow to permit ghosts and spirits to enter the physical one. Additionally, the Celts held that the existence of spirits aided in foretelling the future. To assist them through the long winters, the ghosts and spirits would be able to help them anticipate the future.
The festival of Samhain was renamed “All Hallow’s Eve” as Christianity started to be more important to people over time. All Hallows Eve is the day before All Saints’ Day on November 1.
Halloween Traditions:
Over time, Halloween customs have changed and evolved. However, Halloween is primarily a North American holiday. According to popular belief, Halloween was first observed by Irish immigrants in America in the early 19th century as a result of their inspiration from Samhain customs in the Celtic world. During this time, customs like carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating were created. Through the years, the event has become more commercialized thanks to Halloween-themed movies. Although ghosts and spirits are no longer the main focus of the festival, they are still a significant component.
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Trick or Treating:
Another custom that has been carried down through the ages is trick-or-treating. Samhain’s holiday serves as another inspiration for trick-or-treating. To ward off evil spirits, Celts would dress in animal skins and place food outside. On November 1st, All Saints’ Day, poor people would go to opulent homes and offer prayers for the souls of the owners’ deceased relatives. The rich homeowners would offer cakes or other treats in exchange. With time, this custom changed and centered more on young children knocking on doors and pleading for food and presents. Before receiving a treat, it’s thought that kids were occasionally requested to sing a song or tell a joke. Hence, where the idea of a trick or a treat came from.
Fun Facts about Halloween for Kids:
Here are some interesting Halloween-related facts you can share with your kids. You may even employ them in the classroom and solicit the opinions of the students.
- When Canadians celebrate Halloween, they light “Jack-o-Lanterns” and use corn stalks and pumpkins to decorate their homes. The Scottish immigrants in Canada were the ones who created and introduced this custom.
- It’s estimated that Americans spend nearly $6 billion annually on Halloween festivities!
- On the evening of the Samhain festival, it was thought that dressing up in costumes would frighten off any ghosts and spirits that might be roaming the earth.
- Not every nation observes Halloween in the same way. For instance, Korea still values Halloween despite not celebrating it the same way as western nations do. It is referred to as Chuseok in Korea. They give fruit and rice to their kin as a token of appreciation for their labor of love.
- Halloween is the first day of a three-day celebration in Mexico, Spain, and Latin America that culminates on November 2 with “El Da de los Muertos,” also known as the Day of the Dead. The dead are supposed to return to earth during these days, and this festival honors their souls. During the occasion, skull-shaped bread, cakes, and confections are consumed. Candles are lighted to aid in illuminating the deceased’s return route. Even some people think that if you walk backwards at midnight while wearing your garments inside out, a witch will appear! Halloween is the first day of a three-day celebration in Mexico, Spain, and Latin America that culminates on November 2 with “El Da de los Muertos,” also known as the Day of the Dead. The dead are supposed to return to earth during these days, and this festival honors their souls. During the occasion, skull-shaped bread, cakes, and confections are consumed. Candles are lighted to aid in illuminating the deceased’s return route. Even some people think that if you walk backward at midnight while wearing your garments inside out, a witch will appear!
- Bobbing for apples and other games were also inspired by English mythology. Additionally, people were extremely superstitious and avoided black cats. According to a folktale, a young, single person could even see their next lover’s face in the mirror if they walked down the stairs backward while holding a mirror.
Halloween Activities for Kids
Look no further if you’re looking for enjoyable things to do with your kids over this frightening holiday. The activities listed below range from word searches and coloring pages to interactive PowerPoints.
- Try these lovely mindfulness Halloween coloring pages! These are the perfect way to end the evening!
- Try your hand at these worksheets about pencil control! These are excellent for helping younger students improve their fine motor abilities, including hand-eye coordination. This witches pencil control exercise sheet is just one of many worksheets in our collection with a Halloween theme.
- This crossword puzzle with Halloween words might be to your liking!
- Baking is another thrilling Halloween activity for youngsters! Why not try this gorgeous Halloween spider crispy cake recipe? Halloween is all about goodies and giving to others. The straightforward recipe is simple to follow and will result in a tasty treat.
- There are many eerie words to locate in this Halloween word hunt!
- Use this fantastic Halloween PowerPoint to teach your kids everything there is to know about the holiday. To further explain to your kids how Halloween is celebrated around the world, you may use this PowerPoint presentation.
- These Halloween multiplication mosaics worksheets are ideal for celebrating Halloween while teaching multiplication.
- This pumpkin design template could also be used to aid in pumpkin carving. Discover our pumpkin carving advice by reading on!
If you are still at a loss for what to do, you could watch a bunch of movies with your kids! Pumpkin carving is a Halloween tradition, too! Continue reading for our top advice if this is your first time carving pumpkins with your kids as it can seem pretty challenging.
Top Tips for Pumpkin Carving
Why not carve some pumpkins with your kids if you’re looking for additional enjoyable Halloween activities? See some suggestions for carving pumpkins below.
- Your pumpkin can be any shape, to start! Whatever you and your child end up making will be fantastic. Encourage your youngster to embrace this bizarre and lovely time of year and create whatever they like for Halloween.
- Plan ahead! With your child, you might sketch the shapes on the pumpkin before you begin. Additionally, you might urge your kid to draw the design they want on paper so you can trace it onto the pumpkin. When carving the pumpkin, will make things much simpler.
- Don’t remove the pumpkin’s top! Carve a lid off of the pumpkin’s bottom using a knife. Using the top may result in the pumpkin’s sides collapsing or caving in as you carve it.
- Before beginning to carve the pumpkin, be sure to scoop out all of the pulp. Make sure to collect every last piece to prevent the pumpkin from sloping downward during carving.
- Additionally, you might use leftovers from the pumpkin’s interior in your design!
- If you’ve already carved your pumpkins, you might store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresher for longer. By the time you exhibit them, they will be flawless.
- Make use of the pumpkin! If you discover that you have a lot of leftover meat after carving your pumpkins, consider making a delicious pumpkin soup rather than throwing it all out. Check out our lovely recipe for a warming pumpkin soup that is perfect for winter meals.