Trick or Treating Alternatives for Kids in Boston and Beyond

10/13/15 - By Tara D

There are many reasons not to take your kids out for traditional, around the neighborhood, nighttime trick-or-treating: Your little one is too young, you have a sensory-sensitive child who is not amused by cackling animatronic witches, you’re trying to move toward a more earth-friendly or less sugary Halloween, or you just want your kids to think more about giving than getting.

Whatever the reason, there’s no need to feel left out on Halloween. There are plenty of alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating for Boston area families, and they may be even better than the real thing!

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Get Organized

Organized trick-or-treating gives you the best of both worlds: While your kids still get to trick-or-treat, it’s in the light, off the streets, supervised, and it yields a limited amount of candy. Some of our favorites are at shopping malls, like Pru Boo Trick-or-Treat for Charity at The Shops at Prudential Center and Trick-or-Treat at the Street.

There are also options that aren’t retail-related. My kids always look forward to Zoo Howl at Franklin Park Zoo and Boo at the Zoo at Stone Zoo. A visit the New School of Music in Harvard Square for Trick or Treat to the Beat is great for the musically inclined, and the Neighborhood Trunk-or-Treat in South Easton is a fun way to trick-or-treat in a safe environment (and seeing decorated cars is an added bonus).


Have a Party

Skip the trick-or-treating altogether and throw a party instead! We love the idea of having a Halloween Around the World party, incorporating some traditions from other countries. For older kids, try a Mad Scientist Halloween party theme. The kids can do fun experiments like these from One Charming Party.

Of course, Halloween might be theme enough. For fabulous DIY treat bag and party favor ideas, visit Cute Food for Kids (my kids would love the ghost poop). La Jolla Mom has a few fun activity ideas for toddler Halloween parties. For little ones, a costume parade, photo booth and trick or treat circuit manned by parents (indoors) all work really well.

If you’re going for an eek-o-friendly, better-for-you party, find out how to throw a Green Halloween bash at Green Halloween.

Find lots more Halloween party ideas on our Halloween Parties for Kids board on Pinterest.


Chase Away the Gimme Monsters

If your primary objection to traditional trick-or-treating is the “me, me, me," attitude it brings out in your kids, there are opportunities to shift focus away from “gimme” and get your kids thinking more about how they can give.

While they are out trick-or-treating, your kids can collect donations for UNICEF to help provide clean water, nutrition, education and more to millions of kids in need around the world. Schools and churches usually have the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes available, or your family can go the DIY route. When my kids tried trick or treating for UNICEF, they really did focus more on how much good they could do than how much candy they could get.

Another way to shift focus is to "Ghost" or “Boo” your kids’ friends and your neighbors. No, it’s not rude to boo at Halloween. To Boo someone, you leave treats at their door, along with a sign to tell everyone they have been Booed and a note suggesting that they join in the fun by Booing someone else. For the lowdown on Booing and some nice printables, visit Organized Christmas.

So you see, Halloween doesn’t have to be all about the tricks and treats. You can start new traditions that focus on giving, being green, and celebrating community. Leave us a comment if you decide to try something new this year, letting us know how it turned out. In the meantime, we hope you have a ghoulishly good time this Halloween!


Originally published October 2012; Updated 2013, 2014, 2015