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Halloween

Keep the Kids Safe on Halloween

There are plenty of times that, as parents, we need to enforce the rules. Of course, you need to keep an eye on your children and make sure they are safe, but Halloween is a fun holiday, and your kids should have a good time – a night when they get to enjoy the neighbors, eat candy, and get a little crazy.

Here are a few tips to help everyone to have their best time on Halloween:

Desensitize your kids before Halloween

night. For younger children who are easily scared or appear nervous about Halloween, desensitize them ahead of time. When you eliminate the unknown and any surprises, children always do better. Show them pictures of people dressed up. Take them to a Halloween store in the daylight and show them decorations, masks, and costumes. Explain to them what happens on Halloween. Show them movies where people are trick-or-treating.

Keep it age appropriate. Halloween can be a little overwhelming and scary for some kids. Remember that what doesn’t bother your 13-year-old may terrify your four-year-old. It’s best to keep things age appropriate and a great way to do that is to trick-or-treat with groups of friends based on age. And remind your older kids that they need to go easy when smaller children are around.

Don’t push kids who aren’t into it. If your children don’t have a desire to go out trickor-treating on Halloween, that’s okay. Some kids just don’t get into it and that’s perfectly acceptable. Parents can encourage alternatives to trick-or-treating. Maybe your children prefer to stay home and handout candy. Maybe they want to have a small party or get-together with close friends. Perhaps they just want to stay in and watch TV. Gage your children’s level of interest and go with what makes them happy.

Know when to intervene. Sometimes children don’t want to look scared in front of their friends for fear of being made fun of. Some kids will hold it in and push themselves to experience more than they can handle. This can lead to nightmares, increased stress, and anxiety. If you notice your child is struggling or appears scared, know when to call it a night.

Have fun but be safe. Halloween is all about having fun, but never forget basic safety. Don’t ever enter someone’s home no matter how nice they seem. Always trick-or-treat in groups. If you have younger children, parents should always chaperone. Never eat any candy that is opened or appears tampered with. It’s dark so keep a flashlight, glowsticks, and phone with you at all times.

Talk it out. After the night is over and your kids are finished trick-or-treating, talk to them. How are they feeling? Are they scared, nervous, or upset? Do a quick emotional check before going to bed to make sure they are not shaken up or feeling disturbed in any way. If something is bothering them, talk it out until they feel better.

Fun without being disrespectful. Halloween is a time for your kids to have fun, but teach them to be respectful, both in actions and costume choices, and never mock people with physical or mental health conditions, disabilities, or other impairments.

A few pre-Halloween conversations with your children can help ensure that everyone has a fun time!

Getting ready for Trick-or-Treating? In this special Halloween section, we bring you the hottest costumes for kids and pets, a roundup of regional Halloweenthemed events, and some tips on trick-or-treating safety. We’ve got you covered like a jack-o-lantern’s candle! All but the candy. That’s all on you.

Fall & Halloween Happenings

The following is a sampling of the numerous Halloween and Fall events you’ll find this year in Southwest Louisiana. At the time of publication, many organizations did not yet have details finalized. Check your local municipalities for fall festivals, pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating times and more.

The Lost Hollows Our Lady Queen of Heaven Fall Carnival

Oct 30, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Pony rides, face painting, silly string, games, Jambalaya and BBQ burgers

Howl-o-Ween Dog Costume Contest at Rikenjaks,

Oct. 31. Partnering with Tito's for special Halloween-themed cocktails and drink specials. See Rikenjaks' Facebook page for more details.

Considered to be the largest and most terrifying outdoor haunt in Lake Charles. Every Fri. & Sat. evening, Sept. 30 – Oct. 29 with a special “lights out” event on Halloween. Shuttle line open 6:00 p.m., trail opens at sunset. Children under 13 years must be accompanied by an adult.

The Haunted Adventure Lake Area Adventures

For details, call LAA at 337-310-1681

Game2Life Haunted House

Oct. 26-31, 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. $18 presale, $20 at gate Axe throwing, bar and grill patio games continues that week For more information see their website game2life.net

Boo-Tastic Bash, Prien Lake Mall

In conjunction with the City of Lake Charles Oct. 31, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Free and open to the public It’s a mall-wide trick-or-treating experience!

CM Farms, Dry Creek, La.

Various weekend events, Oct. 1 – Nov. 28 Saturdays in Oct., 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Saturdays in November, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sundays 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Admission: Ages 3+ $18.75 plus tax Pumpkins, 50+ attractions, 12-acre corn maze, farm animals and more. See website for details: cmfarmsllc.com

Shangri La Gardens Scarecrow Festival

Orange, Texas, Oct. 11-Nov. 5 FREE TIMED TICKETS available at www. ShangriLaGardens.org Enjoy dozens of unique scarecrow contest exhibits, fall flowering displays, thousands of pumpkins, and autumn decorations displayed throughout Shangri La Gardens. The Autumn Fair takes place November 5.

Barstool Sportsbook Halloween Party/DJ

L’Auberge Casino Resort Oct. 29, 9:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. Must be 21 and older

Lake Area Runners Spooky 10K Run

Oct. 22, 7:00 a.m. Sam Houston Jones State Park For tickets, go to runsignup.com/Race/LA/ LakeCharles/LARsSpooky10k Race limited to 100 runners so sign up soon. Costumes are encouraged.

Hobo Hotel Halloween Raffle

Tickets $5 and sold through Oct. 24 (day of drawing) at their facility: 650 E. School St. Lake Charles, 70607 Proceeds benefit cats and kittens in need.

DeQuincy’s Annual Fall Festival & National Night Out

Oct. 31, 5-7 p.m., DeQuincy Walking Path. Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy this family-oriented Halloween event for food, fun, and fellowship. This event can be an alternative to neighborhood trick-or-treating. Regular trick-or-treating will be from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the city limits.

Pumpkin Fest, Grant Christmas Tree Farm

716 Whitaker Rd., Grant, La. Oct 29-30 Sat. 9:00 a.m. -5:00, Sun. 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Experience music, hayrides, crafts, face painting, corn maze . . . and of course, pumpkins!

Costumes for Kiddos

2022 HALLOWEEN TRENDS

by Danley Romero

If you have spent any time around children, you already know their imaginations take them to magical places and transform life into a mix of grand excitements and catastrophes. What better time to embrace the scope of their minds than Halloween? Here you’ll find some trending costumes children will go batty to wear this year.

Minions

The movie Minions: The Rise of Gru is full of adorable little henchmen creatures sporting yellow skin, overalls, and giant glasses.

Turning Red’s Meilin Lee

Feeling like a person? Feeling like a panda? Either way, this costume will work.

PAW Patrol’s Chase, Marshall, & Skye

PAW Patrol is popular among young children and has inspired a number of great costumes.

PJ Masks’s Owlette, Gekko, & Catboy

These animal-inspired costumes are fun and colorful options for young children this Halloween.

Pokémon

There are tons of little creatures for children to dress as from this imagined world. Some classics are Pikachu, Squirtel, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Psyduck, Eevee and Jigglypuff.

Thor

Classic Thor and the Jane Foster version are both good options this year, after the release of Thor: Love and Thunder.

Inflatable T-Rex

Inflatable costumes are definitely a fun option!

Mario

There are many iterations of Mario to choose from. With or without Yoshi? Fully-human Mario, or part raccoon? Peach, Luigi, Yoshi, and the rest of the gang are also fun options.

Dr. Strange & Scarlet Witch

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is providing some fun, dramatic costume ideas this year. Traveling the Multiverse can be as easy as a walk around the neighborhood.

COSTUME TRENDS FOR YOUR Furry Friends

Some parents have children, and others have fur babies, but all parents should be able to enjoy dressing up and celebrating with their little angels this Halloween. This list of costumes is for all the pets who like to tag along on Halloween night.

Baby Yoda

With or without extra lightsaber-wielding arms!

Superman

Pets are super, so this one isn’t much of a stretch.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter’s appeal hasn’t faded, as the release of Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts illustrates.

Buzz Lightyear & Co.

With the 2022 release of Lightyear, Buzz is back in the limelight, but Woody, Jessie, Rex and Bo Peep are also great options.

Lion

A mane works well for cats and dogs!

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters: Afterlife came out late last year, and it looks like the next movie in the franchise will be released late 2023.

UPS & USPS Delivery Costumes

These cute costumes are a great way to celebrate one of the most exciting parts of a dog’s day.

Food

Strawberry cats, hotdog dogs, and the classic candy corn and pumpkin fall into this category.

The Little Mermaid’s Ariel

This costume is ridiculously cute and funny with the seashells and hair.

Elf, Wizard, or Hobbit from Lord of The Rings

This costume can be as simple as a cape. Add a staff and a pointy hat to get extra intricate.

Pet with Hairdo

There are wigs made for animals, and that’s really all your pet needs for this one.

Nightmare Before Christmas’s Zero

Zero might be the hero of this list. What’s a better costume than a cute little ghost dog with a glowing nose?