5 Party Planning Tips for Baby’s First Halloween

The leaves are starting to change colour which can mean only one thing – it’s nearly time for Halloween! If it’s going to be your baby’s first holiday, throwing a party to celebrate is only natural. What could be cuter than babies in costumes? Here are a few party planning tips to help you get started.

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1. Create a small guest list 

Small children can get easily overwhelmed by crowds of people and costumes, as can new parents. It may be tempting to invite the whole neighbourhood to your soiree, but try to whittle down your list to ten guests or less to keep it manageable. You can choose to hold your party on Halloween night with other parents and enjoy the parade of trick-or-treaters, or make it a morning or afternoon affair to accommodate naptime.

2. Keep the costume simple

It’s very natural as a parent to want to go all out with your baby’s first Halloween costume. After all, there’s nothing better than a baby dressed up as a kitten, vampire or princess! However, you need to think a little bit about practicality as well, particularly if they will be crawling around with guests. You don’t want any costumes that will restrict movement or prevent a choking hazard, so look for soft leggings and t-shirts as the base and add a few key accessories. Check out this baby fancy dress from Funidelia for inspiration. Avoid loose strings or synthetic materials that could cause your baby to get overheated, and save masks for when they’re older.

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3. Make seasonal kid-friendly treats

While candy isn’t the most baby-friendly option, there are plenty of treats you could make to tempt your little ones and their guests. Bake pumpkin and apple slices until they’re soft, or whip up a plate of sweet potato oven fries – just hold the salt.

4. Plan Halloween crafts and games

Halloween is a natural time for crafting and games, with silly spiders and cute ghosts to liven up your décor. The trick with small children is to avoid anything that could be scary, and opt for bright shades of orange to keep it cheerful. You could let babies and toddlers decorate their own pumpkins with finger paint or self-adhesive foam shapes. Just be sure to choose non-toxic paint for this type of project. Another, less messy option is to read cuddly Halloween stories or put on festive tunes and let the children wiggle and bop around.

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5. Don’t forget the grownups 

You don’t want to get your baby too sugared up, but be sure to lay out a few treats for the moms and dads. A few bowls of candy strategically placed out of reach of little fingers will do the trick. A make-your-own coffee and tea bar is always appreciated with sleep-deprived parents as well, and you can add seasonal toppings like pumpkin spice syrup to jazz up the beverages to taste.

The key to a successful baby’s Halloween party is to keep it simple and age appropriate. And finally, don’t forget to take plenty of photos!