Planning on celebrating Halloween with the little ones this year? Twin Falls just so happens to be a great place to be for the spookiest holiday on the calendar!
There’s lots to do and explore—and with just a tiny bit of planning and precaution, you can enjoy safe and stress-free family fun!
For example:
- Trick or Treat Main Street. The Saturday afternoon before Halloween, the businesses of Main Avenue in downtown Twin Falls (between Jerome and Fairfield) will be opening their doors to trick-or-treaters from 2 to 4 p.m. It’s a safe, fun, and exciting way to enjoy Halloween with your little ones that now attracts thousands each year. Other perks—it’s free, and ends well before bedtime on a non-school night!
- Trick or Treat on Bish’s Street. This Twin Falls Halloween tradition returns to the Fred Meyer parking lot on Blue Lakes Boulevard on October 31, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Like the Main Street event, it’s totally free—and even though Halloween is on a Wednesday this year, should end well before bedtime—hopefully with enough space for homework! Also, don’t forget to bring your non-perishable food items for donation.
- Get lost in a maze. What’s more fun than a corn maze? The Magic Valley Corn Maze in Hansen is one of the best around, with games, food, campfires, and even a corn cannon alongside the main event. The maze is open to the public Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. If you want the full “haunted maze” experience, go after 7 p.m. on Saturday night! (For younger kids, choose “Family Night” on Monday instead.)
- Go to the library. On Halloween day, the Twin Falls Public Library has a couple of events perfectly suited for the little ones. From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., there will be storytime followed by some trick-or-treating downtown. Then, from 4:30-5:30, the library will be hosting a kids’ Halloween party in the children’s department. Come and show off your costume, then grab a book and start reading!
Of course, whether you choose to attend these or any other fun events, or just enjoy walking the neighborhood, here are a few tips to make sure you and your little one have a comfortable and healthy Halloween, too—or at least as “healthy” as a holiday about candy can be!
Wear comfortable shoes
We know, you want your little princess’s Cinderella costume to be as “authentic” as possible. But glass slippers are definitely not recommended if you don’t want crying and aching feet by the end of the night!
Of course, comfy sneakers aren’t necessarily the best match for every type of costume. Some kids won’t care, but others will. If the witch shoes, horse hoofs, or other costumed footwear isn’t built for comfort, it might make sense to buy some inexpensive padded insoles to at least soak up some of the pressure.
Also, do your best to find costume footwear that actually fit your child’s feet—shoes that are too big or too small can really start to hurt, even after just an hour or two of trick or treating.
It may also be wise to bring your child’s regular shoes along with you so they can switch out when they’re done for the night, or just when their feet start to hurt.
Go easy on the candy—please
We probably don’t need to tell you that too much sugar can be a very bad thing at any age. Rotted teeth. Greater risk of diabetes. Headaches. And of course, in kids it can trigger a hyperactivity that can be very difficult to contain!
Plus, remember that some kids (maybe yours, certainly others in the neighborhood) might have allergies or medical conditions that prevent them from enjoying traditional Halloween candies or chocolate.
But how do you go easy on sugar during a holiday event practically designedto funnel it to your children as quickly as possible? Here are some thoughts.
- Offer healthy alternatives. Snacks like raisins, pretzels, and popcorn are fun to eat with less sugar and more nutritional value than another chocolate bar. Or, you could avoid doling out food at all and offer toys, knickknacks, or games that anyone can enjoy regardless of their dietary needs. How about cool pencils and erasers, or small rubber balls?
- Don’t spend your whole night trick-or-treating. Space it out with other family-friendly events not based around candy and food—costume party, corn maze, hayride, etc.
- Leave the bucket at home. If you give a child a heavy-duty three-gallon plastic pail on Halloween, chances are good he or she will make every effort to fill it by the end of the night. So send the kiddos out with a modest-sized bag, cup, or pail instead.
- No snacking on your candy haul while Halloween is still ongoing! After you get home, ration the candy so that your kids don’t eat it all at once. A little bit of candy here and there is probably fine for most kids. But unrestricted access to sugar is probably going to result in angry tummies, heads, and teeth!
We here at Canyon Foot & Ankle certainly wish you and your child a fun, safe, (relatively) healthy, and (not too) spooky Halloween here in the Magic Valley!
Remember that we are here to provide expert guidance and treatment on foot care for your entire family—including your littlest ones.
If your child is suffering from foot or ankle pain—or maybe even a spooky, terrifying infection like athlete’s foot or warts—come on down to our office! We love working with kids and their parents and promise to provide gentle and compassionate care in a welcoming, supportive environment.
Are You Looking for Expert Foot Care in Burley, ID?
If you are looking for expert foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online our call our Burley office directly at 208.678.2727. We also have an office in Twin Falls!