Youth Workin' It

Consultancy and Resources for Youth Workers and Organizations Worldwide

3 Halloween Activities For Teenagers (And A Bonus!)

By Leave a Comment

3 Halloween activities for teenagers
Mr Bones found the candy apples weren’t agreeing with him

All Hallows Eve, Yue Lan, Obon Festival, El Dia de los Muertos and Alla Helgons Dag. No matter what you call it, Halloween (or some variation of it) takes place around the world between October 31st and November 6th (and also in July or August in Japan!)

It’s traditionally a North American holiday with the USA and Canada really making the most of the festivities, but it’s beginning to spread around the world. Most traditions have something to do with remembering, honoring or celebrating the dead. Although, to be honest, the North American tradition is pretty much candy and costumes.

Here are 3 activities you could do for a Halloween-themed youth work session:

Costumes

Organize a free costume contest. Not as in ‘free to enter’, but free as in only using items you can find around the house. Alternatively, provide a box of items that youth can pick from and they have to create the most imaginative costume possible using only the supplies given. (Bag of Jelly Beans for the win!)

Candy Apples

Offer a candied or caramel apple ‘bar’ with all the fixin’s. Youth can either ‘BYOA’ (Bring Your Own Apple) or you can provide them. Have the pot for candy or caramel available for dipping (a crockpot/slow cooker will be great for this) and provide craft sticks, as your apple will need a handle.

Lay out all the items someone might want to put on a candied or caramel apple such as:

  • Nuts (watch out for those allergies people!)
  • Raisins
  • Other candy
  • Sprinkles (hundreds and thousands)
  • Icing to drizzle

Party

Put on a Halloween party for other local children or the elderly. Have your youth give back by planning a night of games and snacks for Halloween, complete with trick or treat stations for local children who may not be able to go trick or treating (like those in hospital) or for the elderly (who are often still young at heart… but remember to choose your candy selection with care).

Even if you’re a faith-based organization that doesn’t celebrate Halloween, you might be able to incorporate these ideas into a ‘trunk or treat’, ‘light party’ or fall festival event.

Bonus Idea

Scavenger hunts are always fun activities to do with young people. Check out our sister site for some Halloween scavenger hunt ideas.

Question: What Halloween activities for teenagers do you plan with your youth group? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

You can also connect with us by:

  1. Signing up to receive our posts via email
  2. Following us on Twitter
  3. Liking us on Facebook
  4. Signing up to our RSS feed

 

Pursuing Your Dreams, Especially As A Youth In Foster Care, Can Be Scary

By Leave a Comment

Foster Care YouthOur faithful readers may have begun to notice that on holidays, like Labor Day and Columbus Day, we spotlight the accomplishments of deserving youth who are making a difference in the lives of others. If you’d like to read a Halloweeny post, check out this one.

Today we put the spotlight on Ashley John-Baptiste, a youth who grew up in the foster care system in the UK, went to Cambridge, was a part of a group on the X-Factor and helped organize an event called ‘B Inspired’ for youth in care and leaving care.

The event was designed to raise the academic aspirations of youth in care and leaving care. Here’s an article about Ashley’s experiences as a youth in care and his time at Cambridge.

Did you know that in the US

” 70% of teens who emancipate from foster care report that they want to attend college, but less than 50% complete their high school graduation and fewer than 10% of who graduate from high school enroll and go to college, and of those less than 1% graduate from college” Honoring Emancipated Youth

And in the UK

“When the IOE researchers’ report was published in May 2005, there were still no national statistics on the proportion of care leavers going on to university. The best estimate was about 1 per cent. Many local authorities had never supported a young person in care through a degree course.” Institute of Education, London

I’ve had the opportunity to work with youth in foster care in the US and UK, so this is a subject near and dear to my heart. Youth in foster care need mentors, CASA’s and other advocates in their life to help them succeed. Click to learn more about the foster care system in the US and UK.

Ashley received the support he needed, from the adults in his life, which helped him achieve his goals.

Question: How can you help youth in foster care? Or do you already work with foster youth? Share your experiences in the comments below.

You can also connect with us by:

  1. Signing up to receive our posts via email
  2. Following us on Twitter
  3. Liking us on Facebook
  4. Signing up to our RSS feed

 

Are You a Sour Patch Kid? A Note To Halloween Haters….

By Leave a Comment

Halloween youth work
Are you worried about your youth becoming Children of the Candy Corn?

Do you give the Butterfinger to Halloween?

Does the thought of teens going to Halloween parties bring you to Three Muske-tears?

Do you find it impossible to find any Milkyway to have fun on October 31st?

I grew up loving Halloween as a kid. I was a dinosaur, a cute witch and a mime. I was even Kristi Yamaguchi one year on my roller blades.

In our house it was all about fun of dressing up and getting candy (particularly candy corn which can only be found this time of year – imagine a world without candy corn?!). It was all about the candy I got to eat that night, the candy I got to eat for weeks afterwards, the candy I got to throw away one year later (don’t lie – you know you’ve done it too!) and the candy my dad would decide was ‘poison’ or ‘opened’ or ‘one you won’t like’ or part of his ‘candy-checker commission.’

Some of my favorite childhood memories include Halloween. As a result, I’ve always had a hard time with the idea that Halloween should be boycotted, changed into some sort of ‘light party’ or celebrating the harvest (that’s Thanksgiving!).

It’s for this reason that I really appreciated this post about Halloween as Satan’s Birthday Party. I recommend you read it and try not to be a milk-dud about Halloween this year (I’m talking to you: raisin-givers)

Question: What do you think about Greg’s article? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

You can also connect with us by:

  1. Signing up to receive our posts via email
  2. Following us on Twitter
  3. Liking us on Facebook
  4. Signing up to our RSS feed