There’s a reason Halloween is one of the most popular holidays—adorable costumes, delicious candy, and more! We want to make sure you don’t miss out on anything, so here’s a list of things you can do to help your baby celebrate.

Happy Halloween!

1. Take Pictures

Photo studios offer inexpensive portrait packages this time of year. Take advantage of an advertised coupon, or branch out and have a photo shoot of your own. No matter what you do, take lots and lots of pictures. Twenty years from now your child will cherish the photos as much as you do.

2. Get the Perfect Costume

Whether you choose to dress up as a family, or you decide to put all of the focus on baby, getting the right costume is key. We know your life is a lot busier than it used to be, but don’t let that be an excuse to wait for the last minute—costumes often sell out early, and online shipping can only be guaranteed for so long.

3. Go Pumpkin Picking

It can be tempting to just buy a pumpkin from the supermarket and call it day, but then you lose out on the joy and wonderment of toddling through a pumpkin patch. Of course if you don’t have any local patches you shouldn’t feel bad about having to skip this event—maybe buy a few pumpkins and let your little one sit in the grass with them instead.

4. Read Some Halloween Books

Take a trip to the library and ask for help picking out some books about Halloween. Reading is a great family activity, and learning more about all of the fun things you can do on the 31st will help to build up excitement levels. If you’d rather have the books come to you, My First Halloween is an easy introduction for this year’s first timers.

5. Make Your Own Decorations

Everybody loves arts and crafts time, so why not work on some Halloween decorations? Our friends over at Learn Create Love have some great ideas, including this awesome Handprint Witch Craft

6. Have a Halloween Party

Invite a few of your neighbors over for an hour, or make it a big shindig. Bob for apples, have a costume contest, use washable paints and markers to decorate small sugar pumpkins, and see who can do the scariest, silliest, and craziest dances—just have fun. Parties are a great way to socialize and enjoy Halloween to the max.

7. Go to a Costume Parade

Check your local newspapers to see what Halloween festivities are happening in your area. Some towns will have a simple costume parade or even a big Halloween parade. If your town isn’t having a parade, check with your local shopping mall to see if they’re having a costume event—some malls will offer special hours for indoor Trick-or-Treating or costume parades. It’s an easy and safe way to see some great costumes.

8. Paint Gourds

Gourds are often overlooked for their bigger cousins, the pumpkin. Give these little guys some love this year, too. Let your little one have some sensory fun with finger paints, gourds, and paper. Gourds make interesting patterns when you roll them on paper, and they look great with some paint on them, too.

9. Go Trick-or-Treating

It’s the Halloween main event—running around the neighborhood, going to neighbors you barely know, and getting candy just for being dressed up—what’s not to like? Even if your baby is too little to go door-to-door you should still stroll them around to see all of the big kids in their finery.

10. Enjoy Some Family Time

If you want your baby to really enjoy Halloween, spend some time together. Your baby doesn’t love anyone the way she loves her family, so dress up, get silly, and enjoy all of the fun that Halloween has to offer.