Hi Parents,

Is this your first time experiencing Halloween in a foreign country, or have you been celebrating Halloween since childhood? For those of us who grew up trick-or-treating, this Halloween tradition feels like a safe and fun thing to do. We enjoy watching kids run around in costumes because it brings back memories from our own childhood.

Not all parents are familiar with this tradition, though. Many ESL parents in my neighborhood aren’t comfortable with Halloween. Some don’t send their kids to school with costumes. This may be because of religious reasons, or because they don’t know enough about the tradtion. Others allow their kids to dress up for school, but they don’t take their kids out trick-or-treating. Some people do not feel comfortable with the idea of children knocking on strangers’ doors.

I have met ESL parents in my neighborhood who think Halloween looks fun, but don’t understand how trick-or-treating works. Are you one of these parents? Don’t be afraid! Here is a step-by-step list you can follow if it’s your first time taking your kids trick-or-treating. The two English phrases your kids need to practice are “trick or treat” and “thank you.” (more…)