One thing I wasn’t prepared for as my son got older was how much our family traditions would change.
Not necessarily disappear.
Just change.
My son is 10 now, and thankfully, he still LOVES Halloween.
In fact, he looks forward to it every year.
He still wants to go to pumpkin patches, carve pumpkins, dress up, and go trick-or-treating.
But the things he gets excited about aren’t exactly the same as they were when he was five.
And honestly?
I kind of love this stage.
Because while I occasionally miss the little-kid Halloween years, it’s been really fun finding new ways to celebrate with him.
We’re trading train rides for corn mazes, adding some spookier activities, and watching Halloween become more about friends and shared experiences.
And if there’s one thing I want him to remember, it’s that you don’t have to stop having fun just because you’re getting older.
Our Halloween Traditions Started With Pumpkin Patches
When our son was little, Halloween wasn’t really about trick-or-treating.
He didn’t get into traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating until he was around six.
Before that, it was all about pumpkin patches.
He loved seeing the farm animals, riding the train at Heiser Farms, and getting cider donuts.
Especially the cider donuts.
Honestly, I think those have always been a highlight for both of us.
And the pumpkin patch tradition is something we’ve never stopped doing.
We live in Salem, Oregon, so we’re lucky to have several fantastic pumpkin patches nearby.
Over the years, we’ve visited Bauman’s Farm, Heiser Farms, E.Z. Orchards, Fordyce Farm, and Frog Pond Farm.
And it’s been really fun watching which activities our son gravitates toward as he gets older.
When he was little, he wanted animals and train rides.
Around ages six to eight, he wanted Bauman’s because there were SO MANY things to do.
Slides, swings, mazes, activities everywhere.
He wanted to do all of it.
Now that he’s 10?
Give that kid some apple cider, cider donuts, and a GOOD corn maze.
That’s pretty much his perfect fall afternoon.
And honestly?
SAME.
Trick-or-Treating Is More About Friends Now
One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is that Halloween has become more social.
When our son was younger, he really enjoyed trunk-or-treat events.
They were less intimidating than walking up to someone’s front door and asking for candy.
He could enjoy the costumes, decorations, and candy without feeling overwhelmed by the traditional trick-or-treating experience.
But as he’s gotten older, his preferences have changed.
He still likes his school’s trunk-or-treat event, but a big part of that is getting to see his friends.
And going to other trunk-or-treat events instead of trick-or-treating around the neighborhood?
Not nearly as appealing anymore.
He wants to go door to door.
With friends.
In our neighborhood.
And honestly, I think that’s pretty great.
We live in a neighborhood that’s fantastic for trick-or-treating, so we’ve made it part of our annual Halloween routine.
We usually invite his best friend or family friends over, then head out together for the evening.
The candy is still exciting, of course.
But I think the experience of being out with his friends is becoming just as important.
We Still Decorate the House for Halloween
One thing that definitely hasn’t changed?
I LOVE decorating for Halloween.
And I’m not about to stop just because my son is getting older.
I decorate both inside and outside our house, and getting everything ready is one of my favorite parts of the season.
There’s something about pulling out the Halloween decorations that makes October feel official.
And I love that our son gets to grow up in a home where we make a big deal out of the holidays.
Not because everything has to be elaborate or expensive.
But because I want our home to feel fun and festive.
Pumpkin Carving Is Still a Must
We still get pumpkins to carve every year.
And I love that it’s one of those traditions that works no matter how old your kids are.
When they’re little, pumpkin carving might be more about helping them create a simple face.
As they get older, they can get more involved and have their own ideas.
The activity changes a little, but the tradition stays.
And honestly, I don’t think you’re ever too old to carve a pumpkin.
I certainly don’t plan on stopping.
Mom and Dad Still Dress Up, Too
One of my favorite things about our family’s Halloween routine is that my husband and I still dress up.
Yep.
We wear costumes when we take our son trick-or-treating.
And I absolutely love it.
I want him to see that Halloween isn’t just something you enjoy when you’re little.
Adults can dress up.
Adults can be silly.
Adults can get excited about holidays.
And just because you grow up doesn’t mean you have to stop doing things that make you happy.
I think sometimes we unintentionally teach kids that getting older means leaving all the fun stuff behind.
And I don’t want that.
If he sees Mom and Dad happily dressing up and participating, hopefully he’ll remember that there’s no age limit on enjoying Halloween.
Even if he eventually decides our costumes are embarrassing.
Which, let’s be honest, is probably coming.
Our Halloween Night Routine
Over the years, we’ve developed a Halloween routine that works really well for our family.
His school usually holds its trunk-or-treat event the day before Halloween during the school week.
We go to that, and he gets to see his friends and enjoy the school festivities.
Then, on Halloween night, we invite his best friend or family friends over and head out to trick-or-treat around our neighborhood.
My husband and I dress up, too.
We usually stay out until around 8 p.m., then head home to hand out candy for the last hour.
And one thing I think is really sweet?
Our son enjoys handing out candy to the other kids.
He likes being on the other side of the door, too.
So he gets to experience Halloween both ways.
He gets to go out with his friends and collect candy.
And then he gets to come home and be part of the fun for everyone else.
It’s a simple routine, but it’s one I really love.
Adding New Halloween Traditions as He Gets Older
This year, we decided to try something new.
And let me tell you, it was a 10/10 experience!
Last year, I considered taking our son to a haunted house or haunted corn maze, but ultimately decided he was probably still a little too young.
Most of the haunted houses in our area seem geared toward older teenagers and adults, and while he loves Halloween, I wasn’t particularly interested in sending him home with nightmares.
I wanted something spooky.
Not traumatizing. 🤣
But this year, at 10 years old, he seemed ready for something a little more adventurous.
So we decided to try the haunted corn maze at Fordyce Farm here in the Salem, Oregon, area.
And honestly? I think we picked the perfect place.
A Haunted Corn Maze Was the Perfect Step Up From Pumpkin Patches
One of the things I loved about this experience was that it felt like a natural progression from the pumpkin patches we’ve been visiting since our son was little.
He still loves a good corn maze, but this time we were going through one in the dark.
With monsters.
And people jumping out of the corn.
Which, as it turns out, is a whole different experience. 🤣
The maze was incredibly dark, and honestly, I think wandering through a corn maze at night would have been a little spooky even without anyone trying to scare us.
But the haunted element made it so much more fun.
There were costumed actors, mostly teenagers, hiding throughout the maze and waiting to jump out at unsuspecting visitors.
Lots of sudden boos.
Lots of jump scares.
And plenty of moments when we found ourselves running around a monster blocking our path.
They weren’t allowed to touch us, but they could chase us, which was actually pretty hilarious.
And sometimes I think the chasing was as much about keeping everyone moving in the right direction as it was about scaring us.
Because wandering off in the wrong direction in a pitch-black corn maze?
No thank you.
Just the Right Amount of Scary for a 10-Year-Old
What made this experience so perfect was that it was spooky without being genuinely terrifying.
There wasn’t a bunch of gore or over-the-top horror.
It was more like good old-fashioned Halloween fun.
People jumping out.
Monsters appearing around corners.
A little screaming.
A little running.
And a LOT of laughing.
We honestly laughed so much throughout the experience.
And that’s exactly what I wanted.
I wanted our son to experience something a little scarier and more exciting than the traditional pumpkin patch activities, but I didn’t want him going home afraid to sleep in his own bed.
This was the perfect balance.
It felt like a big-kid Halloween adventure without crossing into the kind of intense horror experiences that are better suited for older teenagers.
And I think that’s an important distinction when you’re trying to find Halloween activities for tweens.
They’re not necessarily interested in the same things they loved at five, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready for something like the Nightmare Factory, either.
There’s a whole middle ground of Halloween fun, and I’m so glad we found it.
Would I Recommend a Haunted Corn Maze for Tweens?
Absolutely.
In fact, I would 100% do this again.
For our son, age 10 felt like the perfect time to try something like this.
Of course, every kid is different, and some younger children might love it while others might find it overwhelming.
I would definitely recommend checking with the farm or attraction before buying tickets.
Fordyce Farm indicated that their haunted maze probably wasn’t the best choice for little kids, and after going through it, I think that was fair advice.
But for a 10-year-old who enjoys Halloween and is ready for something a little spookier?
It was fantastic.
I also think this would be a great activity for teenagers who want a fun Halloween experience without the gore or intensity of a traditional haunted house.
And if you’re local to Salem, Oregon, I would absolutely recommend checking out Fordyce Farm’s haunted corn maze when it’s offered.
For families in other areas, I’d suggest asking local farms about the scare level of their haunted attractions before deciding which one to visit.
Not all haunted mazes are created equal, and finding the right one for your child’s age and comfort level makes a huge difference.
For us, this was one of those experiences that reminded me why I love finding new traditions as our son gets older.
We weren’t replacing the pumpkin patches or the cider donuts.
We were just adding something new.
And somewhere between running away from monsters in the dark and laughing our way through the corn, I think we made a pretty fantastic Halloween memory.
Halloween With an Older Kid Is Different, But Not Less Fun
I think there’s a tendency to assume that once kids start getting older, they’re going to lose interest in all the fun family traditions.
And maybe some do.
But that hasn’t been our experience with Halloween.
Our son still asks to go to pumpkin patches.
He still wants to carve pumpkins.
He still wants a costume.
He still wants to trick-or-treat.
The difference is that he has more opinions now.
And his friends are becoming a bigger part of the experience.
Last year was the first time he really picked out his own Halloween costume, and this year we’ve discovered that costume shopping with a 10-year-old is apparently a whole new adventure.
Let’s just say it involved two hours in Spirit Halloween and a very unexpected costume choice.
But even with those changes, he’s still excited about Halloween.
And that makes me so happy.
Because I love that we still have these traditions to share.
You Don’t Have to Stop Celebrating Just Because Your Kids Are Growing Up
If there’s one thing I hope our son remembers about Halloween, it’s how much fun we made it as a family.
I hope he remembers the pumpkin patches and cider donuts.
The years when he loved riding the train.
The giant slides at Bauman’s.
The neighborhood trick-or-treating.
The costumes.
The pumpkin carving.
And the fact that Mom and Dad dressed up right alongside him.
I want him to know that growing up doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun.
And I want him to feel comfortable being himself, even when his interests are different from everyone else’s.
I’m sure our traditions will keep evolving.
There may come a year when he doesn’t want to go trick-or-treating anymore.
Or when he’d rather spend Halloween entirely with friends.
And while I’m sure that will feel a little bittersweet, I also know it doesn’t mean Halloween has to stop being special.
We’ll just find new ways to celebrate.
For now, though?
I’m going to enjoy every pumpkin patch, every corn maze, every costume, and every bag of cider donuts.
Because Halloween with a 10-year-old is actually pretty awesome.
And I’m not ready to give up these traditions anytime soon.
What Halloween traditions have you kept as your kids have gotten older? Have you added anything new that your tweens or teens really love?
