How old is too old to trick-or-treat?
Kids aren’t asking — they’ll take the free candy — but some parents wonder at what point, it's developmentally appropriate for teens to hang up their Halloween baskets.
"There is no age when kids 'should' stop trick-or-treating, but after graduating high school many enjoy other ways to celebrate Halloween," Sheryl Ziegler, a Denver family therapist tells TODAY.com. "The decision to stop is based more on behavior than age."
If your older child loves trick-or-treating, that's OK. More than one quarter of adults (26%) believe that children are never too old for the tradition, according to a 2021 YouGov survey.
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And 46% of parents agreed in a TODAY.com survey.
Sixteen percent of adults in the TODAY survey felt kids should stop trick-or-treating around 17 or 18, while 19% said age 15 or 16 is the stopping point. And 1% said kids older than 9 shouldn't go door-to-door.
That hasn’t stopped people from trying to impose age restrictions on the Halloween tradition, though laws are rarely enforced.
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In the city of Chesapeake, Virginia, for example, kids over the age of 14 who trick-or-treat face a Class 4 misdemeanor, a penalty of which is a $250 fine.
"It is important to note, however, that while this ordinance has been in effect since about 1970, the City of Chesapeake has never detained nor charged any person under the ordinance," a city spokesperson tells TODAY.com. "It is on the books to allow police officers a method to detain an individual if they create a disturbance or similar actions.
"Officers do not spend Halloween night 'carding' trick-or-treaters, nor are they actively seeking 'over age' participants," adds the spokesperson.
While a spokesperson from Upper Deerfield Township in New Jersey tells TODAY.com there was previously a request for trick or treaters to be 12 years old and under, but "there was no enforcement or penalties associated with the request."
The downsides to allowing older kids to trick-or-treat
Ziegler acknowledges general concerns about older kids pounding the pavement on Halloween night.
There's potential to scare little children with overtly gory costumes or push them aside to collect fistfuls of candy. There's also potential to scare grown adults by being too loud and rowdy or ringing doorbells late into the evening.
Ziegler points out, however, that kids of all ages are capable of such behavior and offers "common-sense solutions."
"If you're the parent of young kids, you can trick or treat earlier in the evening and if you have older kids, remind them to be mindful of their bodies and manners," she says.
The upside to allowing older kids to trick-or-treat
With good behavior, there is no reason to stop any child from trick-or-treating.
After all, trick-or-treating is not just about collecting free candy. It's also a time for unfettered creativity (including the adults who love a good costume party).
Other than activities like cosplay or musical theater, Halloween is one of few occasions for older kids to enjoy make-believe play, Hilary G. Conklin, a professor in the department of teacher education at DePaul University, told TODAY.com.
Rachel Houston of Charlotte, N.C., says her 14-year-old daughter loves self-expression on Halloween.
"On some years, she dressed fairly mainstream — as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, a T-Rex wearing an inflatable costumes and Wonder Woman," Houston told TODAY Parents. "Other years, she gets super creative and makes her own costume. For example, last year she was an 'edgy' female version of Jason Voorhees" from the film series "Friday the 13th."
Older kids with developmental disabilities may not have outgrown trick-or-treating either.
"My 10-year-old son has special needs that are invisible to outsiders," said Amanda O’Connor, a Nashville mom.
"He has always been interested in content and activities that are geared towards younger children," she said. "I anticipate him wanting to trick-or-treat much later than other kids."
And remember, lots of older kids are responsible for taking their younger siblings trick-or-treating. "We don't want to shame them for wanting to spend time with their brothers and sisters," says Ziegler.
Some parents prefer their teens to trick-or-treat, for no other reason than to keep them out of trouble.
"Kids should be allowed to trick-or-treat up to the age of 18," Brandi Harris of Oklahoma City told TODAY.com. "It’s way better than going to a party where someone may spike the punch or something else dangerous. If a kid still wants to participate in innocent fun, why would we want to stop them?"
Ziegler makes a point for jaded teens who think they're too old for trick-or-treating: "Everyone appreciates a good costume.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
