With Halloween on Sat, How Early Can I Take My 2 Year Old Trick or Treating?

I personally would stick to early evening. I think you would probably catch a lot of people off guard as it is always typically at night. That being said, if you have a lot of friends with young kids you could maybe arrange to trick or treat at just their homes...they may want to do the same thing with their kids if they are concerned about it at night. Unless I knew ahead of time, I would be needing to have them wait to go and find the candy if I had someone arrive in the morning. Good Luck!

I think earlier than 6pm is early. I mean if children started coming to my house early, I wouldn't be prepared and I would tell them so. You'll probably do a lot of walking for nothing...people not home, don't have their stuff ready, busy doing things around the house, etc. You get the point. Most start around here at 7pm, but I would totally understand the 6pm for the younger ones.

D.
Mother of 4

In my opinion, I would say late morning is too early. I know we will be running errands, soccer games, etc. and won't be home, the same for many of our neighbors. The earliest I'd take my kids is 4 pm, ut we'll probably go a later then that, as my 5 year old likes to wait for dark. I would see if you can get a feel for your neighborhood, will people be home that early? Either way, have fun!

A.
Mom to 5 yr old and 17 month old girls

I was thinking just the opposite. Because it's a Saturday (and not a school night), we can stay out later, so we'll probably get started later. I don't think most people expect trick-or-treaters before 6 pm and probably won't answer their doors before that.
Having said that, check with local venues to see if malls, grocery stores, and shopping centers will have trick-or-treating earlier in the day. You might find some great alternatives! Have fun!

Unless you're really close with your neighbors and discuss this, I don't think they would be expecting you late morning. That's really out of the ordinary. I think most folks are ready for trick-or-treaters at night, 5:00 at the earliest.

In our area, the earliest I have seen people take the little kids is around 6. College football is on all day Saturday, and the Georgia/Florida game starts at 3:30 that day and will not be done until 7 or so. That game will be watched by tons of people here. While late morning and 4:00 sound like nice ideas for you, as someone who gives out candy, I don't care to do it for almost 12 hours next week. Not missing the spirit, but it can be time-consuming. Like others have mentioned you might want to seek out a lot of the Halloween festivals that have been occurring.

I agree. Trick or treating is always after dinner, which means around 6pm at the earliest! Check your local malls. Alot of them are having afternoon activities on both Friday & Saturday this year around 2-5pm.

I am new to this area, but everywhere else I have lived the city has set hours for trick or treating so that people knew what to expect. I don't know yet if that happens here.

If there are no set hours, I would definitely say late morning is way too early. I would be thinking 4 pm at the very earliest.

I don't have any in my neighborhood now (we don't have street lights) but before where I used to live many folks came with young toddlers around 4:30...most toddlers don't need much candy anyway. I used to take my toddlers out about the same time (4:30) and I just went to about 10 houses maybe 12. When they get to about 6 -7 houses that's alot of walking in most neighborhoods. I don't know if people will be home or ready in the last morning.

Hi D.: I think since Halloween does fall on Saturday this year that it would be fine if you started @ 11:00 a.m. I think that's a good time to start. You may want to pack a lunch while you're trick or treating. Remember depending on where you live it gets pretty chilly after 5:00 p.m. If you decide to go after 5:00 p.m. make sure you bundle up your bundle of joy.

As far as I know from history, Trick-or-treating always starts around 6pm. I have never had anyone come to my door during the day.

I think before 5 pm is too early, unless you have made arrangements with your entire neighborhood to have early trick or treat for all the kids. Most people will not be ready before evening time--they may not even have their candy yet! Sometimes my husband brings it home with him on the way back to our house, so I may not actually have it until 6 or later :) Also, in this area, it's general practice that you only go to homes with the porch light on, and if you go during the daytime, you won't have the porch lights to indicate who wants trick or treaters and who doesn't. I would stick with the door-to-door trick or treating in the evening, and look for a park or mall or church get together if you wanted to do it in the daytime. Have fun!

Personally, I started dressing up my kid in a costume and taking him out "trick or treating" when he was just 2 months old. Obviously, no candy, it was just an opportunity to introduce the neighbors to the new baby when he in a particularly adorable costume and get the chance to say "Hi." (Hardly get a chance to interact with your neighbors these days.) Nothing like a newborn baby in a lobster costume to make someone smile.

As far as timing, dusk or sunset is the earliest - just try to get in a longer nap in the daytime. It's nice that Halloween is on a Saturday night this year - I'll probably let them keep going until they (nearly) pass out. It's a good night to relax the rules. (EXCEPT TOOTHBRUSHING -Halloween is one night that rule CAN'T slide, but I remind them of that before they get the crazies. That and making them eat something before heading out.)

Maybe it's just me but I have never heard of trick or treating during the day. I have only heard to go at night and you only go to houses that have their outside light turned on. Houses that don't have their light on, do not have candy. If someone knocked on my house during the day I would find that very weird.

No one is ready for trick-or-treaters during the daytime. I think 5 is the VERY earliest you should try it, but I wouldn't go before 6PM. Also, that way you'll be sure to get to the most houses because the people who participate will be ready and have their pumpkins lit, etc.

I would not go earlier than 5pm. Most people would not be ready and get annoyed. They are probably preparing for the activities themselves. Unless your neighborhood arranges daytime treating for younger kids, I would stick to nighttime.