Fun Facts for Kids About the History of Halloween

1. Halloween is over 2,000 years old!

2. The holiday's roots go back to the Celtic festival Samhain, when people believed the dead returned to earth each October 31.

3. "Souling" was a precursor to trick-or-treating, when kids in the Middle Ages went door to door asking for food or coins in exchange for saying prayers for the dead.

4. Another trick-or-treating predecessor was "Belsnickeling," a German Christmas tradition where costumed kids visited neighbors. If their disguises fooled them, the kids got a treat.

5. The word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve," referring to the night before All Saints’ Day on November 1.

6. "Trick-or-treat" became a popular saying after World War II, when sugar was no longer rationed and candy companies started using the phrase to promote Halloween.

7. Halloween’s signature colors symbolize night/death (black) and harvest/fall (orange). The combo stuck after paper companies started using it on decorations in the early 1900s.

Halloween Fun Facts for Kids About Pumpkins

8. The world’s heaviest pumpkin weighed 2,749 pounds and was nicknamed "Michael Jordan."

9. Pumpkins are a fruit, not a vegetable—really!

10. Early Jack-o'-lanterns were carved in turnips.

11. The "Jack-o'-lantern" got its name from an Irish folktale about "Stingy Jack," who was cursed to roam the earth after his death holding a burning ember in a carved turnip.

12. There's an underwater pumpkin-carving contest every year among Scuba divers.

How well do you know your Halloween candy? Photo by Jupiter Images via canva.com

Halloween Fun Facts for Kids About Candy and Treats

13. Candy corn was originally called "chicken feed" when it was invented in the 1800s.

14. M&Ms were invented during World War II for soldiers to have chocolates that wouldn’t melt in their hands or pockets.

15. According to a real study, it takes an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

16. In the United States, people purchase almost 600 million pounds of candy for Halloween every year.

17. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are the most popular Halloween candy in the United States.

Halloween Fun Facts for Kids About Costumes

18. Wearing costumes on Halloween started as a way to fool ghosts and hide from evil spirits during the Samhain festival.

19. In medieval times, people dressed up and performed songs and jokes for treats. They called it "mumming" or "guising."

20. Halloween costumes were first mass-produced in the 1930s, making it easy and affordable for people to buy pre-made costumes. (Popeye was a popular one!)

21. The company Ben Cooper transformed the Halloween-costume industry by licensing Disney's Snow White and Mickey Mouse costumes in the late 1930s.

22. Halloween costumes sold for under $3 at Ben Cooper. Today, the average American spends about $37 on a costume.

These Halloween facts will give you the creeps! Photo by Bob Watts courtesy of Eastern State Penitentiary

Creepy Halloween Fun Facts for Kids

23. Every 19 years there’s a full moon on Halloween. The last one was October 31, 2020.

24. A group of bats is called a "cauldron."

25. The fear of Halloween is called "samhainophobia."

26. The word “witch” comes from the Old English word "wicce," which means “wise woman.”

27. Black cats are considered bad luck because people believed they worked with witches.

28. In Scotland, Japan, and Egypt, black cats are believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

29. The famous magician Harry Houdini died on Halloween, adding to his mysterious legend.

30. October 30 is Mischief Night when kids play pranks. It originated from people trying to confuse spirits before Halloween.

31. According to a 2019 poll, 40% of people believe in ghosts. Do you?