How old do you think is too old for trick-or treating? My 14 year-old dd is going this year, but one of her friends isn't allowed because his parents won't let him trick-or-treat past 8th grade. I think you should be able to trick-or-treat until at least 16. I really don't mind older kids coming to the door as long as they are polite and have put at least SOME effort into some sort of costume.
Your opinions?

By Jackie on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 07:20 am:

In our town, it clearly states 12 and under for trick or treating. I dont like the older kids coming to the door, expecially without a custome on.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 07:50 am:

My 15 yo doesn't want to anymore. My 12 yo is going because she gets to go with her slightly younger cousins. My mom MADE me stop when I was 12, so I don't care if my kids want to go after that. I think Emily is losing interest in it, anyway.

By Ladypeacek on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 07:54 am:

In our city the age limit was 12 as well. And i also think that age is appropriate. The older kids are not into it at all..just want the candy and opush and shove the younger ones around in my experience.

By Vicki on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 08:36 am:

I don't know if our town has a age limit, but I would say 12 or 13 is about average around here.

By Cat on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 09:14 am:

I don't know if there's an age here, either, but last year there were some teens out. I also don't mind if they at least have a costume on (and aren't in college! lol) and are polite.

By Fraggle on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 09:19 am:

I don't think there is an age limit around here. Last year I saw one of my neighbors trick or treating (and he was a senior in high school).

By Tink on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 11:45 am:

I think 12 or 13 is about tops for what I think is appropriate. Of course, we get the rudest, most disrespectful teens. The ones that everyone hates: no costume, a muttered trick or treat, shoving past younger children so they can just get to the next house. I have a question: What do you do when these older kids come to the door? I usually give them one piece of the not-so-good candy because I really can't stand them.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 12:19 pm:

I did until I was 14. After that it wasn't that interesting anymore. I think Haunted Houses and Knotts Scary Farm were big after that.

By Mommmie on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 12:24 pm:

My son is 10 and I'm trying to talk him into not going, course now we are having thunderstorms that night so it may be a moot issue. I think 11 is old enough.

We actually have adult trick or trickers. The poor folks drive to the middle class and upper class areas and collect candy - just huge packs of adults and kids and the adults have plastic bags, too, to collect candy. COnsequently, many people turn out the lights and go out to eat on Halloween. You can take the kids trick or treating and on some streets only 2 or 3 house have their lights on - out of about 60 houses.

It's just not what it used to be.

By Imamommyx4 on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 09:27 pm:

If they can drive themselves trick or treating, they can drive themselves to Wal-mart. About age 12 is the limit for most kids. A few kids that have always come by still come as they get older.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 12:22 am:

When my friend's daughter was about 8th or 9th grade, she and her friends dressed up as the characters from Wizard of Oz and went trick or treating. I'm sure these girls were very polite at each house that they went to, since they normally were in any other situation. I didn't get to see their costumes, but I'm sure they were cute as Dorothy, the scarecrow, the tin man, and the lion!

By Paulas on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 01:26 pm:

We don't have an age limit here but I think there should be something for those older kids to do so they are not outside vandilizing.

By Happynerdmom on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 05:51 pm:

Good point, Paula. We went out with some friends last night, and I brought this subject up with them...one woman said that when she was 14, she was out drinking on Halloween! Oh, my!! Trick-or-treating sounded all the more attractive! My dd has about ten friends coming over to the house before they go out, we'll have a little party, then they are trick-or-treating our neighborhood.

By Happynerdmom on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 05:51 pm:

BTW, thanks everyone for your opinions!

By Cocoabutter on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 07:19 pm:

I didn't read the other posts, but my opinion is that a child should be allowed to go as old as they want to as long as they behave in a respectful manner. I see adults and teens dress up to take their kids or younger siblings trick-treating. You are only as old as you feel.

My son (7) says he "hates" Barney and Thomas the Tank Engine! Broke my heart. I explained to him that he doesn't "hate" them, he is just a lot older and is into other things. They grow up too fast.

By Andyjoy on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - 02:21 am:

My parents never put an upper age limit on trick-or-treating for us but both my sister and I stopped at age 12 because we were more interested in face-painting at our church's "Noah's Ark Party" on Halloween. We actually ended up with more candy that way, because the workers were encouraged to take as much candy home with them as they wanted, since there was always too much. We even had the luxury of getting to pick our favorites and avoid the dreaded peanut butter taffy chews (I still despise them).

I did semi-trick-or-treat when I was 13. After our church party, the church teens went to a house and started watching a movie, but we got bored and the older teens wanted to trick-or-treat. I had a broken ankle, so they pulled me along in a wagon. Some of us were embarrassed at the thought of trick-or-treating, so we all decided to go Christmas carolling. We sure got a lot of laughs! We even sang in harmony, because most of us were in choir together. One man put down his Halloween candy bowl, went into the house, and found peppermint candies for us!

I don't have a problem with older teens (16 or so) trick-or-treating, as long as they are gentle/kind to little kids, in costume, and respectful. Plus, any teen who is responsible/generous enough to escort younger siblings & their friends deserves candy in my book.