How old is too old to trick or treat?

[bouldertcr]

Just curious to hear responses to my question. We just finished up trick or treat night in my neighborhood and I was surprised to see the majority of trick or treaters to be older middle to early high school age. I even had an adult come up trick or treating.

It made me think, how old is too old to trick or treat? When do your kids stop trick or treating and start handing out candy?

 

[DSNLvR]

Just curious to hear responses to my question. We just finished up trick or treat night in my neighborhood and I was surprised to see the majority of trick or treaters to be older middle to early high school age. I even had an adult come up trick or treating.

It made me think, how old is too old to trick or treat? When do your kids stop trick or treating and start handing out candy?

My kids are still very young but I think I stopped when I was 13ish...then I handed out the candy.

 

[Angelhalo]

IMO the end of middle school should = end of trick or treating. I don't like giving out candy to non dressed up teens who could drive out and buy their own candy.

 

[AshleyW]

Just curious to hear responses to my question. We just finished up trick or treat night in my neighborhood and I was surprised to see the majority of trick or treaters to be older middle to early high school age. I even had an adult come up trick or treating.

It made me think, how old is too old to trick or treat? When do your kids stop trick or treating and start handing out candy?

The last year I trick-or-treated, I was 15 and a sophomore in high school. I always have looked a lot younger than I really am though, when I was 15 I had people thinking I was 10 or 11.

 

[DISNEY1975]

For my kids, I stopped them at 12. I have a 19 year old who would probably still be going today if I allowed it! Now he just steals from his younger sister and eats our leftovers.

 

[clh2]

We allowed our DD to trick or treat as long as she put a good faith effort into a costume. DD's last trick or treat was when she was in 8th grade...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I did so until Junior year, I Don't remember if I did senior year.

I have no issue as long as the kids are in costume and don't really reject anyone who comes to the door as is polite.

I, too, looked younger than my age--not that it really matters.

I was a kid until I was 18.

 

[Teacher03]

When they hit the teens. I always hated when high school kids were sporting a beard (which was not part of the costume) asking for candy! They would simple hold the bag out, no trick or treat, no thank you. Usually you couldn't even tell what the costume was! So yep, I would say 13.

 

[tasha99]

Under 18 with a costume. I don't understand the way some people are so anti-teen trick or treating. If they want to grow up slower, let them. It's hard being a teenager, and there are lots of worse things they could be doing than trick or treating.

 

[Angelhalo]

Under 18 with a costume. I don't understand the way some people are so anti-teen trick or treating. If they want to grow up slower, let them. It's hard being a teenager, and there are lots of worse things they could be doing than trick or treating.

It irritates me because the VAST majority of them who hit my doorstep aren't even in a costume much less do they offer a trick or treat or a thank you. I'm lucky if I get a grunt, then they thrust their nasty pillowcase in your face and walk off. It just bugs me.

 

[Magic Mom]

When you graduate. As long as they dress up, I don't mind one bit if teens TOT. They aren't hurting anyone by asking for candy. I don't see what the big deal is.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Anyone who wants to dress up and get in the spirit of Halloween gets candy - there is no age limit.

 

[imabrat]

You're too old when you're too lazy to put any effort into your costume. I'm 16/a junior in HS, and I'm going out with my best friends tomorrow night. They're going as babies and I'm their Nurse. (Scrubs, not one of those skimpy outfits). I think we're rather polite, if not I make sure to keep everyone in line. (Yes, I'm that kid who gets called Mom by her friends LOL!)

I just really hate the stereotypes on how teens are too old to go trick-or-treating. As long as you're polite and respectful, what's the big deal? It's just candy. Teens are always being pressured to act like an adult, if we can get one day a year where we can act like a child and be polite and respectful for a few hours, what's the harm in that? JMO of course.

 

[Tink888]

I'll say until they graduate from high school. My oldest is 14 and in 9th grade and he trick-or-treated last night. My only rule (for my kids) is that they have to be in costume.

They have their whole lives to be adults and it seems like kids nowadays have to deal with adult situations earlier and earlier. I say let them hang on to the "kid" things as long as they can.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

no age limit,

heck, I give the parents escorting kids a treat also!


and I give the moms in "interesting" costumes two pieces of candy!


hehehehehehehehhehee

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You're too old when you're too lazy to put any effort into your costume. I'm 16/a junior in HS, and I'm going out with my best friends tomorrow night. They're going as babies and I'm their Nurse. (Scrubs, not one of those skimpy outfits). I think we're rather polite, if not I make sure to keep everyone in line. (Yes, I'm that kid who gets called Mom by her friends LOL!)

I just really hate the stereotypes on how teens are too old to go trick-or-treating. As long as you're polite and respectful, what's the big deal? It's just candy. Teens are always being pressured to act like an adult, if we can get one day a year where we can act like a child and be polite and respectful for a few hours, what's the harm in that? JMO of course.

"Baby" was my signature costume.

 

[::Snow_White::]

I will give candy to any kid who comes to the door in a costume. I stopped trick-or-treating when I was around 12, and now I just go out with my cousins to take them or I just stay home like any other day. Nobody comes to our end of town except family, so we get to keep all our candy.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Under 18 with a costume. I don't understand the way some people are so anti-teen trick or treating. If they want to grow up slower, let them. It's hard being a teenager, and there are lots of worse things they could be doing than trick or treating.

Why shouldn't teens trick or treat too? It's fun and if they made any effort to dress up, I have no problem with it. Even older teens-they are just kids trapped in mature bodies.

 

[Sparx]

Under 18 with a costume. I don't understand the way some people are so anti-teen trick or treating. If they want to grow up slower, let them. It's hard being a teenager, and there are lots of worse things they could be doing than trick or treating.

i agree

 

[bouldertcr]

You're too old when you're too lazy to put any effort into your costume. I'm 16/a junior in HS, and I'm going out with my best friends tomorrow night. They're going as babies and I'm their Nurse. (Scrubs, not one of those skimpy outfits). I think we're rather polite, if not I make sure to keep everyone in line. (Yes, I'm that kid who gets called Mom by her friends LOL!)

I just really hate the stereotypes on how teens are too old to go trick-or-treating. As long as you're polite and respectful, what's the big deal? It's just candy. Teens are always being pressured to act like an adult, if we can get one day a year where we can act like a child and be polite and respectful for a few hours, what's the harm in that? JMO of course.

Wait a minute. This is not a teen bashing thread. That was not my intent. I was just curious to know when kids usually stopped trick or treating. All of the teens that trick or treated in my neighborhood were very polite and in costume.