This is the one thing parents shouldn’t say to their kids on Halloween

From scary costumes to decorations and masks, it's understandable that kids get frightened easily and may not want to take part in the festivities.

Parents can think they're reassuring their children by saying "it's only pretend," but experts say a child can know a mask isn’t real and still be frightened and want reassurance that it's ok to be scared.

The team at SeatPlan has shared simple phrases that parents can use in the moment instead, to ensure all the little ones feel safe and involved.

One of the phrases they suggest is simply, "you don’t have to go any closer" as well as "we can leave. You haven’t done anything wrong."

Validating their fear and letting them know they have an immediate 'out' is so important, particularly if it's their first year being part of Halloween activities.

When a child becomes frightened, start with a short acknowledgement and a practical next step:

• ‘That gave you a fright. Let’s step away.’
• ‘You don’t have to go any closer.’
• ‘Would you like my hand or somewhere quieter?’
• ‘We can leave. You haven’t done anything wrong.’
• 'You liked the pumpkins, but the mask was too much. We can skip that.’

The term, "it’s only pretend" may be intended as reassurance but it doesn’t tell them what they can do about feeling scared. 

Try something "that’s a costume, and we can still move away."