Samhain Family Activities: Honour Ancestors with Kids
- Fennella McCallum
- Oct 17
- 5 min read
Samhain is a magical time of year when the veil between worlds feels thinner and the turning of the seasons invites reflection, remembrance, and ritual. For families, it can be a gentle way to introduce children to witchcraft, seasonal traditions, and the art of honouring those who have passed.
In this post, I’ll share how my family marks Samhain, simple ways to honour ancestors with children, and ideas for releasing what no longer serves us - all in ways that are meaningful, creative, and approachable.
Our Family Samhain Activities: Dumb Supper
Samhain is getting closer and closer. At this time of year, the bright, fun, silly spookiness of Halloween merges with the fading light and warmth of the sun, as the world starts to submit to winter. Samhain reminds us that all things must die.
I like to mark Samhain with a dumb supper. This is where I cook a really good autumnal dinner and lay an extra space at the table “for the dead.” We eat in silence, and it’s meant to be a time to consider those who have passed.
My Nan died this year. It’s the first time I’ve lost someone really close to me, which I know is crazy lucky considering I’m 32.
I used to live next door to her when I was little, and she’s the only adult I can remember playing pretend with. She used to bake flapjack, butter biscuits, and fudge. She read all the stories I wrote, kept all my drawings, came to my school plays, and my first ever gigs as a teenager. She came to my wedding three years ago and complimented me on my event planning - it was the last wedding she ever went to - and she came even though it was difficult for her.
So this Samhain, I really want to make space for her.
I’m so sad and so happy when I think of her.
And I’m realising that that really is what the spirit of Samhain is all about. I’m also thinking about how I can share this sacred time with my little boy. I want to make space for the solemnity, but also the joy.
Simple, Family-Friendly Ways to Honour Ancestors
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to honour the people we’ve lost in ways that feel gentle and real for children. It doesn’t have to be heavy or overly symbolic. It can be simple and full of love.
You could make a small ancestor corner together, with photos, candles, and objects that remind you of family stories. Maybe your child could choose a leaf or a stone from an autumn walk to add to it. You could cook a meal that someone special used to make, or share stories at the table about what they were like. Lighting a candle and saying thank you for something you’ve inherited from them can also feel very powerful. It might be a recipe, a skill, or even a phrase they always said.
Another lovely idea is to make an ancestor lantern, using light and creativity to celebrate those who came before us (instructions for making one are included in my Samhain Family Activity Pack).
For me recently, it’s knitting. My Nan was the one who taught me when I was little. I hadn’t knitted in ten years, but this autumn I’ve picked up my needles again. My maternal surname is Lamb, and even though I don’t know much about my family history, I know the Lambs were mostly shepherds.
There’s something about working with wool, stitch by stitch, that feels like a quiet thread connecting me to her, and to that longer line of hands who shaped and made before me.
These little rituals can root us in love and memory. They help our children see that remembrance can be tender, creative, and full of life.
Remembering Historical Figures and Those Who Came Before
A step away from the sometimes difficult topic of direct loved ones who have passed are people from history. It doesn’t matter if they are your direct ancestors or not - Samhain is a great time to celebrate and be grateful to those who have come before us.
In past years, I have dedicated my Samhain practice to the women who were convicted and murdered as witches in the 16th and 17th centuries.
As a modern feminist who uses the reclaimed word “witch” to describe myself, I think it’s so important to know this history and to be grateful for how far we have come, even when there is still a way to go.
There are so many inspiring figures from history your children might be drawn to.
This Samhain, could you raise a toast to Rosa Parks for her bravery, or light a candle for Alan Turing and his brilliance?
Maybe save a place at the table for Frida Kahlo, Boudicca, or anyone whose story sparks curiosity and gratitude in your family.
You might talk about who these people were, what they stood for, and how their actions ripple into the world we live in now. This can be a gentle, uplifting way to weave history, compassion, and remembrance into your Samhain celebrations, reminding your little ones that honouring ancestors can mean honouring all those who paved the way.
Releasing and Letting Go: Gentle Samhain Shadow Work for Children
As we honour what has come before, we’re also reminded that every ending makes space for something new.
Right now, I’m knitting a jumper for my step-sister’s baby girl who was born on Tuesday!
The turning of the year is a natural time to take stock, to notice what we’ve outgrown, and to release it with kindness. Samhain invites us to breathe out the weight we no longer need to carry.
Sometimes that means clearing out a drawer or letting go of an old habit. Other times it’s more emotional - forgiving ourselves for something, or choosing to stop holding onto guilt, fear, or worry.
On Samhain you might write these things down and safely burn or bury the paper, or simply whisper them to the wind.
Children often understand this more instinctively than we do. They know how to move through their feelings, to cry, then laugh again a minute later. Including them in small letting-go rituals can help them see that change is part of life, and that it’s okay to feel many things at once. It’s all part of the same cycle.
Bringing It All Together: Family Witchcraft Ideas for Samhain
However you choose to mark Samhain, I hope you find comfort in it. Whether that’s a candle flickering in the dark, a shared meal, or a few quiet words spoken into the night, these moments root us in love and gratitude.
Samhain reminds us that the wheel keeps turning. We remember, we let go, and then we rest. In that rest, something soft begins to grow - a seed of hope waiting for spring.
If you’d like to bring more of this magic into your family rhythm, my Samhain Family Activity Pack is filled with gentle ideas to help you do just that. Crafts, reflections, and small rituals that honour both the solemnity and the joy of this sacred season with your children.
Comments