Halloween is one of fall’s most exciting days for kids, but it can also be dangerous. Keep your kids safe (without sacrificing fun) with these Halloween safety tips.
Accompany your kids. Trick-or-treating kids should be accompanied by a parent or other adult. Give kids varying amounts of independence depending on their age and familiarity with the neighborhood. Elementary school-aged kids can walk up driveways and knock on doors themselves. Older kids can go out with friends in neighborhoods they know well with a planned route and set curfew. No matter how old, trick-or-treaters should never go out alone. Remind kids of all ages never to walk into a stranger’s home or get in a car with anyone unfamiliar.
Trick-or-treat in familiar neighborhoods. Even if you plan on heading out as a family on Halloween, stick to neighborhoods you’re all familiar with. This way, younger kids will feel more comfortable approaching doors and older kids can walk with friends a few houses ahead.
Pack a flashlight. Stick a flashlight with fresh batteries or glow sticks in your kids’ bags if you’ll be out after dark. This helps kids see where they’re going, as well as alerts drivers and other pedestrians to their whereabouts.
Use the sidewalk. Kids excited about Halloween may have a hard time thinking about anything but the next house. Stay on the sidewalk and stick to well-lit streets to keep kids safe from cars on the road. Always cross streets at designated crosswalks and look left, right, left with your kids before crossing.
Eat dinner first. A stomach full of candy is a recipe for meltdowns and tummy aches. Make your night more fun in the long run by taking a half an hour after school to eat a real meal.
Examine candy. It’s unlikely candy will purposely be tampered with. However, expired candy, torn wrappers, choking hazards and allergens are all real concerns. Check each piece of candy before it’s eaten to keep kids safe on Halloween.
Visit well-lit homes. Only trick-or-treat at homes with both porch and inside lights on. Any house your family approaches should look welcoming. Otherwise, skip it.
Avoid candles. Jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween decorations may be lit with candles. Keep an eye out for flames on the porches and yards your kids approach. Long costumes and clumsy youngsters can very easily knock over a candle, hurting themselves or others around them.
Accidents can happen to even the most careful kids. Keep your family safe with costumes and accessories made from flame resistant fabrics.
Talk about what’s real. Tiny trick-or-treaters may have a hard time distinguishing real from make believe on Halloween. Talk about how other kids may be dressed and what decorations could be hanging from neighbors’ houses before trick-or-treating. Accompanying kids all the way to the door at the first few houses will help them gain confidence. Plan to finish your route before dark to avoid any startling surprises.
Safe Halloween Costumes
Choose costumes that fit. Trick-or-treating is much easier (and safer) with clothes, shoes, accessories and masks that fit! Accessories like swords, sticks and knives should be made of soft, flexible material. Instead of masks, which can limit peripheral vision, try face paint. Test your paint on a small area on your kids’ arms beforehand to make sure no one has an allergy.
Add reflective tape. Lots of popular Halloween costumes are darkly colored. Add reflective tape to costumes and bags for more visibility after the sun sets.
Save room for warm clothes. In Western New York, it might just be snowing on Halloween. Make sure your kids’ costumes have room for extra layers underneath. Think about how to make a costume work with additional pairs of pants, sweatshirts, and even hats and gloves – just in case.
