Ghosts, goblins, witches and bats!
Zombies, werewolves and furry black cats!
Pumpkins on porches and twinkling orange lights—
these are the things of Halloween night!
So, with Halloween right around the corner you might be thinking about the fun you’ll have! About the costumes you’ll wear and about the yummy candy (ahem—for the kids, of course!). But, did you stop to think about safety?
Here are 8 Common Sense Safety Tips to keep your little pirates and princesses safe on Halloween night:
1. Watch for vehicles as you cross the road
It’s easy for children to be overly excited on Halloween night and forget to look both ways before entering the street. Pedestrian safety still plays an important role even if it is Halloween night—there are no holiday breaks when it comes to pedestrian safety.
2. Wear comfortable footwear Consider whether or not your child will be able to walk around the neighborhood in the cute shoes that may go with his or her costume. It will, no doubt, be best if they wear a pair they are comfortable with since most kids won’t want to stop early due to sore or cold feet.
3. Costumes
Make sure that your child’s costume does not drag onto the ground. A long dinosaur tail may be cause for tripping or an accident of some kind. Also, this may lead to damage to the costume. Consider options to keep the costume off the ground.
4. Always check your children’s candy
Over the years, we’ve all heard stories of candy that has been tampered with. Be sure to look for loose wrappers and any opened package. As we all know, our kids love to show us their “loot” when they get home. Turn this into an activity where you carefully check their candy but at the same time admiring their stash of goodies!
5. Wear light colors/use a flashlight/reflective vest Drivers can much more easily spot a child who is well lit or has a reflective vest. Homeowners are also able to see these children better, too. It leaves a great deal of peace of mind to all parents if their child is easily spotted while in the dark.
6. Watch the weather and stay warm! Before you take the kids out trick-or-treating be sure to check your local weather and dress appropriately. This is always tricky, especially if you don’t want to cover up a cute costume.
You might try to: wear warm clothes under the costume such as thermals or sweats. Don’t forget to wear gloves. Little fingers get cold quickly as soon as the sun goes down. Plan a costume that may be worn with a coat.
7. Stranger Danger
As kids get a little older—around 9-12 years—they undoubtedly, enjoy more candy. They also may go beyond the neighborhood in search of more sweets. Please be sure they know whose house they are knocking on. Also, make sure your tweens stay in groups with their friends. We know they start to get independent around this age and want to venture on their own, so be sure you go over the safety rules with them.
8. While at home be sure to keep your own house lit up
As the trick or treaters come by, you’d hate to have someone trip and fall on your front porch steps. Turn your porch light on, if you’re home.
Sometimes, if there are enough kids coming up the street, it may be a great option to sit outside to hand out candy instead of getting up 100 times to answer the door.
Stay Safe and Happy Halloween!
