Prepare for Fun with These Halloween Safety Tips

Prepare for Fun with These Halloween Safety Tips

As the end of the month draws near, I wanted to share some Halloween safety tips so parents can prepare themselves and their families for the fun ahead.

Halloween Costume Safety

Make sure costumes fit well. Children should be able to easily walk in their costumes. Their eyes should remain uncovered, so make sure eye holes in masks are big enough. If you can, opt for face paint instead of masks that may reduce vision and reduce any tripping hazards like long scarves or robes.

If your children’s costumes are dark in color, trim them with some reflective tape to make them more visible in the dark. Similarly, trim any loot bags with tape to improve visibility.

Any pretend weapons like swords should be soft and small so that they are easy to carry and won’t cause harm in case of a fall. (And here’s a bonus tip for parents: Consider carrying a tote bag to hold any discarded costume accessories as kids get tired of holding them.)

Trick-or-Treating Safety

Bring along glow sticks and flashlights to light the way and to make children more visible to drivers and other pedestrians. Glow sticks are easy to find in most stores right now.

Accompany children under 12 as they trick-or-treat. Children over 12 should stick to areas they know if they want to head out on their own. Give older children a curfew.

If you plan on going in a group, make sure to stick together or buddy up to keep everyone accounted for.

Stay on a sidewalk whenever possible. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic. Remind young ones about road safety and looking both ways before crossing the street.

Wait until you get home to dig into the candy. That way, parents can check for any tampering, spot treats with allergens, and discard anything deemed unsafe.

Halloween Home Safety Tips

If you’re in charge of handing out treats, here are some tips to make sure your visitors enjoy themselves.

If you have a dog, keep them someplace safe and away from the door. Not only will some children be afraid of dogs, but the constant doorbell ringing and the stream of trick or treaters may startle your dog. If you have a cat, consider keeping them in a room as well so they don’t try to slip out the door.

Provide treats that are store bought. They don’t have to be food—play doh, erasers, and other small Halloween toys can be a fun surprise—but avoid anything handmade.

Light the path so guests can easily find your door. Some excited children may end up cutting through your lawn, so check that you haven’t left out any errant gardening equipment or other items that could be easily tripped over.

Most trick or treaters know to only visit homes with their porch lights on. Keep your light on to let them know you’re a trick-or-treat house!

Looking for more tips? Here are some from the Centers for Disease Control. Plus, SafeKids.org has a great infographic that about Halloween safety.

Halloween has certainly grown in popularity over the past couple of decades and it’s pretty easy to understand why. With kids donned in costumes and bags of free candy, it’s like a giant party. Make sure you and your family stay safe this Halloween so you can enjoy all the fun. Happy Halloween!