11 Safety Tips For Your Kids This Spooky Season
Halloween is such a great time to be a kid. The whole neighborhood comes to life with spooky decorations, festivals, activities and best of all — trick-or-treating.
While going out at night with friends to collect free candy might be your children's dream come true, the whole thing likely fills you with dread. Even though you remember your days of trick-or-treating fondly, it feels much different when you’re on the other side. Luckily, you and your kids can experience a safe and worry-free Halloween by following these safety tips.
Costume Safety Tips
Picking the perfect costume for Halloween is never a simple process. You head into the shop and become instantly overwhelmed by the choices — your kids pulling in every direction. However, laying out a few rules before they get their hearts set on something can help prevent trick-or-treating accidents.
1. Use the Right Material
Surprisingly, there’s a lot to consider when choosing or making your child’s Halloween costume. Ideally, you’ll want to select a non-flammable fabric.
The weather should also dictate the type of costume and materials your child goes out in. Some Halloweens are still fairly warm, but occasionally some areas have a stray snow shower. Have your kids dress appropriately for your climate to avoid overheating or getting too cold.
2. Be Easy to Spot
Thanks to fall’s ever-decreasing daylight hours, trick-or-treaters can be very difficult for passing cars to spot. While teaching your kids how to stay safe around traffic is essential, the way you dress them can increase the level of safety.
Whenever possible, choose light or bright colored costumes to contrast the darkness. Also, adding reflective strips to the front and back of their outfit will add another layer of protection. Aside from those measures, have your kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen.
3. Ditch the Mask
Masks can be a fun addition to some costumes, but they’re also a significant safety hazard. When wearing one, your child won’t be able to see as well. They’ll have less warning of potential dangers.
Some masks can also inhibit your child’s ability to breathe properly, which can cause hyperventilation. On top of that, some materials are known irritants and can cause rashes or abrasions.
4. Ensure a Proper Fit
Oversized costumes are often an accident waiting to happen. Hats that are too large can slip over their eyes and block their vision. Ill-fitting shoes and clothes make it harder for your child to move around or escape trouble. Even simple falls and scrapes are more likely in a costume that’s too big.
Candy Safety Tips
What’s your kids’ favorite part about Halloween? Costumes or candy? These simple safety tips will help you ensure they come home with only treats and no tricks.
5. Don’t Accept Anything Unwrapped
While the lady down the street who bakes cookies for the neighborhood kids is probably well-meaning, you just never know these days. Unfortunately, even though it’s relatively uncommon, people do still try to tamper with candy and treats. Have your kids skip houses offering unwrapped goodies or save them to throw out later.
6. Check All Candy
One rule your kids should never break on Halloween is not eating candy until a trusted adult has checked it. Fill your children up with a good meal and healthy snack for them to enjoy while they trick-or-treat. When they come home, sort out any items that look suspicious or contain your kids’ allergens.
Another thing to watch out for is sticky or chewy candy, especially if your kids have braces. Also, small, hard or chewy treats are choking hazards for little ones and should be removed.
7. Ration Out Treats
Your kids will be so tempted to chow down on tasty treats once you’ve approved them, but you’ll all regret that choice when they’re up sick in the night. Start out with a plan to ration Halloween candy over a few weeks to avoid tummy aches and cavities.
Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips
Whether you’re with your kids the entire night or they're old enough to go out with friends, instilling some essential safety tips will go a long way to protecting them on Halloween night.
8. Review Traffic Safety
No matter your kids’ ages, they could benefit from a sound review of basic traffic safety. Halloween night amps up possible dangers by packing streets with kids, adults and plenty of cars.
Your children should at least be familiar with traffic signals and street crossing rules. Start this education at a young age when you’re still with them and can give corrections so you can feel safe in their knowledge once they’re older and on their own.
9. Let No One Go Alone
Safety is in numbers. Walking alone is rarely a good idea, but especially not for children and at night. When your kids are young, take them trick-or-treating yourself. As they get older and want to go out on their own, make sure they walk around with a group of friends. Stress the importance of sticking together and staying in well-lit areas.
10. Go to Only Approved Stops
Plan a route out ahead of time, including the homes and streets you feel safe having your kids visit. If possible, use the same path from the time they’re little so you can check it out and they get familiar with it.
Discuss any homes you disapprove of with your kids and let them know your reasoning so they’re less tempted to disregard your rules. Make sure your children know never to accept treats from people on the streets or in cars, with the exception of an established trunk-or-treat event.
11. Carry Emergency Information
Whenever your kids leave the house, it’s a good idea to have them carry emergency information. If little ones get separated and lost, they’ll have a phone number to call home or their address printed on a card for help. Remind your kids to look for legitimate police officers to help them or to ask an adult they know.
An emergency card is also a good idea in case your child has an allergic reaction or passes out. In those cases, professionals would have all they need to know to help your kids in your absence.
Spooky Season Doesn’t Have to Scare You
Leave the scaring to ghosts, ghouls and goblins this spooky season. Reviewing all these measures with your kids and taking extra precautions will help you breathe more easily about your children's safety on Halloween.