Halloween is an exciting time for children, so once your little Wonder Woman or Kylo Ren is all dressed up and ready to go trick or treating, make sure you go over some basic safety tips to keep the night fun, healthy, and safe.
Costumes
Before the big night even rolls around, make sure you look for and buy a costume that will keep your kid safe. Avoid masks, if you can, and use child-friendly face paint instead. Make sure the costume fits well so your little one doesn’t trip. Choose footwear carefully, comfort and safety should be the priority over looks, especially if you’ll be walking a lot that night. If the costume comes with accessories such as swords, knives, guns, etc. make sure they don’t look too authentic (so as not to scare people or cause harm) and make sure they aren’t sharp – foam works great for trick or treat nights.
Trick-or-Treating
Plan your route ahead of time, and if you can, try to go in a group of children with multiple adults so everyone can be safe and have fun. You don’t necessarily have to wait until it’s pitch black either. The best time can be right after dinner, while it’s still light enough to be safe but dark enough to be spooky. Keep glow sticks or flashlights in case it gets dark while you’re out and about. Stay with familial houses and neighborhoods, walk – don’t run, and cross only at crosswalks. And even though candy is a given, always have your little ones say Thank You to the adults or teenagers at each house.
Decorations
Jack-o-lanterns are super fun, but little kids should never carve a pumpkin on their own. Have them help scoop out seeds, have them draw the faces with markers, but the adults should handle the knives. Use electronic candles and glow sticks to keep things nice and safe but still give off enough light. If your neighbors are using real candles, keep little one’s costumes and wigs away and go over the stop, drop, and roll procedures in case something catches on fire. Clear any hazards from your walkway before little ghouls and ghosts come knocking to make sure no one falls or trips.
Candy and Treats
Eating a filling dinner before trick-or-treating keeps little ones from needing too much candy the first night. Once home, check all wrappers for pinholes, tears, or other signs of tampering. Have your child pick their top 5 candy pieces for the night and then save the rest, add a few over the next few weeks to their lunch or snack bags at school (as long as you follow peanut safety rules or other allergy concerns) to keep the Halloween fun alive for a while. Think about hosting a neighborhood party instead with food, games, and pumpkin spiced drinks for everyone. Whether trick-or-treating or hosting a big holiday party, talk to your friends and family and keep everyone safe this Halloween.
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