Kids love Halloween…and what’s not to love? They get to dress up, eat candy, explore with their friends and stay up late.
But we want to make sure they’re safe while having all that fun…and do our part to help ensure all the memories are good ones. Here are some tips for making Halloween safer for kids this year.
Refresh on the “safety basics”:
- How to cross the street…look both ways, hold hands, etc.
- Don’t talk to strangers
- Don’t go into strangers’ homes or cars
- Make sure your child has their address and emergency phone number memorized or on them – and depending on the age, also a cell phone
Halloween-specific Safety Tips
- Take pictures of the children in their costumes before heading out
- Make sure your children – and any others that are in your care that evening – are in sight at all times.
- Children should travel in groups and/or with a buddy
- If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eyeholes are wide enough so that they have peripheral vision
- Explain the difference between tricks and vandalism…and remind your kids about acceptable behavior.
- Feed the kids a good dinner…to ensure a full belly….which could reduce their appetites for candy consumption and possibly bellyaches in the morning.
- Don’t take shortcuts through backyards, alleys, unlit streets, etc. Walk on sidealks, not in streets.
- Should only approach homes where the front is well-lit with a porchlight or decorations that indicate trick-or-treaters are welcome
- For older children that you will not be accompanying, make sure you know where they’re going and who with.
- Also know the route their taking and agree on a curfew.
Home safety
- Switch on porchlights
- Use battery lights in pumpkins
- Inspect the candy – when in doubt, throw it out
- If you have a pet that doesn’t like strangers, keep them away from trick-r-treaters whose costumes could spook it.