Halloween Tips: How to Stay Safe During Trick-or-Treating
Halloween is one of the best times of year to be a kid. We all know that. But as parents, we also know that Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for kids. So, we’d like to share a few tips to help your family stay safe and have fun during trick-or-treating.
1. Keep costumes visible
- Bright costumes are best and those with reflective material that will be obvious to car headlights.
- Costumes shouldn’t restrict your child’s motion, and eyeholes in a mask should be large enough for your child to see through clearly. You can also use face paint to avoid a mask entirely.
- Put a piece of paper in your child’s costume with his or her name, phone number, and address in case you get separated.
- Choose a flame-retardant costume.
2. Get the timing right
- The optimal times for trick-or-treating are 4:30pm to 8pm. Stay with your kids and don’t let them walk alone.
- Especially for toddlers, get out before the sun goes down.
- Also check with your local municipality to see the preferred time parameters for trick-or-treating.
3. Prep your house
If you plan to give out candy on Halloween, be sure to:
- Keep your porch clear of debris and trip hazards.
- Keep your outside lights on.
- Make sure your pets are contained
- Mix up the goodies you give out by including school supplies like pencils, pens, erasers, etc.
4. General safety tips
- Don’t enter homes.
- Walk on sidewalks and cross roads carefully.
- Stay off your phone and pay attention to what’s going on around you.
- If you’re out driving, slow down in residential neighborhoods. Stay extra alert. Turn your headlights on earlier in the evening than usual. Remember to keep it slow even if you’re driving later as trick-or-treaters still might be out and about.
- Inspect all treats before allowing your child to consume them. Better yet, only allow your child to consume candy that’s commercially wrapped.
- Plan where you're going in advance—scout out the route.
- Stay on well-lit streets.