Keeping little ghouls and goblins safe while trick-or-treating
In the next couple of days, children of all ages will be donning scary monster masks and sparkly princess tiaras in one of our nation’s favorite childhood pastimes – Halloween.
But with all of the laughter, fun and candy shared this Halloween, there are also dangers to be aware of to keep little monsters and maidens safe.
The following safety tips ensure a safe Halloween for all:
- Share the excitement with your children! Go along as they trick-or-treat through your neighborhood. Stand outside the home your child visits; if they are invited inside, make sure you go with them as well.
- Be seen! Take a flashlight and attach reflective tape to your child’s costume so oncoming traffic can easily see him or her after dark.
- Masks and hoods can obscure views of oncoming traffic. Walk on the sidewalk rather than the street, and always make sure you check and double-check for oncoming cars before crossing any streets.
- While costumes are a key ingredient to a fun Halloween, they also can pose hazards. Make sure your child’s costume is not so long that your child might trip, that masks are easy to see and breathe through, and that face paint is safe and non-toxic.
- Fill your kids up with a healthy, hearty meal before you head out through the neighborhood. That way they’ll be less tempted to overindulge while you’re out. When you get home for the night, sort through all the candy; throw out anything that is unwrapped or has a torn wrapper, and remove items that could be a choking hazard for younger children.
Make your home a safe haunt by:
- Removing items from your lawn that could be tripped over. While Halloween lawn decorations are fun by day, they can often be hard to see at night. The same goes for potted plants, decorative garden accessories, etc.
- Keeping jack-o-lanterns where they cannot catch items like trees or shrubs on fire. Also make sure that they won’t pose a fire risk to your trick-or-treaters. Many costumes have long skirts or capes than can easily catch fire.
- Securing your pets. Even the friendliest family pet can become nervous or stressed with all of the activity or visitors. They may also scare kids who aren’t used to being around dogs or cats.
Have a wonderfully spooky Halloween!
