As the month of October comes to an end each year, the sweet scent of fall is mixed with the excitement of the infamous night known as Halloween. It’s a time when kids of all ages put on their best costumes and cast off into the night to roam the neighborhood. They knock on doors, tell quick-witted jokes and get rewarded with enough candy to fill their treat bags up to the brim. When the hunt for candy is over, it’s back to the house to bask in the glory of goodies.
A successful Halloween night isn’t without a good set of rules. In fact, you may be surprised how a few simple safety measures can go a long way. It will help your kids remain safe while still keeping the fun and spirit of Halloween alive!
If you’re concerned about your child’s safety during trick-or-treat festivities, you’re in good hands. Below, you will see 5 simple tips that can help you and your child have a successful night of collecting candy while keeping safety a top priority!
Make Sure Costumes Are the Right Size
Costumes come in all shapes and sizes. For children, many costumes are age-based and may only be available in one size. If you notice that your child’s costume has a baggy fit, make sure to make some adjustments (particularly down by their feet). This will help prevent them from tripping over their costume as they move from house to house.
Keeping your child’s vision in check is almost important. For costumes that come with a mask, make sure that your child’s eyes are visible through the mask. Ask them if they are able to see without anything blocking their view. If not, a quick adjustment to their mask is all it takes to fix it so that nothing will be obstructing their vision.
Let Their Trick-or-Treat Bags Glow
With trick-or-treating often happening at sundown, it’s important to make sure that your child’s costume and collection bag are visible at night. Dark clothing is tough for a motorist to see if you’re crossing a dimly lit street. You can increase your child’s visibility at night by placing reflective tape onto their trick-or-treat bag (you also have the option of attaching it to their costume as well).
Make Children Bundle in Groups and Set a Curfew
For children who are at least 12 years of age (or older) and don’t need a parent to escort them around the neighborhood, make sure that you sit down with them beforehand to carve out a plan. Establish a concrete time when you want them to be home by and have them bundle up with a pack of friends. Make sure to verify all friends they go along with so you’re aware of everyone in the group.
Any parents who want to give their children an extra safety net can have them carry a cell phone, which is helpful in the event of an emergency.
Toss Out Homemade Goodies from Homes You Don’t Know
Going through your children’s Halloween candy is a traditional safety technique. While you should always eliminate any items that look unfamiliar, you need to pay special attention to things that appear homemade. Things like popcorn balls, brownies, cookies and any other homemade goodie from homes that you’re unfamiliar with are best left with the trash. It’s not worth the risk of consumption, especially for children who suffer from food allergies.
Plan Your Route Around Well-Lit Areas
All trick-or-treating is best to do in well-lit neighborhoods. It makes it easy to see motorists on the road and will also help you see where you’re walking. For some added visibility, a flashlight can be a good companion to have with you. Small, simple flashlight like a pen light are easy for kids to attach to their costumes or hide in pockets. Some parents like for each child to have some sort of flashlight on them ‘just-in-case’. For groups of younger kids it might be a good idea to start your trick-or-treating a little before dusk and plan to be home by dark, or very soon after dark.
Make sure that your children stay out of yards and stick to the sidewalk, as it is usually the area with the most light (since it sits under the street lights). Always keep your eyes and ears alert when crossing streets, too. It’s common sense, but something that can be easy to forget when you’re racing with your children from house to house.
Check on Halloween Festivities Around Town
If you are not comfortable taking children around your neighborhood (or any neighborhood), then investigate if there will be any Halloween festivities in more public areas around town. For example, sometimes merchants in smaller towns will hold a ‘Halloween Night’ where kids are welcome in various shops and candy is handed-out. Some malls have been known to hold Halloween nights where kids can trick-or-treat throughout the mall. It all depends on where you live, but it is worth checking out.
Some families like to hold age appropriate Halloween parties. Ask around, check with friends and neighbors, you can even ask your kids if they have been invited to a Halloween party. You might even consider holding a children’s Halloween party yourself. A great way to keep kids safe on Halloween is a fun party at home.
A Little Planning Goes a Long Way Towards A Safer Halloween
Halloween shouldn’t be a time of worry. You should be able to enjoy Halloween yourself – it is not a holiday but it sure can be fun. By doing some planning and working with other parents you might be able to kick back and enjoy the smiles on your child’s face and everything that this unique holiday has to offer.
Check out Free Halloween Graphics if you need some graphics to spice up a Halloween themed web site.
