Hallo-Winning Safety Tips for Kids and Parents

While Halloween is all about costumes and candy for the little ones, for parents it can be a little more frightful. You want your kids to have fun and enjoy the night, but safety is the most important concern on any parents mind come trick-or-treating time. Here are a few safety tips to help you both prepare for and enjoy Halloween as a family!

Pre-Halloween Prep

• Make sure to test any makeup products on a small patch of skin before the big night to avoid an unwanted rash.
• Add reflective tape to costumes and/or trick-or-treating bags to provide extra safety come nightfall. This is especially helpful for costumes with dark fabric that will be harder to see at night!
• Plan out the trick-or-treating route as a family. Whether you’ll be going together or letting the kids go on their own, make sure everyone knows where they’re going so no one gets lost.

Tips for the Big Night

• Light your Jack-O-Lanterns with glowsticks instead of actual candles to avoid any fire safety issues.
• Make sure your kids are using proper traffic etiquette when crossing the street! We’d hope everyone behind the wheel is using extreme caution, but teaching kids to wait for the crosswalk signal or even making eye contact with drivers before crossing will keep everyone safe.
• Make sure your kids have either a flashlight or glow stick to help them light the way once it gets dark. They don’t need Dad’s 10lb flashlight, just something small that can fit in their trick-or-treating bag.
• Finally, double check all of their candy and teach them how to take precautions with open or torn packaging. While tampered candy is rare, why take the risk?

Tips for Parents Who’s Kids Are Going Alone

• Go over the route you created as a family and make sure everyone knows the way.
• Remind them to stay together!
• Make sure your kid has a cell phone with them and establish check-in times for your peace of mind.

If you’ll be behind the wheel of a car at all, drive carefully! Eliminate any distractions in your car and take extra precaution when driving through neighborhoods. And, of course, have a Happy Halloween!