Halloween is one of the most exciting nights of the year for children as they walk around their neighborhood decked out in magical costumes while collecting candy treats. Let’s make sure it stays fun with these simple Halloween safety tips.
HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS for Kids
While it is a night of fun, it is important to keep some basic Halloween safety tips in mind to avoid any unnecessary scares.
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1. Give Your Child A Flashlight Or Glow Stick On Halloween To Help Them See And Be Seen.
On Halloween night, give your child a flashlight or glow sticks to help them see what is in front of them and to help them be seen by others. Make sure your flashlights have fresh batteries since you’ll be out for a while.
2. Put Reflective Tape On Your Child’s Costume So Others Can See Them
Putting reflective tape on your child’s costume is also helpful for making sure others see your child. You should avoid dark clothing unless you plan on putting something that glows or reflective tape on it.
This is especially important in busier areas or places they have to cross the road. It gives people greater visibility of child pedestrians.
3. Don’t Use Real Candles On Halloween, They Are A Fire Hazard.
Halloween is one of the top five days for fires caused by candles. Use LED candles instead of real heat sources.
Unfortunately most costumes aren’t flame resistant so don’t let children get too close to candles or other open flames in outdoor decorations such as jack-o-lanterns.
Even if the child is careful around the flames, flowing costumes mixed with excitement and lots of people can cause unintended fires.
4. Choose A Halloween Costume That Is Comfortable And Light!
Help your child choose a costume that will be comfortable and safe. Light-colored costumes are recommended for high visibility.
Try to avoid long costumes that drag on the ground or stick out too much.
These can be fire hazards or cause your child to trip or bump into other children as everyone crowds onto a doorstep asking for candy.
5. Make Sure Your Child Can Breathe Well and Is Able See In Their Costume.
Make sure that masks have good ventilation and also check to be sure that your child’s vision isn’t impaired by the mask. Are the eye holes large enough?
You don’t want anything to block eyesight for your child, especially little kids.
Is there tinting or fabric that may hinder vision and cause your child to stumble on something – or more seriously, not be able to clearly check the roads for oncoming traffic?
6. Don’t Trick Or Treat At A House That Doesn’t Have Their Front Porch Light On.
If a house does not have its front door light on or even if the light bulbs are burnt out then do not stop there for trick-or-treating.
No front porch light usually means they aren’t handing out candy and even if they are, it isn’t safe to go into unlit areas at night. Outdoor lights are a must when it comes to trick or treating.
7. Young Children Should Always Go Trick Or Treating With An Adult.
Adult supervision is a must on this spooky holiday! Young children should always go trick-or-treating with an adult – even if they are with a group of other kids.
Older kids, perhaps 12 and over, may not need to be with an adult but should walk in a group, have a curfew, follow an agreed-upon route, and carry a cell phone to keep in touch with parents along the way.
8. Stick To Well-Lit Areas Like Sidewalks.
Stick to well-lit sidewalks and avoid dark alleys. It is never safe to go to unlit areas at night.
It is dangerous for a number of reasons. Well-lit areas with other people are generally the safer places. Outdoor lighting is your friend.
9. Check Your Town’s List For Residences Of Sex Offenders.
Check your town’s list for residences of sex offenders in your neighborhood and consider avoiding those houses altogether.
10. Never Enter A Stranger’s Home.
Never enter a stranger’s home. No matter how nice they seem, or what reason or excuse they give you, it is safer to stay outside.
11. Watch For Cars When Crossing The Road.
Watch for cars, and cross the street at corners, if possible. Make sure to walk, not run – and keep your head up and look in front of you.
Make sure you follow all traffic signals. If the crossway says not to walk, don’t go thinking you can make it. And pay attention to driveways, someone may not see you as they try to exit driveways.
Remember there are lots of kids – and people aren’t paying attention as they drive from neighborhood to neighborhood.
12. Don’t Let Children Go Into Haunted Houses Alone.
Children, especially small children, don’t need to go into a haunted house without an adult or older children like siblings.
Not only are they scary, but they are generally dark and filled with people. Going with a small group will ensure everyone is safe.
13. Carry Some Hand Sanitizer With You.
Children will be touching railings, each other, candy, other people. Hand sanitizer is a must. We’re getting to that time of year where illnesses are more prevalent, and to keep our kids safe we need to keep their hands as clean as we can.
14. Only Go Trick or Treating In Familiar Neighborhoods.
More candy the better right? As that may be, you should only go to familiar neighborhoods because you don’t know the people and route in a new neighborhood. Speed limits may be different, you don’t know if there are sex offenders in that neighborhood, and you’re more apt to get lost.
15. Don’t Accept Homemade Treats From Anyone You Don’t Know.
Homemade treats are a sweet gesture, but unless you know the person, don’t accept them or if you do throw them out. They can be dangerous not only because they could be laced with something, but even if they aren’t they could have allergens or be made in unclean conditions.
16. Do Not Eat Your Halloween Candy Until You’ve Had A Chance To Look Through It.
And the toughest Halloween safety tip of all…remind your children that they should NOT eat any candy until they have returned home and let you inspect it.
- Candy should be discarded if the wrapper appears to be tampered with in any way. And some people hand out treat bags, it is a good idea to go through those as well.
- Younger children may need to give up gum, hard candies, or any other small candy that may pose a choking hazard.
When it’s time to head out to trick-or-treat, remember these Halloween rules and have a safe Halloween night! We at Kids Activities Blog wish you a fun, spooky, and safe holiday!
Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Safety Halloween Tools To Help Keep Kids Safe
We are all about safety and these are some of our favorite safety items that will help keep your kids safe on Halloween:
- Halloween Lanyard Glow Safety Sticks
- Halloween LED Light Up Bracelets
- High Visibility Reflect Vest
- Halloween Witchy Pumpkin Light Up LED Wand
- Children’s Handheld Pumpkin Light Up Lantern For Kids
- Extra Loud Emergency Whistle Keychain
More Ways To Stay Safe This Halloween From Kids Activities Blog
- Avoid and open flame and sharp objects by doing a no-carve pumpkin. This is a safe alternative to actually carving a pumpkin.
- Want to know how to carve pumpkin with kids while being safe? We can tell you how to have fun while being safe!
- If your child has Autism, help others be aware by using a blue pumpkin Halloween bucket. A lot of people like to jump out and scare others, but letting others know your child needs a little extra care is a great way to help keep them happy and safe this Halloween.
- Keep kids safe by putting a blue tea pumpkin on your porch this year and handing out treats and toys for kids who suffer from food allergies. There are so many safer alternatives to candy. There are so many safer alternatives to candy that won’t cause an allergic reaction.
- This “Let Me See Your Candy Bowl” parody will make you laugh!
- We have a great list of Halloween toys to hand our instead of candy.
- You can make a simple, but cute, Paw Patrol costume.
- How do you prevent scared kids on Halloween?
- This hospital dressed up the NICU babies in Halloween costumes, they’re so cute!
Do you have any Halloween safety tips? Share them with us in the comments, we’d love to hear them!
We frequent the “trunk or Treat”s that are put on in the area, also most malls and town squares do things too. There are usually cops scattered to keep problems from arising. Also, if there is air in candy wrappers we squeeze them, if the air escapes it may have been tampered with by a needle and syringe; and my daughter will not accept candy that is not individually wrapped, and any “homemade” treats go through a thorough inspection once we arrive home.
🙂