Halloween Safety Tips for Stress-Free Fun

Tips

• Wear Comfortable & Safe Costumes: Costume should be flame retardant, fit well, not hinder mobility, have reflective patches if dark, not impair vision, and use only plastic/foam accessories. Leave weapon-like accessories at home.
• Have Good Lighting: Keep your house well-lit if handing out candy; kids should only go to homes with lights on. Kids should trust their instincts if something feels wrong. Carry flashlights for added security.
• Pre-Plan Your Routes: Review a planned route with children if they trick-or-treat without supervision. Ensure they know how to walk home, cross streets safely, and memorize your phone number.
• Trick-or-Treat in Groups: Young children should never go alone. Check in with other parents, remind kids not to approach strangers, and have a meeting point at the end of the route.
• Check the Treats: Use sizable containers like pillowcases. After trick-or-treating, dump candy and check that every piece is wrapped and untampered. When in doubt, toss it out.
• Food Allergies Don't Have to Ruin the Fun: For children with severe food allergies, drop off letters explaining the situation with safe candy to neighbors, so they can hand them out when the child arrives.
• Establish a Communication Schedule: Set times for kids to check in with you, providing a starting point should they get lost.
• Research Events in the Area: For community Halloween parties, haunted houses, and hayrides, research them beforehand to ensure safety and age-appropriateness, especially for younger children.