It’s the iconic image of October 31st: holiday homes with grinning jack o’lanterns welcome hoards of traveling children decked in the gear of spooky creatures, brave heroes, and pretty princesses. With each step these disguised young ones crackle fallen autumn leaves as they skip around collecting bags and bags full of their favorite candies and treats. While Halloween is a fun and festive holiday full of enjoyment for all, it’s also important to remember that the dark nights and eerie masks of this night set the stage to pose significant health and safety risks to you and your family. To ensure your Halloween is full of treats without any tricks, remember these important health and safety tips.
Trick-or-Treating Tips
Halloween is the most fun when it is enjoyed with your loved ones, so always walk in groups with neighbors and friends or choose a trusted adult, to keep the festivities fun and safe for everyone!
Navigating Through the Night
The spooky nights of Halloween add to the eerie enjoyment, but can create serious safety risks especially for small children. Always walk with flashlights, and experiment with incorporating reflective surfaces on adult’s costumes so you’ll always be easy to find for the little ones. Stay on the sidewalks whenever possible, keeping to the far edge opposite traffic, and make sure to walk at a safe speed from house to house.
Creative Costume Construction
Fun and freaky costumes are the staple of Halloween, but make sure to take health and safety precautions to ensure they are enjoyed to the fullest. Test costume makeup on a small area of skin before applying to avoid reactions on young sensitive skin, and make sure to remove all makeup before sleep. If your child’s costume incorporates weapons, opt for flexible and soft-edged varieties to keep everyone involved safe. Also avoid using decorative contact lenses in costumes, especially on young children, to reduce the risk of eye injuries.
Careful Candy Collection
When trick-or-treating, use good judgment in choosing which homes to visit and which treats to accept. Only visit well-lit houses in familiar areas, and never accept invitations inside from strangers. Look through your child’s candy collection before allowing them to scarf down – keeping an eye out for strange looking or non-factory wrapped treats.
Happy Halloween Hosting
If you’re hosting trick-or-treaters rather than accompanying, keep your house safe by placing all candles, luminaries, and lit jack o’lanterns on a stable foundation out of the reach of small children and pets. If traveling out of town during this time consider installing privacy shades and security systems that can raise and lower blinds, and turn on and off lights during key times of the afternoon, to avoid standing out as an empty house to the prying eyes of criminals.
So whether you have a witches brew of candies and treats waiting for the passerby, or you’re decked out in your favorite look and ready to explore the neighborhood for your fill – remembering these key tips will help avoid common tricks and ensure everyone in your group stays happy and healthy this Halloween!
Great reminders, thanks for sharing!
Halloween safety is so important and these are great tips to follow and bring a flashlight to be able to see where you are walking. Reflective clothing is so important!