The days are getting shorter and colder, and families are busy carving pumpkins, creating costumes, and planning trick-or-treating routes. Make this Halloween a safe and enjoyable one for all by following these tips!
Take extra precautions when driving on Halloween night. Many children will be out trick-or-treating. Exit your driveway slowly. Leave a few minutes earlier than you need so you won’t feel rushed. Slow down, stay alert, and put away your cell phone.
If you will be trick-or-treating, bring a flashlight or wear a headlamp to light your path. Wear glow sticks or attach reflective materials, such as reflective tape, to your costumes, bags, or snow gear to make yourself more visible to cars.
Trick-or-treat in a group and stay on the sidewalks. Teach children to cross at corners instead of mid-street, looking left, right, and left again. Watch for cars turning or backing up.
Fill up on healthy food before trick-or-treating so you and your children will be less likely to over-indulge in candy. And be sure to inspect all candy for intact factory wrapping before eating. Avoid any homemade treats made by strangers.
If you are giving out treats at your door, consider including non-food items so that children with food allergies can have a safe and fun experience. Ideas for non-food items include stickers, pencils, stamps, glow sticks, spider rings, bouncy balls, or other novelty toys.
If you plan to carve a pumpkin, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests letting your child draw the design with a marker, and then do the cutting yourself. Never let a small child carve a pumpkin. Consider using a flashlight or battery-operated light inside your pumpkin to reduce the risk of a fire.