Halloween Safety Tips for Kids

HALLOWEEN is meant to be a special “TREAT” for children. However, during this annual event there are unnecessary hazards which can be avoided if a few common sense precautions are taken.


Children, to prevent traffic accidents, fire injuries, poisoned candy or food, and falls, cuts and bruises, you should do the following:

BEFORE TRICK-OR-TREATING

  • Wear a costume that makes it easy for you to walk, see and be seen.
  • Be sure your costume is short enough to avoid tripping.
  • Use reflective tape on your costume so people driving cars can see you.
  • Carry a flashlight.
  • Try to use makeup rather than a mask.
  • If you wear a mask, take it off before crossing a street.
  • Plan your trick-or-treat route ahead of time, picking streets that are well lighted.
  • Tell your family on which streets you will be trick-or-treating.
  • Have a parent, older brother or sister go with you.
  • If someone older cannot go with you, trick-or-treat with a group of children.
  • If possible, trick-or-treat while it is still light outside.
  • Cross only at corners. Never cross the street between parked cars or in the middle of the block.
  • Walk on well-lit streets and stay on the sidewalk.
  • If there is no sidewalk, stay as far left of the roadway as possible and walk facing traffic.
  • Wait until you get home to sort, check, and eat your treats.

AFTER TRICK-OR-TREATING

  • Throw away any candy or food that is not wrapped and sealed by a candy or food company.
  • Notify your parents and the police if there are any suspicious treats – treats meant to harm you.

With Halloween just around the corner, the “Paranoid Sisters,” Lisa Carter and Lori Marques authors of Child Safety Made Easy have a few suggestions for parents and caregivers of Trick-or-Treaters:

  • Be sure your child’s costume is age appropriate. Too many buttons and strings on baby’s or toddler’s costumes may present a choking hazard. Avoid any long tails or material hanging off costumes that may cause a child to trip or catch on fire if it gets too close to a lighted pumpkin.
  • Costumes should be light colored or have reflective tape attached to it, to make your child easy to see. Have your child carry a flashlight.
  • An adult should accompany all children throughout Trick-or-Treating. Don’t allow older kids to stay out late in the night. This opens the possibilities for trouble to brew and can be irritating to homeowners.
  • Tell your children to obey all usual traffic safety rules: look both ways before crossing the street, hold hands, cross only at cross walks, etc.
  • Wait until you can look at the candy for tampering before you allow your child to eat any. Be sure it’s age-appropriate also. No hard candy for children under 5 years, this is a possible choking hazard. Very chewy candy should be avoided, too.
  • Now get your little trick-or-treaters dressed up and ready to haul in the candy that surely they’ll need a lot of help eating!
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