6 Safety Tips to Follow This Halloween

Learn about things you can do to keep your kids safe on Halloween.

Sure, Halloween is fun and exciting for the kids, but it can also be a stressful time for parents. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help make sure everyone has a fun and safe time.

Follow these six safety tips from Blain’s Farm & Fleet to help you and your kids have the best Halloween possible.

1. Stay visible

Most of the fun on Halloween happens while trick-or-treating after dark. Make sure the kids and the adults are visible to cars at night.

Wear brightly-colored costumes with reflective stripes sewn on. Sometimes, it’s easy to work these elements into your kids’ costumes.

For example, if they insist on being Darth Vader, give them a lightsaber. You can make one out of a cardboard wrapping paper tube and a couple rolls of red reflective tape.

Carry flashlights so the kids can see where they’re going, and so cars can see them. The more light each little ghost and goblin makes, the more visible they are to drivers. A mini flashlight will be easier for young children to carry and use.

To make it more fun for the kids, you could also use glow-in-the-dark elements, such as glow sticks.

2. Make sure costumes fit well

Kids in baggy costumes are more likely to trip and fall. The worst time for a child to trip would be in the middle of the street as they’re trying to cross.

Also make sure they wear appropriate shoes. Over-sized clown shoes or adult high-heels are dangerous for little feet to walk in.

And you can help prevent a fall by opting for face paint over a mask, when possible. It will help your kids see better.

3. Lay down the ground rules, and stick to them

This is one of the easiest Halloween safety tips to let slide, but it’s also one of the most important. In the excitement, it’s easy for a kid to forget the rules.

That’s why you’re there. Don’t forget to remind them, and be firm about it. You’re not a party pooper; you’re protecting them.

Make sure everyone sticks together and waits to go to the next house as a group. No one should run ahead.

Review the rules for crossing the street with your kids. Cross on a corner, and don’t jaywalk. Hold hands while you cross the street. It’s easier for drivers to see groups rather than one child.

4. Bring enough adults to best keep track of the group

Try to have at least one adult for every six kids you take trick-or-treating. Each group of kids should be supervised. And each chaperone should keep a list of what each trick-or-treater is wearing.

Make sure each group has a cell phone, in case they need to call 911.

5. Inspect the candy

At then end of the night, look through the bag of goodies before letting the kids dig in.

Make sure there are no open wrappers. If you see a candy with an open wrapper, throw it away. If any candy looks discolored or unusual in any way, throw it out.

And if they received any baked goods, it’s usually best to get rid of them, unless you know the person that made them. You should also wash any fruit before giving it back to the kids.

If you have very young kids, take out any choking hazards, such as gum and hard candies. And if your child has any food allergies, make sure you dispose of anything they could have a reaction to.

6. Set a limit on the amount of treats they can eat each day

You don’t want them to get sick from eating too many sweets. Let them enjoy their hard-earned candy in moderation, as they start thinking of costume ideas for next year.

Follow these Halloween safety tips while you trick-or-treat, and you and your kids can enjoy yourselves.

For more Halloween tips, check out our Holiday Blog.