Halloween is undoubtedly one of the best and biggest celebrations of the year. This spooky yet fun holiday sees millions of children head to the streets to enjoy trick or treating.
If you want to ensure your kids have the best time this Halloween, you’ll want to follow a few key safety precautions. Below, you’ll discover some of the most important Halloween safety tips you can adopt to make the most of this spooky holiday.
Costume Safety Tips
When purchasing or making a costume for your kids this Halloween, there are a few safety tips you’ll want to follow. Ensuring the costume has reflective stickers or tape for example, will allow traffic to clearly see your child, lowering the risk of accidents.
If a mask is required for the costume, it’s worth using face paints instead. This is because masks can obstruct your child’s vision. If you do use a mask, you’ll want to make sure it fits your child correctly to prevent trips and falls.
As an additional precaution, ensure pre-bought costumes are advertised as flame resistant.
General Outdoor Safety Tips
If you’ll be driving around on Halloween, it’s important to drive more slowly than you usually would. Be mindful of children, especially between the hours of 5.30pm and 9.30pm.
Depending upon the age of your children, ideally you should accompany them on their trick-or-treating trail. Be sure to only visit homes which have their porch light on and give your children a cell phone so they can call for help if needed.
If your kids will be trick or treating alone, make sure they have emergency contact numbers to call. Tell them to stick to well-lit streets and to stay within a group. They should also be instructed to keep in touch frequently to let you know where they are and where they are going.
Pumpkin Safety Tips
Carving pumpkins is a popular activity most kids enjoy. However, there are a few safety tips to keep in mind.
Don’t let young children carve the pumpkin themselves. Instead, get them to draw on the facial features; then you can carve it out. To light up the inside of the pumpkin, it’s also best to avoid using a candle. Instead, you could use a flashlight or glow stick. If you do use a candle, never leave the pumpkin unattended as it could pose a fire risk.
Home Safety Tips
You’ll also want to protect trick or treaters coming to your home. Make sure there are no tripping hazards for visitors and keep the yard well lit. If there are wet leaves on the paths, clear them away so they don’t pose a slipping hazard. You should also keep pets indoors.
These are some of the main safety tips to follow this Halloween. While it is one of the most exciting holidays for the kids, it can be potentially dangerous too. Now, more than ever, it’s important to explain the dangers of strangers and what to do in an emergency.
If you follow these tips, you can ensure you have a safe and fun-packed Halloween.
