Keeping Halloween safe as well as fun is key to having a great holiday and ensuring you create memories with your family and friends that will last a lifetime! Here are a few things you can do to make sure your family stays safe during the Trick Or Treating festivities!
Find a safe alternative to neighborhood Trick Or Treating!
- Look for family-friendly events in your local community, such as, a haunted house, harvest festival, or safe Trick Or Treating event at a children's park or shopping mall.
- Plan your own Halloween or Harvest party! Invite neighborhood friends and have a blast safely in your own home!
- Stay in and have a Halloween family movie night! Order a pizza, watch a family-friendly Halloween flick, and munch on your favorite treats! And then when the kiddos go to bed, the original classics are a must! Halloween, Friday the 13th, The Shining, Christine........Just make sure all the doors, windows, and curtains are sealed shut!! And check the showers before you go to bed! LOL No, really, you should always check in there.
For the Trick Or Treat hosts
Show them the light!
Stop and check that chocolate!
Safe ghoulish getups
Street safety
- If you will not be passing out treats for the tricksters this year, leave a note on your door or porch steps letting ghouls and goblins know your house is a 'skipper'! Simply leaving your lights off will not be enough to deter hungry ghosts and zombies from repeatedly trying to rouse you to the door!
- Clear your driveway, lawn, and porch of any walking hazards.
- Keep lit Jack O' Lanterns and other décor at a safe distance from the door and away from walking paths.
- Leave you porch, driveway, or walkway lights on (or at least set to a dim mode) to aid your guests.
- Do not open your door without checking out the scene first. It may be hard to determine a "safe spook" from those "crazy cooks", but if you get a weird feeling about your Trick Or Treaters, it is okay to pass on opening the door!
- Better yet, if you trust in the chocolate honor system (!), leave a bucket of treats out on the porch or at the end of the drive for the taking. We promise to only take one!
Show them the light!
- Make sure your child’s costume is light in color.
- Carry a flashlight or glow stick to help them safely stand-out.
- You can also incorporate light into your child’s costume with light up jewelry or reflective tape around an accessory (like fairy wings, belts or even your child’s candy bucket).
- Make sure both the back AND the front of your child's costume is visible at night.
Stop and check that chocolate!
- Discuss with your child BEFORE you start out Trick Or Treating what the "rules" will be regarding candy consumption. Will they be able to eat a few "safe" pieces along the way? Will they have to wait until after dinner? How many pieces will be allowed to be eaten once the group gets back home? And how will little tummies feel if too much is eaten?
- Make sure to remove any candy that isn’t packaged or may be homemade.
- Discard any small pieces that may be a choking hazard (such as peanuts or small hard candy).
- Bring along a second treat bag for collecting “safe” candy and treats from friends and well-known neighbors!
Plan a route!
- Make a map together of houses of family and friends that you'll be visiting in the neighborhood.
- Take younger kids out while it is still fairly light out.
- Stay together in groups and count heads often.
- Make sure to set up a meeting place to check in with older kids or other family members.
- Only visit homes that are well-lit and never enter any homes of those you do not know well.
- Carry a well-charged cell phone.
- Make use of a child tracking device or app, such as Amber Alert GPS, for easy check-ins throughout the night.
Safe ghoulish getups
- Make sure costumes are flame-retardant to protect little ones walking near lit Jack O' Lanterns and other fire hazards.
- Be sure the get-ups fit properly (not too long or baggy) to prevent trips and falls.
- Make sure any wands, swords, or sticks are not too long or inflexible as this might cause injury should your child trip or fall. And also teach your child about holding, wearing, or showing the "weapons" safely around others.
- Make sure masks allow your child to see easily or use make-up if possible.
Street safety
- Try to plan your route along very well-lit streets.
- Make sure you and your group stays on sidewalks.
- Walk on the left side of the street facing traffic and avoid the road.
- Only cross the street at designated crosswalks, being especially sure to look both ways.
- Avoid animals and pets that may become aggressive with masked and costumed strangers.
- And I LOVE this tip I heard recently on the John Tesh radio show: In the event of an encounter with strangers, teach young children to scream "FIRE" (as loud and as long as they can) to signal for help! Many adults are used to hearing young children screaming things like "NO!" or "I DON'T WANT TO GO!" but everybody will react to a scream of "FIRE!".
- Give your little ones an "In case of Emergency" Tattoo! Stamp your child's hand or draw a little picture with a Sharpie marker (that way it won't easily wash off during any festivities) and write your cell phone number on your child’s hand or wrist so that, worst-case scenario, if you do get separated, someone can contact you immediately.
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And I blog daily over at The Krazy Coupon Mama! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more! Because Budgets and Babies Can Make Anyone Krazy! ™
And I blog daily over at The Krazy Coupon Mama! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more! Because Budgets and Babies Can Make Anyone Krazy! ™
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