Don’t Let Something Ruin Your Family Halloween Outing

Halloween Safety Tips

‘Tis the season for ghosts and ghouls! But beware, with Halloween fast approaching the safety of your children should be foremost.
Keep these useful safety tips in mind before heading out for your Halloween festivities.

Have fun but keep safe!

Around Your Home

Many people enjoy transforming their homes and yards into spooky Halloween scenes. Be sure to keep a good clear path leading up to your door and especially up any steps free of decorations and obstacles for ALL your tricker treaters, especially those with masks and limited vision.

Keep all your pets indoors on Halloween to protect them from hazards, noisy fireworks and to also protect the ‘trick or treaters’.

Before you light any candles for your pumpkin, consider using safety glow sticks which come in a variety of colors. Nothing says creepy like a  green glowing jack-o-lantern. The glow sticks stay active now for 4-6 hrs usually.

Your Costumes

It is important to remember that when helping a child or youngster pick out their Halloween costume or when choosing one for any grownups or yourself, safety should come FIRST.

• Wear a light-coloured or bright costume if possible and if that is not, then wear reflective tape, flashing lights or arm bands to heighten visibility on dark or rainy streets.
• Wear a costume that is properly fitted and not overly large or long to reduce the chance of tripping on it or losing your vision.
• Select a costume that is constructed from flame-retardant materials so just in case it DOES touch a candle in a pumpkin you will be safe.
• Make sure your vision is not restricted. Consider completing your costume with make-up rather than masks. You can cut mask eye-holes larger for the sake of good peripheral vision.
• Shoes should fit properly even if they do not go well with a costume, better to be able to walk well then fumble around.
• If a child’s costume requires the use of props, such as a flexible-plastic swords/knives/daggers, make sure the sharp tip is cut or filed round and if there is a need to carry a simulated gun/rifle be sure that it keeps a red tip on it designating it as a true prop. Make sure they look fake but remember, some people still may not be able to tell the difference.
• Glow sticks are also an excellent method to increase a child’s visibility. You might want to consider creating a fun necklace with string to ensure they will want to wear as part of their costumes.
• Accessorize with a flashlight, flashing lights, flashing arm bands.

Street smart Your Children Before They Go Out.

• Before the kids hit the streets and houses, it is important that parents know exactly the route that their children plan to take.
• If you are unable to take them out yourself, consider asking another parent, an older sibling or babysitter to be there as a chaperone/guide/assistant.
• Ensuring your child is wearing a watch or has some way to know the time also allows you to establish a proper curfew/return time.
• Make sure your children know where the places along his/her route are where they can obtain help: Police Station, Fire Station or any other well indicated public place.
• Stay on sidewalks and not the streets (If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left-hand side of the street facing traffic).
• Don’t jaywalk or zig-zag across streets. Use crosswalks whenever possible: Visit houses on one side of the street at a time and cross the street only at intersections or at marked crosswalks.
• Stop and check for cars before crossing the street.
• Discuss with your children exactly what they should do to call home in case of emergency.
• Safety in numbers: Walk in groups and stay together. Don’t allow anyone to stray off alone or be left behind.
• Stay on the outside: Never enter a house; only accept treats at the front door.

Bring your treats home

Save your treats till you return home: Wait until you get home before digging into your treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should check out all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!