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Trick or Treating is one of childhood's great joys...
But there are are a few risks involved with the time old tradition of going house to house gathering buckets of candy. Luckily, there are steps that parents can take to ensure that their children are having fun while staying safe!
These 9 tips to keeping your trick or treaters safe this Halloween will prove to be sweet! 🍫
Join In On The Fun
Making sure that your children have parental supervision is always one of the most effective ways of keeping your child safe.
Pull a wagon stuffed with a cooler full of water and snacks, your Halloween supplies, and join the other parents while your kids run from house to house. While it's fun to socialize with friends and neighbors, make sure you're staying alert in the process and that you know where your child is.
"Reflect" On Their Costume
Make sure that your child's costume is visible in the dark so that both you and passing traffic are able to see them.
We recommend light colors, glow sticks or reflective strips on the costume. Those superhero costumes can be a great choice as most of their emblems are reflective.
Keep Their Eyes On The Prize
Make sure that your trick or treater is aware of their surroundings on the big night. There will be lots going on between decorations, their friends, and a little too much candy, so keeping their attention can be a little tricky.
Teach them to watch where they're walking and to always stay with their friends.
Fire Proof Your Pumpkins
With capes, dresses, and goblin gear galore walking around on Halloween it's always a good idea to make sure that your decor is fireproof.
Placing battery operated candles in pumpkins can help cut down on the risk of injury.
Stay On The Sidewalk
Sidewalks tend to be well lit and well paved making them safer to walk on. It's also easier as a parent to stay on the sidewalk as your child runs up to your neighbor's homes as it gives you a better sense of what's going on.
A good tip here is also to teach your children to always stay on the step and never go inside someone's house without a parent or guardian. We recommend using FamilyWatchDog.us to find the sex offenders that may live around you or where you're going trick or treating to be even further aware of your surroundings.
Plan Ahead
We know that many families travel to the neighborhoods that give out those full-size candy bars for Halloween, but it's important to know where you're going to be ahead of time. That way, you can print your location on a map that you keep in your trick or treating supply kit just in case someone gets lost or a phone dies on the way home.
Knowing where you're going to spend the night trick or treating also allows you to prepare for the drive home.
Watch The Road
Even while you're on the sidewalk, you want to make sure that you're aware of what's going on on the road. Halloween tends to be a night to party for some people, so watching what may be happening in the road is an important part of safety. It may be hard for drivers to see trick or treaters in the street with dark-colored costumes, so keeping an eye on the road while you're crossing or just walking from house to house is vital.
Check It Out
This one may go without saying, but late at night, it may be easy to not check your child's candy before letting them dig in.
Make sure that you check the seams and edges of the candy and if something is open or appears to be tampered with, throw it out.
Check out this great article all about candy safety to get more information on how to properly check candy and what to do if you find anything.
Keep Hygiene In Mind
Eating tons of sugary candy right before bed isn't always the best way to make sure that your children get a good night's rest, but it is Halloween! However, it's important that right before they crash from the sugar high they're on that they brush their teeth and wash their hands. Keep hygiene in mind as you go through the candy bucket and make sure that your child keeps up on their dental health!
Trick or Treat Checklist
What to Bring When You Leave the House on Halloween
- Candy Bag
- Flash Light + Extra Batteries
- Glow Sticks or Reflector Strips
- Your Mapped Route
- Emergency Identification + Contacts
- Bandaids
- Cell Phone + Portable Charger
- Bottled Water
- Snacks
- Extra House Key