On October 31st of every year, children everywhere across the nation are dressing up in their favorite Halloween costumes and going out trick-or-treating for candy and treats galore. Although Halloween traditions have been around for many years, it is important that parents and children approach the holiday with a combination of forethought and safety in mind.
Choosing Your Costume
When a child chooses their Halloween costume, they’re more likely to choose their favorite character or style rather than the safety aspect of it. It is important to make sure that if your child’s costume requires a mask to be worn, that it does not obstruct the child’s view. In addition to that, any costume that is selected should be both comfortable and not restrict the movement or increase the risk of the child to stumble or fall. Therefore, the length of the costume must be considered. Bright colors are recommended so if you are in a large group of kids you can identify which one is yours!
Bring A Buddy
It is important to make sure that any child that is going out trick-or-treating must be accompanied by an adult. Ideally, there should be one adult for every 2-3 children. This is especially important in large groups of trick-or-treaters, where it may take more than one adult to supervise multiple children at once. Safety is key, so always keeping an eye out will allow for a fun night.
Important Must-Have Accessories
Trick-or-treating typically starts at dusk, so it may be smart to have a working flash light on hand. Add fresh batteries into the flashlight to ensure that it will last the whole night. Adults should carry their cell phones on them as well in case of car troubles or an emergency happens.
Rules Of The Road
When trick-or-treating, make sure that you always remain in well-lit areas. This includes areas with working street lights as well as homes that have their front porch light turned on. This is an unspoken rule that the homeowner is welcoming trick-or-treaters. If the house is dark or the porch light is off, this usually means the homeowners are not welcoming trick-or-treaters and you can avoid this home and move onto the next one.
Watch What You Eat
“Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!” – This Halloween jingle has been around for over 70 years and is one of the main reasons children go out trick-or-treating; it is all about the candy! An important rule of thumb to always keep in mind is, which candy is safe to eat, and which are not. Any candy that is unwrapped or is not factory sealed should not be consumed what so ever. Instead, the candy should be thrown directly into the garbage for safe measures. Any treats that are home-made or that are expired should be discarded as well. With that said, parents should do a once over of all of the “loot” when everyone is safe at home and all trick-or-treatored out!
For young children, Halloween night is one of the best nights of the year. While out having fun with family and friends, just remember to be safe!
