Halloween is always a child’s favorite day-long celebration and has all the ingredients for building special family memories. Of course, we all know that although children dream and plan for Halloween throughout the year, parents worry about their child’s safety and physical well being.
Here are some helpful hints that will hopefully make your Halloween safer, less stressful and more enjoyable for your family:
When picking out a costume:
* Keep in mind the weather. Bulky costumes can be difficult for children to walk in. Make sure costumes are light and are made of material that allows children’s skin to breathe.
* Make sure materials are strong and sturdy. Children’s costumes see a lot of use during the day between school, parties and trick-or-treating. Make sure the costume cannot tear apart easily or get caught on anything.
* Check masks for breathing capabilities. This sounds like a no-brainer, but even if the mask has air holes, it does not mean holes are large enough or in the correct locations for your children to see clearly and get enough air. Make sure to test masks before buying them.
* Check make-up for skin allergies. If you are considering a costume that requires face or body painting, remember to test it on a small portion of your child’s hand to check for allergies.
When Trick-or-Treating:
* Younger children should always go with an adult and older children should never travel alone.
* Make sure children only visit houses with lights on.
* Bring a flashlight for areas that are not well lit or for emergency situations.
* Avoid dark-colored costumes and wear reflectors if crossing streets is necessary.
* Stay on sidewalks and only walk across streets at crosswalk locations, if possible.
* Never let children eat treats until packages are checked by an adult for suspicious alterations to a candy’s packaging.
When Decorating for Halloween:
* Children should never be allowed to use a knife to carve a pumpkin.
* Never let a child light a pumpkin or play with matches.
* If you leave lit pumpkins outside, make sure to extinguish them when they are not being observed. Also, keep lit pumpkins away from other decorations that are flammable, such as garland, fake cob webs or festive paper signs.
While Halloween is fun and brings neighborhoods together, it is important to remind your children that talking to strangers and taking candy from them without their parent’s or guardian’s knowledge is never okay. Remind them that it is never alright to talk or take candy from a stranger when you are not there and that it is NEVER permissible to travel with a stranger. Make sure to explain to your child that what you are explaining is for safety reasons and not to frighten him or her.
I hope that these tips help make Halloween more safe for your little princess or superhero, filling this Halloween with memories to last a lifetime.
Happy Halloween!
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