Ten Common Sense Tips for Halloween

Tips for Maximum Safety and Enjoyment on Halloween

If your kids are like mine, they are already making plans for Halloween. Young children envision going trick-or-treating with their parents, older kids plan to go with friends. Whether you go trick or treating with your kids or not, there are things you can do to ensure they stay safe. Here are 10 things you can do to ensure the safety and happiness of your kids this Halloween.

1. Make sure their costumes are visible in the dark. Every Halloween many children are injured by vehicles. This can be prevented by wearing clothes that are visible even on the darkest night. You can dress your children in light colored costumes, or you can purchase reflective tape to add to their costumes. I recommend doing both.

2. Give them flashlights with working batteries. Even when drivers and others can see your kids clearly, their vision may still be severely limited. They can trip over something in the street, or may even become easily frightened. A flashlight will illuminate their way and give them an extra level of security.

3. Avoid using masks. Costume masks can hinder a child's visibility and even completely eliminate peripheral vision. It is difficult to find a ready made mask these days, but people are still tempted to make them. Paint your child's face instead.

4. Travel in groups. There is safety in numbers. If you are an adult going out with your child, go with another family. If your child is going out with friends, make them understand the importance of staying with the group. Kids should travel with at least other friends. A group of two can easily be separated.

5. Do not eat the treats until you get home. Unfortunately, there are some really evil people who will poison or hurt kids if given the chance. No matter how tempting the treats looks, make it clear that they are not to eat anything until they get home where the candy can be inspected in good light. If you think they cannot resist the temptation, then purchase treats that they can keep in their pocket and eat when they are feeling tempted.