Nine Halloween Safety Tips to Keep it Happy, Not Hair-Raising

By Jessica Schwartz | October 26, 2023

Halloween is a time for ghosts and goblins, princes and princesses, and anything else your child can dream up. Let’s keep this night fun and safe for all. Here are nine tips parents can use to make sure their costumed kiddos have the best time possible.

Lights

Children are twice as likely to be hit by a vehicle on Halloween night, compared to other times of the year, so making sure drivers can see your costumed kids is a good plan. Consider using flashlights or adding glow sticks or reflective tape on costumes to help make your vampire visible to everyone.

Traveling

Take some time to plot out your route for the night and see if there are safe walkways and good lighting in the neighborhood. Remind your kings, queens, and court jesters that staying on the sidewalk at all times is very important and to make sure to look both ways when crossing the street.

Groups

Trick-or-treating alone doesn’t sound very fun or safe, so make sure your kids are in a group or with an adult or older sibling. After all, groups of ghouls are scarier than just one.

Candy

Discard any candy that is not in its original wrapper or that’s homemade, unless you know and trust the source. Everyone loves to get raisins for Halloween (well, not everyone), but if they are in a Ziploc bag and not their original box, then it unfortunately should go in the trash or compost bin. While the sentiment behind homemade treats is often a good one, it’s best to save kitchen creativity for those witches and warlocks you know well.

Options

If your kids don’t have a safe place to trick-or-treat, there may be other options in your community. Consider attending a local faith or community center’s Trunk or Treat! Local shopping centers or your town’s main street businesses may also be holding Trick-or-Treat events. These trick-or-treat alternatives will allow your dinosaurs to stay dry and safe in a well-lit environment.

Fire

The flicker of a candle in a carved pumpkin is one of the best symbols of Halloween, but open flames and costumes don’t play well. Make sure each of your baseball and softball players know to stay aware of their surroundings and look at the pumpkins from afar. If you plan to put carved pumpkins on your porch, consider using LED flameless tea candles instead of one with a live flame.

Fit

No one wants a band aid in their candy pale or worse, tripping and spilling all their candy. Making sure your nurse’s or doctor’s costume fits well doesn’t just make sense, it looks better. It also helps kids avoid tripping, fire, and choking hazards that can come from ill-fitting costumes.

Weather

Halloween often means dark and sometimes stormy nights, which fits the theme, but can cause dangerous conditions for Trick-or-Treaters. Send your kids out with umbrellas, gloves, and other warm clothing to keep them healthy for school the next day.

Driving

Remember to slow down on Halloween night, whether you are going to a Hocus Pocus party, driving your kids to the neighborhoods that go all out with decorations, or just driving to the store to get more candy. Everyone’s safety on Halloween is paramount, whether you are 6 or 60.