Halloween is a spooky and exciting holiday, filled with fun for the whole family! Halloween can also get a little scary though, making safety a top priority for parents. Here are our tips for making this Halloween your best one yet:
Trick-or-Treating
FACT: The risk of getting hit by a car on Halloween night is greater than any other night of the year. Protect your family with these precautions:
- Make sure you and your child are always walking in well-lit areas and on the sidewalk.
- Always use crosswalks and make sure to stay in neighborhoods you and your family know well.
- Although this holiday is an exciting one (Candy! Costumes! Out after dark!), encourage your children to walk — not run — and stick close by you while trick-or-treating.
- Make sure you and your child carry and use flashlights, and follow a planned route.
Costumes
- Make sure your child’s costume does not cover his or her eyes, nose or mouth.
- Check that the costume is flame retardant (it won’t catch on fire).Use non-toxic face paint.
- Check to make sure the costume isn’t dragging and that it doesn’t create a hazard for your child or others to trip and fall.
- If you are going trick-or-treating at night, consider putting some reflective tape on costumes or have your child wear glow sticks to increase their visibility while walking.
Candy
Go through all of your child’s candy to make sure everything is safe (Photos of Candies Found to Contain Lead, California Department of Public Health) and ensure that you are aware of what your child is eating. If you are giving out candy, consider handing out nut-free options or fun, non-candy items such as pencils, erasers, stickers, temporary tattoos, mini-flashlights, etc.
Additional Resources
- Lead in Candy, California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Food and Drug Branch
- Lead in Candy FAQ, CDPH, Food and Drug Branch
- Sugar Crash: What to Do With All That Halloween Candy, First 5 LA Parenting
- Prepare Your Preschooler for a Safe and Fun Halloween, First 5 LA Parenting
(Source: https://www.first5la.org/parenting/articles/tips-for-a-safe-and-fun-halloween/ )