For many children, Halloween is the best day of the year. Can you blame them? They get to dress up with their friends and they’re handed free candy! Trick-or treating has presented a variety of safety concerns over the years, though, and has even gotten as dramatic as hospitals offering to X-ray the collected sweets.
Because of this, Costume SuperCenter has compiled a guide filled with tips to keep your trick-or-treaters safe this Halloween. Unfortunately, it won’t protect those little ghouls and goblins against sugar rushes or bellyaches!
1. Plan a route in advance
When going door-to-door, it’s easy to lose track of just how far you’ve traveled away from your house. Tired legs and cranky kids aren’t nearly as fun as the initial excitement of the night, so be sure to map out a route before you take off on your trick-or-treating adventure. Stick to streets and neighbors that you’re familiar with to avoid any confusion.
2. Wear comfy shoes
When walking a great deal, comfy shoes are a must! Heels look great on princesses, but it’s a certainty that they won’t last on your feet while on your Halloween travels. Any and all shoelaces should be double-knotted to ensure that nobody trips in the dark!
3. Stay well-lit
The sun doesn’t stick around for long on those late October nights, so be sure that you’re keeping yourself in plain sight! This can be done by either applying reflective tape to your child’s costume, and carrying a flashlight or a glow stick. Keep your path lit and ensure you’re seen by drivers on the road.
4. Make sure all costumes are short & bathroom-friendly
Princess dresses and grim reaper robes often times drag on the ground, and that can be especially dangerous at night. After you purchase your child’s costume, make sure it’s an appropriate length, and hem anything that’s too long to avoid tripping. Additionally, make sure your child can easily visit the restroom without their costume getting in the way. You might even want to plan a special stop along the way.
5. Pick your masks carefully!
Sometimes, masks only have the smallest slits for the eyes and breathing holes. Parents should try all masks on their children for size and definitely do not hesitate in cutting out larger openings for the trick or treater’s comfort.
6. Pick a trick-or-treat bag that’s practical
As women well know, sometimes, the best purses aren’t the most practical purses. The same concept goes for trick-or-treating. Some of the seemingly-fun trick-or-treat bags that you’ll find in stores are heavy, and that’s before any treats are even added. Some are too long and will drag the ground and others have sharp edges that could scrape against tender skin. One of the most timeless solutions is to have kids utilize a pillowcase that they can sling over their shoulder, or a backpack that keeps their hands free and available for a flashlight.
7. Walk, don’t run
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Keep everybody safe by taking your time, looking both ways before you cross the street and avoiding contact with other trick-or-treaters.
8. Use flexible props
As a general rule, it’s sometimes smart to avoid any weapons accessories for children under a certain age. If the costume requires a weapon, though, make sure it’s made of either rubber or plastic, and that it’s as flexible as possible. Choose props that won’t cause self-inflicted injuries or harm to others.
9. Keep track of time
Some websites recommend that all trick-or-treating should cease, and many towns have curfews on Halloween. Costume SuperCenter recommends allowing the night to wind down as the sunlight begins to disappear. That allows ample time for children to enjoy the day, and by then, most will be tired anyway.
10. Check your child’s candy
End the night by inspecting what your trick-or-treater has collected. When sorting through candy, be sure to dispose of any candy that is not in its original wrapper, or looks as though it has been opened. Also discard any suspicious-seeming toys.
By following those ten easy steps, it’s almost a guarantee that your Halloween will be as fun as it is safe! With this guide and a plethora of costume ideas for boys and girls, Costume SuperCenter can help make your Halloween memorable in more ways than one!
Sources:
RD.com | Childcare.about.com | TIME.com