Halloween is only a few days away. Have you planned out your trick-or-treating route yet? It is important to make sure your children are trick-or-treating in a familiar area and know exactly where they are going the night of Halloween. The last thing you would want is your child to wander off and get lost in the middle of nowhere!
Always make sure there is an adult with your child. Some kids like to go trick-or-treating in a big group of friends. While there tends to be safety in numbers it is still important to have at least one adult present. It is easy for children to get separated when they are on their own. Having an adult there helps keep everyone together and helps the kids stick to their trick-or-treating route.
While it may seem a little tacky to send your children trick-or-treating early in the afternoon, it is always safer when it is light out. When it gets dark children can be hard to see, especially if they have a dark costume. The best time to send your child out is between 3pm and 5pm. If your children are going to be out when it is dark make sure you pack a flashlight for them to light the way.
Many costumes come with masks for the children to wear. While these may add a lot to the costume, it is important to make sure your child can see and hear well through the mask. You may need to make a few adjustments of your own to alleviate some of these common issues. If all else fails make your own mask or paint your child’s face instead.
Jack-o-lanterns are always one of our favorite parts of Halloween. If you have pumpkins decorating your porch, be sure to put them out of the way so that children don’t trip over them. If you use actual candles in your pumpkins put them in a place where children aren’t going to be too close. The last thing you want is to have a child’s costume catch fire on your doorstep!
When your child gets home be sure to go through their candy before they begin eating it. Make sure everything is wrapped and sealed tightly. Inspect carefully and thoroughly. And as always, if in doubt, throw it out!