Tips for a Safe Halloween After a Year Off

For a lot of families, this will be the first nearly normal Halloween in two years. Last year, most of us either canceled Halloween altogether or made significant modifications to follow local health department guidelines. Families did more celebrations at home or in small “pods” than ever before. Since it has been two years since thinking about a safe Halloween, the following tips might help remind you of important concepts to consider for children of all ages.

Elementary school-age children and younger

These tips are the basics that have always been circulated, so it might be just a refresher course for experienced parents.

• Always go trick-or-treating with your elementary-aged children. Based on their age, development, and confidence, you might want to go door-to-door with them or watch from the sidewalk, giving them a sense of independence.
• Whenever possible, pick neighborhoods that have sidewalks.
• Reflective and bright-colored costumes make it easier to for you to find your children and easier for drivers to see them.
• A proper-fitting costume is important so your child can avoid tripping or catching loose material on unseen hazards.
• Consider labeling the costume with your name and phone number just in case your child gets separated from you.
• Remind your children to wait for permission before eating their treats. Inspect each piece of candy and throw away unwrapped, damaged, or suspicious-looking ones. Hand-wrapped cookies, fruit, or other home-baked goodies should only be eaten if you know and trust the giver.

Middle school-age children

It is at about this age that children want to go trick-or-treating with their friends and without parents. Take into account your child’s maturity and the likelihood of them making good decisions when considering how much freedom they get on Halloween. Review the rules more than once before your child sets out on their own with friends.

• Your child should have a way to contact you. Cell phones help greatly for this as long as they don’t become a distraction to a child not paying attention to their surroundings.
• Establish a safe route. You should know exactly where your children are planning on going, and they should know where they are not allowed to go. Try to avoid busy street crossings and neighborhoods without sidewalks or streetlights. Streets with lots of kids are more appealing and generally safer.
• Remind them about street safety. No running into streets, always look before leaving a curb, and remove any masks or headgear that make it hard to see before going into the streets.
• Establish a curfew. Children should return home at a predetermined time. If they are going in a group, it is likely that they will all go to one of their friends’ houses to compare their treats. Remind your child to check in when they safely arrive at the designated residence, and be sure to connect with the other parents too.

High school-aged children

You probably won’t be invited to help plan your high school-aged child’s Halloween experience. It is still a good idea to discuss your expectations while out on Halloween night.

• Try to avoid letting your high school-aged child drive on Halloween night. It is without a doubt one of the two worst nights of the year to be driving (the other being New Year’s Eve).
• Make sure you know where they will be and what the process is for letting you know or asking permission if their plans change.
• Always remind your teen that you will provide a safe and sober way to get home.

Trick-or-treating isn’t for everyone.

For lots of different reasons, not every child will go out on a search for candy treats. Creating a fun and safe alternative is a great idea. Some ideas include:

• Dress up at home but don’t go out.
• Decorate your space for Halloween.
• Have fun handing out candy instead of going out asking for it.
• Watch spooky age and developmentally appropriate movies or shows.

Tips to make Halloween safer for those visiting your property

• Roll up yard hoses and remove anything that is a tripping hazard.
• Trim back any branches or bushes that might be difficult for trick-or-treaters to see.
• No open flames. A small candle inside a pumpkin is probably fine but avoid any other real flames.
• Create a well-lit path to your front door. Decorations and spooky sounds are fine, but children shouldn’t have to walk through too much darkness to get their treats.
• Control your pets. It is common for Halloween to scare pets into acting defensive or even running away. Keeping them in a quiet room or safe space is better for them than being scared and biting or scratching someone.