Halloween safety: tips for children

Silvia

· 18 Feb 2021

Halloween safety: tips for children

#halloween
Children love Halloween because of the costumes and delicacies. But this celebration also entails serious security risks. Halloween doubles the risk of children being hit by a car more than on other nights of the year. Burns and cuts are also common on Halloween, and then there are problems caused by sweets.
Halloween can be safely enjoyed, especially if parents take care of the planning and supervision. Follow these tips to protect your family.

Safe carving
Before decorating your pumpkins, consider these safety rules:

Consider alternatives to carving. Decorate with markers, glitter glue or paint. Let young children draw faces on pumpkins with art supplies. Leave the carving to the adults.
Be careful with candles. Place pumpkins by candlelight on a solid surface, away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave pumpkins by candlelight unattended. Better yet, light the pumpkins with flashlights, flameless candles on batteries or light bulbs.
Use your imagination with the costumes
Choosing your costumes wisely is an important part of a safe Halloween. Follow these tips:

The brighter the better. Choose bright colors and flame retardant materials. If your child will be outside in the dark, then stick reflective tape on his costume or bag with sweets.
Make sure it is the right size. If it's cold outside, make sure that your child's costume is loose enough so that he can wear warm clothes under it, but not too long to avoid tripping. Avoid too large shoes and heels.
Avoid masks. A mask can impede your child's vision, especially if he slips out of the way. Wear non-toxic makeup instead.
Limit accessories. Accessories with spikes, such as wands, swords and knives, can pose safety risks

Precautions when ordering sweets
Check out these safety rules before your kids go trick-or-treat on Halloween:

Join the fun. Accompanied children under 12 years of trick-or-treat. Put a sheet of paper with your child's name, address and phone number in their pocket, in case they break up. Suppose older children go with friends, parents or older siblings. Make sure that someone in the group has a flashlight with new batteries.
Establish basic rules. If your child is trick-or-treat without you, plan a family route and set a return time. For example, check the safety rules that you are not allowed to leave the group, that you are allowed to walk alone on the sidewalk, approach only well-lit houses, and that you should never enter a house or a car to cheat or treat. Ask your child to wear a mobile phone.
Inspect the candies before they eat them. Do not let your child eat while asking for sweets. Let your child eat something before he goes outside, and inspect the delicacies before they eat them. Discard anything that is not sealed, has a broken package or looks doubtful. If you have a young child, throw out chewing gum, peanuts, hard sweets and any other candy that carries suffocation danger. If your child is allergic to food, carefully check the labels of the candy.
Rate the loot. If your child gets a lot of goodies, consider handing them out one by one. You could ask if she wants to trade some or all of the candy for something else, like a toy, a book or a getaway.
Safety and sweetness on the porch of your house
Prepare for the “trick or treat":

clean. Remove objects that may fall, such as garden hoses, toys and bicycles. Remove wet leaves, snow and other dirt from the sidewalk.
Turn on the lights. Replace burnt out lamps for a good view at the entrance and door.
Keep your pets under control. Do not risk your pet getting scared and chasing or biting a child at the door of your house.
Consider replacing sweets. Instead of handing out sweets, try stickers, cute pencils, rubber insects or colored chalk.
If candy hunting is not suitable for your child, consider giving a candy exchange party with friends or neighbors. You can hold a costume contest without food and games and prizes. Or contact your local schools or community centers for other options.

If you're driving on Halloween, beware of children crossing the street. Be especially careful when entering or leaving driveways and alleys. Being extra careful can help to ensure the safety of everyone on Halloween.