Halloween can cause a lot of anxiety for both parents and kiddos. Visiting strangers’ homes, speaking to strangers, walking dark streets, having kids roam on their own… danger can lurk around every corner. When you add spooky costumes, masks and lots of people, it can be overwhelming. Your children’s safety is always top priority, but Halloween brings a whole new level of needing to be extra careful when their safety is at play. Taking a few extra steps can be the key to having a safe and fun night!
Halloween Safety Tips
Stand Out in a Crowd!
Make sure that your kids, regardless of trick-or-treating alone or with you, are visible to cars and others. Use glow sticks, reflectors and mini flashlights to keep them safe.
Buddy System
When sending them out to trick or treat, send them with a buddy. It is always safer to visit homes and a new neighborhood with a buddy.
Stay on the Path
Encourage your children to always stay on the path and sidewalk that you tell them to. Wandering in the dark or wooded areas is not safe. They may want to take a shortcut to a friend’s home, but have them stay on a known pathway.
Wait to Eat
While we never want to think the worst, there have been horrible stories of candy being compromised. It is always best to wait until you can inspect all your kiddo’s candy after collecting, especially if visiting homes and neighborhoods that you aren’t familiar with.
Giggle Tip: To encourage them to wait, give them a few pieces of candy you bought yourself before they leave to quench their sweet tooth!
Meeting Grounds
If your kids are going with friends to trick or treat without you, set up a meeting spot and time so you can check in with them. This will allow them some autonomy but also give you piece of mind they are OK with several check in points.
Track them!
Yup… track them! Even if they are trick-or-treating with you, keep the tracking service on their phones activated at all times. If they don’t have a phone or are too young for one, use tracking devices like an Apple AirTag to place into their costumes. You can never be too safe.
It Takes a Village
If your kids are going to a large neighborhood to trick or treat, connect with your friends who may live in the area to keep an eye on your kids as they pass by and give you updates. It takes a village to keep our kids safe, never feel bad about asking for a watchful eye. Repay the favor!
Don’t Pressure the Fun
If your kiddo isn’t into the Halloween hoopla, don’t pressure them to go out and about. It is OK to sit back and watch from the sidelines and take it slow. Halloween can be an overwhelming time for some, so best to let them be able to express themselves and take cues from them about how they want to celebrate.
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