SAFETY MOMENT - TRICK or TREATING Dressing Your Little Ghouls & Goblins Choose a light-colored costume that's easy to see at night. Add reflective or glow-in-the-dark tape to the costume and to the trick-or-treat bag. Make sure wigs and beards don't cover your kids' eyes, noses, or mouths. Don't use colored or decorative contact lenses, unless they're prescribed by a licensed eye doctor. Put a nametag — with your phone number — on your children's costumes. To prevent falls, avoid oversized and high-heeled shoes. Make sure the rest of the costume fits well too. Make sure that any props your kids carry, such as wands or swords, are short and flexible. Trick-or-Treating Basics Kids under age 12 should: always go trick-or-treating with an adult know how to call 911 in case they get lost know their home phone number or your cellphone number if you don't have a landline Older kids who go out on their own should know their planned route and when they'll be coming home carry a cellphone go in a group and stay together only go to houses with porch lights on stay away from candles and other flames know to never go into strangers' homes or cars For all kids walk on sidewalks on lit streets (never through alleys or across lawns) walk from house to house (never run) and always walk facing traffic when walking on roads cross the street at crosswalks and never assume that vehicles will stop Give kids flashlights with fresh batteries. Kids may also enjoy wearing glow sticks as bracelets or necklaces. When kids get home: Help them check all treats to make sure they're sealed. Throw out candy with torn packages or holes in the packages, spoiled items, and any homemade treats that weren't made by someone you know. Have kids wash their hands before eating and don’t forget to make sure they brush their teeth. Keep Visiting Ghouls Safe Too! Make sure trick-or-treaters are safe when visiting your home too. Remove anything that could cause them to trip or fall on your walkway or lawn. Make sure the lights are on outside your house and light the walkway to your door, if possible. Keep family pets away from trick-or-treaters, even if they seem harmless to you. Halloween Goodies — What You Give Out and What Kids Get Make Halloween fun for all — including kids with food allergies. Consider buying Halloween treats other than candy. Stickers, erasers, crayons, pencils, coloring books, and sealed packages of raisins and dried fruits are good choices. As you check what your kids brought home, keep track of how much candy they got and store it somewhere other than their bedrooms. Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating on Halloween, within reason, and talk about how the rest of the candy will be handled. Let kids have one or two treats a day instead of leaving candy out in big bags or bowls for kids to eat whenever they want. |