Trick or Treat Safety Tips

Going trick or treating at Halloween is something most kids love to do.  It can be great fun to get dressed up in costumes and go door to door after dark, collecting candy.  However, it’s important for trick or treaters to stay safe and follow some commonsense guidelines.  Here are some trick or treat safety tips for parents, to help you make sure your children stay safe and have fun this Halloween night.

The Route

Choose a route in a local area that you know well and plan it in advance, so you know exactly where to take the your group of children.  Stick to well-lit sidewalks and driveways, and don’t take shortcuts across lawns, front yards or along dark alleyways.  Walk together as a group and don’t allow kids to run, in case they trip or run in front of a car.  Avoid trick or treating at homes without lights, as this is usually a sign that the occupant doesn’t want to be disturbed.  Never enter a stranger’s house, even if they invite you to step inside whilst they get the treats.

Time

It’s sensible not to stay out trick or treating too late at night (after 9pm) as this may annoy your neighbors as well as tire the children.  Local communities often organise Halloween events and activities, so check if there are designated trick or treating times for your neighborhood.

Age

Kids and tweens should have at least one responsible adult with them when trick or treating.  If you are planning on going in a big group, try to get some other adults, such as other parents, to help you out. 

Teens may be old enough to go on their own.  However, if you decide to allow this, make sure you know what route they are taking, make sure they carry a cell phone in case of emergency and have a set curfew for them to return home.

Costumes

Be practical when choosing your kids costumes.  They will be walking some distance in them so they need to be comfortable.  Although kids love to dress as witches or wizards, it’s best to stay away from very long outfits or cloaks that drag on the ground, as they could get caught on objects or cause a child to trip and fall.

If a costume involves wearing a Halloween mask, check the eye holes are large enough for your child to see out properly and that the mask doesn’t restrict breathing.

Plan costumes according to the weather in your local area to make sure your children don’t overheat or get too cold.

Footwear

Unless you’re driving round the trick or treat route, there will usually be a lot of walking involved.  Kids and any accompanying adults should wear comfortable shoes that won’t hurt their feet.  Girls who want to wear high heels or boys that want to wear big boots can do so at a party afterwards or another day.

Visibility

Each kid should carry a flashlight or wear something highly visible as part of their costume, such as glow in the dark jewellery or shoes with lights, so passing cars (and the adults in charge) can see them.

Props

A lot of kids Halloween costumes involve props, usually made from lightweight plastic.  Make sure any props are unlikely to cause injury of a child falls and make sure no one carries a joke plastic weapon such as a gun or knife that could cause offence.

Containers

Be careful when choosing buckets, tins or goody bags for carrying treats.  Make sure the containers you use are convenient and comfortable to carry, and not too bulky or heavy.

Treats

It’s tradition for people to give candy, or sometimes homemade cupcakes or biscuits, as treats.  Check what your children have received before letting them eat it.  Throw away any unwrapped candy in case it’s been tampered with, and unless you know the person who made them, throw away any homemade treats too.  There will still be plenty of treats left to go around!

You may want to take charge of carrying the treats yourself, so your kids don’t eat too many sweet, sugary foods at once.

Food

So kids are less tempted to devour all their treats in one go, it’s a good idea to feed them a proper meal before trick or treating.

Bathroom Stops

It’s advisable to make sure every child visits the bathroom before going trick or treating.  It’s also a good idea to arrange in advance somewhere for kids to use the bathroom on the route, such as another parent’s house. 

Pets

If you encounter any dogs or cats when trick or treating, it’s best that the kids don’t try to stroke them in case they are spooked by their costumes and try to bite a child.

It may seem like there are a lot of safety tips and rules here, but really they are just sensible precautions to help your trick or treating go smoothly.  Halloween is a fun holiday that can be enjoyed by everyone, and with a little commonsense and forward planning you can ensure your kids stay safe whilst trick or treating this Halloween.