7 Tips for Safe Trick-or-Treating this Halloween

From the candy to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and parents alike. But trick-or-treating can pose dangers to young revelers. To help make this year’s festivity a trick-free treat, follow these simple safety tips:

1. Limit trick-or-treating to your neighborhood and the homes of people you and your children know.
2. Give kids flashlights with new batteries. Kids may also enjoy wearing glow sticks as bracelets or necklaces.
3. For older kids who are trick-or-treating on their own, find out the route they’ll be taking and when they’ll be coming home. Also be sure that they:
   • carry a cell phone, if possible
   • go in a group and stay together
   • only go to houses with porch lights on and walk on sidewalks on lit streets (never walk through alleys or across lawns)
   • walk from house to house (never run) and always walk facing traffic when walking on roads
   • stay away from candles and other flames
   • know to never go into strangers’ homes or cars
   • cross the street at crosswalks and never assume that vehicles will stop
4. Accompany young children (under age 12). Make sure they know how to call 911 in case they get lost. Check to make sure they know their home phone number.
5. When your kids get home, 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 haven’t been made by someone you know.
6. Don’t allow young children to have hard candy or gum that could cause choking.
7. Make sure trick-or-treaters will be safe when visiting your home, too. Remove anything that could cause kids 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.

About the Author

Janet Brooks

Janet has worked as the Child Advocacy Manager at Primary Children’s for 18 years. She manages the Hold On To Dear Life® educational and advocacy campaign. Janet is a Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor and an instructor in transporting children with special health care needs. She enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband, five children, four in-laws, and six beautiful grandchildren.

Share This Article