Top 5 Halloween Safety Tips

by Cindy Bond

Kids love Halloween. When else can they dress up, get goodies, and act spooky? But trick-or-treating makes many parents nervous. Dr. Alan Woolf, Director of the Massachusetts Poison Control Center, suggests these five safety tips to ensure your kids' safety this Halloween season:

1. Jack O'Lanterns


• Carving is for adults only. Let your kids participate by drawing the face on the pumpkin and scooping out its insides with a spoon.
2. Trick-or-Treating
• No child should go trick-or-treating alone. Always accompany your younger children; older children can go in groups.
• Allow children to go trick-or-treating early but avoid the evening rush hour. It's harder for motorists to see clearly during twilight than at any other time of day.
• Give children specific neighborhood boundaries for trick-or-treating. Set a firm curfew for your children.
• Remind children to walk on sidewalks and be cautious when crossing streets.
• Tell children to go only to homes and neighbors they know and only to houses with lights on.
• Tell children to turn down all invitations to enter homes. Period.
• Tell children to avoid even normally friendly neighborhood dogs, who can be startled by kids they know who are dressed in unfamiliar costumes.
3. Costumes
• Check labels to see that all costumes and accessories are flame-resistant. (This goes for wigs, masks, and beards, too.)
•  Put strips of reflective tape on the front and back of costumes to make them more visible to drivers.
• Make sure all facepaints, glues, and glitters are nontoxic. Your child may be allergic!
• Your child's costume shouldn't drag on the ground. It's too easy to trip. Shoes should be well-fitting and sturdy. (Mom's high heels are not a good idea for safe walking!)
4. Props
• Don't allow children to carry sharp objects. Swords, knives, and any other accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
• If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough so that he can see.
• Make sure that goody bags are light-colored for easy visibility. Decorate them with reflective tape (you can find it in hardware, bicycle, or sporting goods stores).
5. Goodies
• Warn kids not to eat any treats before returning home (a filling dinner can help).
• Throw away any homemade treats or any treats with torn or unsealed wrapping.

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