Halloween is a fun night filled with ghosts, goblins, and trick-or-treating. However, as parents stress and anxiety can take over with thoughts on how to keep our kids safe during trick-or-treating. We want our children to have fun and enjoy this time of year but making sure they are all safe is always our first priority.
Here are 6 tips for a smooth trick-or-treating night that can help keep the kids safe and you sane this Halloween:
Bring a Seat
Some kids need a little extra help when going out. Having some place for them to sit can be extremely beneficial for everyone. Sometimes our kids need to take a break but aren’t ready to call it a night. Maybe you may have a kiddo that bolts or needs a little extra assistance. We as parents are responsible for carrying all their stuff and could always use anything to help lighten the load. Having a wagon can solve a lot of these issues. I recommend either a Fisher-Price or Radio Flyer wagon.
Avoid busy streets
Cars don’t always tend to care that people are out Halloween night enjoying the festivities. Traveling to a quiet neighborhood that you’re familiar with is the safest way to avoid those main streets and busy cut-through roads that people tend to fly down.
Bring the Light
Some neighborhoods don’t have the best lighting on their streets, so it’s up to us to make sure our kids stand out at all times. Bringing a flashlight is a great way to help out when those brief moments of darkness occur. You could also give your kids glow sticks to play with or maybe attach some to an accessory that goes with their costume. A blinking light necklace is another fun way to keep them lit up. You could also try attaching LED minis or reflective tape to their candy bag and jazz it up.
Costume Changes
Making a few alterations to our kid’s costumes can make everyone’s night a little more comfortable. Have them wear sneakers when they go out trick-or-treating to better deal with all that walking. Skip the masks and go for make-up instead. This way they won’t be scared and can see better. If your child is holding a pretend sword or prop, double-check for sharp edges. We don’t want anyone accidentally getting hurt.
Makeup Tips
If your child has a costume that requires fun makeup, it’s safest to double-check that the product you are using is non-toxic. I also recommend testing it out first on yourself before the big night out. Make sure not to let them fall asleep while they’re still wearing a full face of fun. We don’t want our little one’s skin to get irritated.
Follow the Crowd
There’s safety in numbers, especially at night. Following the crowd is not only a great way to stay seen but is also a good sign that there’s lots of candy!
Halloween is a night of fun that’s filled with pretend horrors meant to drown you with fear. It shouldn’t scare us into worrying even more about our kid’s well-being. We do that enough the other 364 days of the year. Making a few subtle changes can give you peace of mind all while still keeping it enjoyable for the kids and you.
Wishing you all a very safe trick-or-treating night and Happy Halloween!
