Halloween is one of the most exciting nights of the year for kids (and kids at heart). For many parents, however, the fun can be accompanied by stress and anxiety for the safety of their children. This year, we want to help by offering some easy and effective safety tips for Halloween that will make this spooky trick-or-treating holiday a fun filled and safe Halloween for the entire family.
View, Download and Print – The 2021 Halloween Safety Guide
Halloween Safety at Home
Decorating is one of the best parts of Halloween — decking out the house, dressing up in the top Halloween costumes, showing off your creativity to all the trick-or-treaters who knock on our door. Perhaps your house will be all aglow with spooky jack-o-lanterns and luminaries lining the walkways as the fog machine pumps out creepy, crawling mist that snakes across the ground, giving it that perfect haunted house ambiance. Make it fun, but make it safe. Here’s what to pay close attention to with Halloween safety in mind.
Electrical And Fire Safety
- Luminaries are placed at a wide enough distance from the walkways to allow eager trick-or-treaters to pass without coming in contact with the flames.
- Electrical cords are properly plugged in and connected to an outlet that pulls the appropriate voltage. Then, ensure those cords are wrapped out of the way of key foot-traffic areas or taped down to prevent tripping hazards.
Costumes & Accessories
- Costumes Should Be Flame Retardant
- Costumes Fit Properly to Avoid Tripping Hazards
- Costumes Should Be Given a Trial Run – especially if your costume involves special makeup or effects. Test those products on a small patch of skin before the holiday to ensure you or your kids don’t have a bad/allergic reaction.
- Accessories Should Be Soft and Flexible – Make sure they are bendable so as not to injure yourself or someone else in any spontaneous pirate sword fights that may erupt!
Pedestrian Safety at Home
- Clear All Walkways of Fire or Tripping Hazards
- Turn On Your Porch Light & Keep Walkways Well Lit – Show it is safe to trick-or-treat there
Halloween Safety For Trick-Or-Treaters
Everyone who ventures out wants to have the best Halloween experience, so it is important to keep these trick-or-treat safety tips in mind as you wander from house to house.
Trick-or-Treating Pedestrian Safety
- Attach light-reflecting tape to your costume, shoes, or candy bag/bucket to catch drivers’ eyes – especially if your costume is dark in color.
- Follow all traffic laws in crosswalks, and look both ways before crossing the street.
Covid-19 Halloween Safety Tips
With more families returning to the fun routine of actually getting out and about for Halloween, there are some basic tips to keep in mind to continue to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
- Individually wrap all treats for giveaway – This usually becomes important with homemade baked goods.
- Commit to outdoor activities and encourage a little space – Kids love to clump together, especially at each door they are visiting. Give them a nudge to go up one at a time.
- Wear a Decorated Mask Indoors – It’s never been easier to purchase a mask that will go right along with your costume theme. Just avoid paints that could include toxic substances. For indoor events and celebrations, commit to masking up inside to better prevent transmission of Covid-19. CDC Guidance for Halloween notes that Halloween masks are not a suitable replacement for protective cloth masks, and that “Protective masks should never be worn under a costume mask because it can become hard to breathe.”
- Use Hand Sanitizer Before Consuming Treats – This is also a great practice for other hands-on activities like pumpkin patches or arts and crafts events. Encourage clean hands as a regular reset between activities.
Trick-or-Treating & Candy Safety
- Stay In Groups – Go with a trusted adult or with a group (if kids are old enough to venture out on their own for a bit).
- Stick To the Lighted Properties – Only go to homes that have their porch lights lit.
- Keep To Familiar Terrain – Stay in areas you know, and go only to the homes of neighbors you know.
- Avoid Baked Goods from Strangers – If It’s homemade, make sure it’s from someone you know and trust.
- Toss Unwrapped Treats – Only consume candy that is factory wrapped and undamaged.
Please keep these Halloween tips in mind and the entire team at Hoffmann Brothers wishes a safe and happy Halloween to all!