10 Tips for a Safe Halloween

The costume is ready.

The candy bucket is empty — for now.

And an entire neighborhood full of chocolate, lollipops, and other treats is waiting.

For children, few nights are as exciting as Halloween.

Whether you’re heading out dressed as a witch, superhero, police officer, dinosaur, or something nobody else can quite identify, a little preparation can help make sure the evening ends with good memories instead of an accident.

Before the first “trick or treat,” here are 10 safety tips for children and parents to remember.

Before You Head Out

1. Make sure the costume fits.

That flowing cape or floor-length costume may look great in the living room, but Halloween involves a lot of walking.

Costumes that drag on the ground can become tripping hazards, especially when children climb steps, cross streets, or walk on uneven sidewalks.

Shoes matter, too. Comfortable footwear that fits properly is a better choice for a night spent going from house to house.

Try the entire costume on before Halloween night and walk around in it.

If you’re already tripping in the hallway, make some adjustments before heading outside.

2. Make sure you can see and hear.

A mask can complete a costume, but it can also make it harder to see cars, curbs, other children, and obstacles.

Some masks can also interfere with hearing.

Face paint or makeup may be a better choice when a mask significantly limits vision or hearing.

Whatever you wear, make sure you can clearly see what’s happening around you.

A great costume isn’t worth walking into a tree.

3. Keep costume props soft.

A sword, wand, or other prop can complete a costume.

Choose something soft and flexible, such as a foam prop, rather than a hard or sharp object.

Remember that children will be walking close together, running into friends and navigating crowded porches.

Keep the pretend sword fight pretend.

While You’re Trick-Or-Treating

4. Bring a flashlight.

Halloween gets much more interesting after dark, but darkness also makes it harder to see where you’re walking.

Carry a flashlight when trick-or-treating, particularly in areas without streetlights.

It can help you spot steps, uneven pavement, and other obstacles.

Being visible also matters around traffic. Drivers need every opportunity to see trick-or-treaters moving through neighborhoods.

5. Use the sidewalk.

Stay on sidewalks whenever they’re available rather than walking in the street.

It can also be safer and more efficient to visit houses on one side of the street before crossing to the other side.

Running back and forth across the road every time you see a promising porch light creates unnecessary trips through traffic.

The candy will still be there when you reach the other side.

6. Cross where drivers expect you.

Cross streets at intersections and crosswalks when possible.

Stop, then look carefully for traffic before stepping into the road.

Don’t assume a driver sees you simply because you can see the vehicle.

Halloween creates an unusual combination of darkness, excited children, costumes, and neighborhood traffic. Everyone needs to pay extra attention.

7. Be cautious around strangers and unfamiliar animals.

Halloween involves approaching houses belonging to people you may not know, but normal safety rules still apply.

Children shouldn’t approach strangers sitting in vehicles or leave the trick-or-treating route with someone they don’t know.

Use caution around unfamiliar animals, too.

Even a normally friendly pet may become nervous or excited when a parade of masked children arrives at the front door.

Give unfamiliar animals space.

8. Look for the porch light.

A well-lit porch or entrance usually signals that a household is participating in trick-or-treating.

Skip dark homes.

And children should never enter the home of someone they don’t know while collecting candy.

Trick-or-treating happens at the door.

Then it’s on to the next house.

When You Get Home

9. Let an adult check the treats.

Dumping an entire bucket of candy onto the floor may be one of the best parts of Halloween.

Before eating it, however, children should let a parent or another responsible adult look through the haul.

Check treats and packaging before anything is eaten.

Set aside anything that looks opened, damaged, or questionable rather than eating it.

This is also the time for the traditional candy trade, when siblings begin making complicated deals involving chocolate bars and lollipops.

10. Don’t eat everything at once.

After an hour of walking around the neighborhood, that mountain of candy can look like dinner.

It isn’t.

Enjoy some treats, but save the rest for later.

Eating too much candy at once can turn a fun Halloween night into an unhappy-stomach night.

Besides, making the candy last means Halloween can continue for a few more days.

Or weeks, depending on the bucket size.

One More Stop Before Bed

One final Halloween task comes after the costume comes off and the candy has been counted.

Brush your teeth.

Halloween treats can contain plenty of sugar, and leaving it on your teeth isn’t a good way to end the night.

Then put away the candy, hang up the costume, and get some sleep.

Halloween should be spooky because of ghosts, monsters, and things that go bump in the night — not because someone tripped over a cape, ran into the street, or ate half a bucket of candy before bedtime.

A few simple precautions can help keep the scary stuff where it belongs.

In the costumes.