Your Family's Halloween Safety Checklist

Simple Steps to Keep Trick-or-Treating Fun for Kids, Parents, and Grandparents Alike

Halloween is one of the best nights of the year for kids, and a few small precautions go a long way toward keeping it that way. Run through this checklist before the trick-or-treating starts.

Costumes

• Choose bright or light-colored costumes, or add reflective tape so drivers can spot kids after dark.
• Skip long capes, oversized sleeves, and trailing fabric. Trips and falls are one of the most common Halloween injuries.
• Swap masks for face paint or a hat. Masks can block a child's vision at the worst possible time.
• Make sure shoes fit well, especially over tights or extra socks worn under a costume.

Pumpkins and Decorations

• When carving pumpkins, let kids draw the face, but carving should be handled with care. For younger children, adults should handle the cutting. Older kids can try a blunt-edge carving saw made for pumpkins under close supervision, but a dull blade still isn't a risk-free one.
• Light pumpkins with a flashlight, battery-operated candle, or glow stick instead of an open flame when you can.
• Keep any lit pumpkins away from curtains, doormats, and other decorations that could catch fire.
• Never leave a lit pumpkin unattended.

Trick-or-Treating

• Stick to sidewalks. If there isn't one, walk facing traffic.
• Cross at corners and crosswalks, not between parked cars.
• Bring a flashlight with fresh batteries, even if the costume already glows.
• Keep kids under 12 with an adult at all times.
• Trick-or-treat in a group when possible. There's safety in numbers.

The Candy Haul

• Feed kids dinner before they head out so they're less tempted to snack along the route.
• Look over every piece before anyone digs in. Toss anything unwrapped, torn, or homemade from someone you don't know.
• Check labels closely if anyone in the family has a food allergy.
• Set a plan for how much candy is okay each day, and stick with it.

Handing Out Candy at Home

• Clear the porch and walkway of hoses, toys, and anything else little feet could trip over.
• Turn on the porch light and ensure it adequately lights the way for visitors.
• Keep pets in another room while trick-or-treaters are coming and going.
• Consider a few non-candy treats, like stickers or small toys, for kids with allergies.

Behind the Wheel

• Slow down and expect kids near the road, even outside crosswalks and driveways.
• Take extra care pulling in and out of driveways in residential neighborhoods.
• Turn headlights on early. Visibility drops fast once the sun goes down.

A little planning goes a long way toward a fun, safe night for everyone, from the littlest ghosts and goblins to the parents and grandparents handing out candy on the porch.

Happy Halloween!