Halloween Safety Tips from HCI

Halloween can be a fun time for friends and family. This is the season to dress up in costumes, attend parties and go trick-or-treating. Pumpkins and ghouls get equal time on stage.

Even so, it’s important to keep safety in mind. What should you watch out for this year?

Costume Safety Tips

• Avoid masks. Masks can block vision and hinder breathing. Consider using non-toxic face paint to create that scary look instead of wearing a mask.
• Right-sized costumes. Costumes that are too long or have long, dangly fabric can easily be tripped over. You can still be a ghost, of course. Just make sure that the fabric isn’t so long that you walk over it.
• Comfortable shoes. Trick-or-treating involves a lot of walking, so wearing comfortable shoes will make a huge difference for the evening. Laces should be double-tied to prevent them from coming loose and causing anyone to trip. 
• Weather appropriate. If it happens to be a chilly night for trick-or-treating, consider adding an extra layer to that lightweight costume to prevent getting too cold as the night goes on. This is especially true for younger children whose bodies lose body heat faster due to their smaller size. Bring extra layers along. And if it’s too cold, head home.
• Reflective costumes. It might be dark outside by the time you go trick-or-treating so reflective strips added to costumes can ensure that drivers are able to see them clearly. 
• Flame resistant. Look for costumes and props that are labeled as flame resistant.

Trick-Or-Treating Safety Tips

• If your kids go neighborhood trick-or-treating, make sure that there is always a chaperone with the kids. A group of kids with a chaperone is safer than a child walking alone.
• Plan the trick-or-treating route in advance. This way no one gets lost, and you can avoid walking aimlessly through different neighborhoods.
• Teach children to look both ways before crossing the street. Smaller children should hold hands with a chaperone, and groups should all cross the street at the same time.
• Don’t accept homemade candy or brownies. If it isn’t store wrapped, you can’t be sure of what’s it in it. It could contain anything from ingredients that cause allergic reactions in your children to much more sinister items that can harm them. And if the candy looks as if it’s been opened or re-wrapped, toss it out.
• Have a flashlight on hand. Light the way to keep from tripping on raised sidewalks or wayward tree roots.

Halloween Pumpkin Safety Tips

• Carving should never be done by smaller children. Instead, have the children draw the face on the pumpkin. Only adults should handle the actual the actual carving.
• Not all pumpkins need to be carved either. Pumpkin painting is a new trend that has endless possibilities.
• For jack-o-lanterns, use flashlights or glow sticks instead of candles to prevent fire hazards. But if you must have a candle, the safest ones to choose are votive candles. Then place the pumpkin in a secure location where it is not likely to fall. Blow out the candle when not in use or when not home.

Happy safe trick-or-treating!