4 Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips to Know

4 Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips Parents Need to Know

Halloween is almost here! Are you ready for some trick-or-treating with your little ghosts and goblins? Collect candy, dress up and watch pumpkins on thresholds is super fun. But it’s also important for parents to keep safety in mind, especially if they have children with food allergies or toddlers and young children who are new to the trick-or-treating scene.

Here are some trick-or-treating safety tips so you and your kids can enjoy a fun and safe Halloween season this year!

Psst… Watch: Tips to make Halloween fun for children with autism

Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips

Avoiding injuries

The spooky season is an exciting and fun time for little ones. But it’s also a time when children are at increased risk for injuries, including serious ones. A 2019 study by JAMA Pediatrics says that 4- to 8-year-old children experienced a tenfold increase in the risk of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween. The greatest risks were around 6 p.m., when daylight disappears.

To start, consider car traffic to keep children safe at night. One of the best things parents can do is focus on road safety. Just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean everyone will be careful on the road.

A great way to keep an eye on your child walking around is to have them wear brightly colored costumes, trick-or-treat bags, or accessories. Always remind children to cross the street at corners or crosswalks. Remember to always look both ways before crossing!

Think about costume safety

When it comes to trick-or-treating safety tips, it’s important to make sure your child’s costume fits properly. If they are wearing a mask, make sure they can see out of it. A great alternative to a mask is to create a custom makeup look. TikTok and YouTube are full of fun, spooky, and creative makeup tutorials for just about every costume out there!

But trick-or-treating safety tips apply to makeup, too. The FDA recommends the list of color additives to see if the colors are FDA approved. If they are not approved for your intended use, do not use them, the agency says. This is especially important for colored makeup around the eyes. Taking the time to look at the ingredients in face paint and makeup products can help prevent allergic reactions.

Test makeup at least 24-48 hours in advance for possible allergic reactions, the FDA says. Apply a small amount to the arm of the person who will be wearing it. If a rash, redness, swelling, or other signs of irritation develop where the makeup was applied, that is a sign of a possible allergy.

Wear costumes that say “flame resistant” on the label, the FDA says, and when you make your costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon. Find more trick-or-treating safety tips from the FDA here.

Help prevent food allergies

Keep food allergies in mind when collecting treats. Most parents of children with food allergies make their children aware that unfamiliar sweets can pose a potential risk. But as an extra precaution, it doesn’t hurt to remind them to take all the candy home before unwrapping and eating it.

This year, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) once again partnered with CVS Pharmacy due to its notoriety Teal Pumpkin Project.

As part of the partnership, CVS will communicate Teal Pumpkin offers to customers through in-store signage to help customers identify food allergy-friendly items. These include small treats and fun toys like teal pumpkin buckets, craft kits, creepy spiders and bugs, and more.

(We’re told there are many more nice articles to browse this year too.)

Anyone can participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project by placing a teal-colored pumpkin on their doorstep to indicate that, in addition to candy, non-food treats and food allergy-safe treats are available for trick-or-treaters.

Check candy

Trick-or-treat safety tips include checking candy, and it’s important to always check your child’s candy before they eat it. “Tell your kids not to eat candy until they get home,” says Gerard Lennon, a crime prevention officer at Adelphi University and a retired NYPD lieutenant.

You don’t want them eating candy in wrappers that have been tampered with.

“Check all candy for open wrappers. If they are open – even just a little bit – throw them in the trash,” Lennon said.

Also throw away any loose candy. To ensure safety, all sweets must be fully wrapped.

Set boundaries with your teens

Is your teen going out with friends for trick-or-treating this year? If so, make sure you set some ground rules for a fun but safe time. It’s best to do it together.

First, ask your teen to stay in touch with you throughout the night and make sure their phone is fully charged. A portable charger is a great way to keep the phone running all evening long.

Also find out what places or areas your teen goes to. Encourage them to always stick with their friend group and reach out to you every now and then. Finally: agree on a curfew.

Setting these boundaries with your teen can help you gain peace of mind and ensure their overall safety.

Psst… Check out Staten Island Halloween Events 2024