Halloween

Halloween Safety Tips for Children: A Spooktacular Guide

Alex Herschman — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:23:38 +0000

Halloween Safety Tips for Children: A Spooktacular Guide

Alex Herschman Wed, 10/18/2023 - 10:23

Halloween is an exciting time of year for children. It’s a day when they get to dress up as their favorite characters, go trick-or-treating, and eat their favorite candies. However, amidst the fun and festivities, safety should always be a top priority. In this blog, we’ll discuss essential Halloween safety tips to ensure that children have a safe and enjoyable experience during this spooky holiday.

1. Costume Safety: Choosing the perfect Halloween costume is one of the highlights of this holiday. However, it’s important to ensure that the costume is not just creative but also safe.

Visibility: Opt for costumes that are brightly colored, or add reflective tape to make your child more visible to motorists.
Fit: Ensure that the costume fits properly, reducing the risk of tripping. Avoid costumes that are too long or have loose, flowing fabric.
Masks: Masks can get in the way of children’s vision and make it difficult to breathe. Consider using face paint or makeup as an alternative, and if a mask is necessary, ensure it has large eye holes and proper ventilation.
Props: If your child’s costume includes props like swords or wands, make sure they are soft and flexible to prevent accidents.

2. Trick-or-Treating with an Adult: Children should always be accompanied by a responsible adult while trick-or-treating. Holding their little hands while crossing streets is a must to ensure safety.

3. Plan a Route: Before heading out, plan a trick-or-treating route. Stick to well-lit streets and neighborhoods that you’re familiar with. Inform a friend or family member about your route and your expected return time.

4. Stay on Sidewalks: Teach your child to stay on the sidewalks and use crosswalks when crossing streets. Look both ways and obey traffic signals. Remind them to be aware of their surroundings.

5. Be Wary of Strangers: Reinforce the importance of not talking to or accepting anything from strangers. Make sure your child knows to visit well-lit houses but never enter anyone’s home, even if invited.

6. Check Candy: Before your little one indulges in any treats, inspect the candy together to ensure it’s in the original, unopened packaging. Discard any suspicious items.

7. Limit Sugar Intake: Moderation is key, especially for the youngest children. Consider setting limits on how much candy your child can consume in one sitting.

8. Food Allergies: If your child has food allergies, be vigilant. Check candy labels for allergens, and consider participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project, which promotes providing non-food treats for children with allergies.

9. Pet Safety: If you have pets, be mindful of their comfort during Halloween. The costumes and strangers at the door can be overwhelming for them. Keep pets in a quiet, secure area away from the commotion.

10. Have Fun & Communicate: Above all, encourage your child to have fun and communicate any concerns they might have. Make Halloween a memorable and enjoyable experience by creating lasting family traditions while prioritizing safety.

Halloween is a time for children to embrace their creativity, have fun with friends and family, and enjoy sweet treats. By following these Halloween safety tips, parents can ensure that their little witches and wizards, ghosts and goblins, have a safe and enjoyable night of trick-or-treating. With the right precautions in place, Halloween can be a treat for everyone involved, ensuring that the spookiest thing about the night is the costumes.

Signing Sprouts - Halloween

lba-admin — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 14:48:28 +0000

Signing Sprouts - Halloween

lba-admin Mon, 11/04/2019 - 09:48

Halloween Safety!

lba-admin — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 13:42:47 +0000

Halloween Safety!

lba-admin Thu, 10/25/2018 - 09:42

Halloween is often a young child's favorite fall celebration and it has all of the ingredients to build special family memories. Here are some helpful hints that will hopefully make your Halloween safer, less stressful and more enjoyable for your family:

When picking out a costume:

Keep the weather in mind. Dress in easy to remove layers under costumes so that little ones are not cold. Also, it never hurts to bring along an umbrella!
Bulky costumes can be difficult for children to walk in. One good fall can spoil the Halloween party at school or Halloween night!
Make sure costumes are light and made of a material that allows children's skin to breathe so that they are not sweaty and cold.
Check masks. Clean them before your child wears them. Lots of children could have tried on the same mask! Check to make sure that your child can breathe easily and see properly. Even if the mask has air holes, it does not mean holes are large enough or in the correct locations for them to see clearly and get enough air.
Test make-up for skin allergies. If you are considering a costume that requires face or body painting, remember to test it on a small portion of your child's hand to check for allergies. When Trick-or-Treating:
Younger children should always go up to the door with an adult. Not everyone understands that young children can scare easily and it can spoil the night. Having an adult nearby is comforting.
Only visit houses that have the lights on. If a house is dark, it's a sure sign that they do not want to be bothered.
Have children wear reflectors, give your child their own flashlight or have them wear a glow necklace. You should always have your own flashlight for areas that are not well lit or for emergency situations.
Stay on sidewalks and only walk across streets at crosswalk locations, if possible.
Never let children eat treats until packages are checked by an adult! Discuss this rule in advance. For very young children, dump the candy into a large bag that you carry and leave them with a couple of items to keep them happy.

While Halloween is fun and brings neighborhoods together, it is important to tell your children that the night will be fun if everyone abides by the rules and stays safe! Remind them that it is never alright to talk or take candy from a stranger when you are not there and that it is NEVER permissible to travel with a stranger. Make sure to tell your child that what you are explaining is for safety reasons and not to frighten him or her. We hope that these tips help make Halloween more safe and enjoyable for your little princess or superhero, and that they help to build happy memories that last a lifetime.

Happy Halloween!