Halloween is a lot of fun, and it’s a day that kids and adults alike love. Costumes, candy, spooky decorations – what’s not to love? While it’s easy to get swept up in all the Halloween antics, it’s also important to remember to be safe – and to keep the trick-or-treaters coming to your house safe! We’ve got a few tips for you to both prepare your house for the onslaught of small children and keep your own kids safe when they return from their adventures.
11 practical tips for this Halloween.
1. Clean up the walkway of your house.
You don’t want any kids taking a spill on your driveway or walkway, so make sure that you’ve cleared the path of trip-hazards. Remember, kids are going to be excited and running up to your front door, so they might not be paying attention to their feet or the ground. Make sure there’s nothing that could send a small child flying.
2. Keep your pets safe and sound.
You’ve also got to consider your pets. If you have a dog, you might want to create a safe, cozy room in the house for them to hang out during the Halloween festivities. That way you don’t have to worry about them getting out, jumping on someone, frightening a small child, or –heaven forbid – nipping at someone. The same goes if you have a cat – you might want to put your kitty in a secure room inside so that they don’t make a great escape!
Also – keep the candy away from your pets. They probably shouldn’t be eating any of the Halloween loot.
3. Check your exterior lights.
Make sure that your outside lights are all functioning. Replace any lightbulbs that have gone out. You want to illuminate the outside of the house so that trick-or-treaters can see where they’re going – and so that they know you have goodies for them!
4. Clean up any leaves on the path.
This relates to our earlier point, but make sure that you sweep up and remove any leaves from the driveway and walkway. Leaves can get really slippery, especially for a little kid who’s running for the candy. Again, you don’t want anyone to fall.
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5. Light up the steps.
If you have porch steps, make sure that you’ve cleared them of trip hazards. Do your best to reduce the chance of someone catching a toe on a step and falling. Kids, especially the really young ones, might not be the best at stairs yet.
6. Stock up on flashlights.
If you have kids who are going trick-or-treating, stock up on flashlights (and batteries) ahead of time. Having the kids carry flashlights or glow sticks can help drivers see them as they walk. (Also it can help your kids see.)
7. Don’t forget to buy reflective tape.
You also could invest in some reflective tape for your kid’s costume and treat bag. This can help improve visibility so that motorists can see them more easily. So, don’t forget to buy a roll of reflective tape so you can illuminate your kid’s costume.
8. Feed your kids a good dinner.
Feed your kids a good dinner before they go trick-or-treating. If they’re well-fed, they’re perhaps less likely to start eating the candy before you’ve had a chance to look at it.
9. Review 911 protocol.
Before your kids head out, go over calling 911 with them. Make sure they understand how to do that so that if there is any emergency, they can make the call.
10. Be careful with the treats.
After the Halloween trick-or-treating has concluded, ration out the candy. Allow your kids to have a few treats every day. Not only will this help the treats last longer, it’ll keep your kids from overindulging on sugar and getting a stomachache.
11. Be aware of and careful about allergens.
If your kids have any allergens, be very careful to read every ingredient label. A lot of candies have very common allergens. And it’s also very important to remember that many Halloween candies could contain trace amounts of allergens, even though they might not list allergens on their ingredient list. (Factories often make a lot of different products.) “Fun size” or mini candies can also contain different ingredients than their normal-sized counterparts, so even if there’s a type of candy that your child could normally eat, they might not be able to eat the mini ones.
Halloween is fun, and kids are probably excited. Still, it’s important to prepare and get ready for the day. A little bit of preparation goes a long way.
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