Keeping Your Children Safe From Fire, Cars and Falls This Halloween

Replace the candles in your Jack-O'Lantern with a battery operated candle to prevent costume fires. They keep your pumpkin looking great but keeps your child safe.

If your child is wearing a dark costume put reflective stickers, glow stick bracelets and necklaces on them and place glow stick or flshlight in their trick or treat bag. More children are hit by cars on Halloween then any other time of the year.

Consider wearing decorative make-up on your children instead of the mask that came with that store bought costume. Having just tripped over an uneven sidewalk, I can tell you that it can very damaging to your face and hands. In addition, cut the bottom off their costumes so that they are not dragging on the ground to prevent those nasty falls.

Happy Halloween! If you are taking your children out or if you are the one left behind to hand out candy consider dressing up. Your children will love it and you might just have a great time. Last year I went as Jessie from Toy Story and several children stopped my husband who went as Woody and I to give us a hug or to tell us how much they liked us. Bonus: Many houses gave us candy too. I am thinking of going as Smurfette this year, a character blasted right out of my childhood.

Keeping Your Children Safe This Halloween

Here are some tips for keeping your children safe while they are out trick or treating this Halloween from the Center for Disease Control. I was surprised that my own personal tip did not make their list. I have always sent each of my children out trick or treating with a ziplock bag of their favorite treats in their trick or treat bag. This way they can have candy along the way that I have already checked to make sure it is safe. When they were older, they were not embarrased about this because their friends just thought they were eating from the candy they had been collecting.


S...Swords, knives, and accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
A...Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
F...Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags
E...Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before
eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

H...Hold a flashlight to help you see and others see you.
A...Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before
bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
L...Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established
crosswalks wherever possible.
L...Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative
contact lenses.
O...Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing
traffic to stay safe.
W...Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked
vision, trips, and falls.
E...Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats
unless you know the cook well.
E...Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay
outside.
N...Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Wishing you a fun filled, safe Halloween!