Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating

Halloween is here, and we know you’re (secretly) just as excited as your kiddos! Halloween means costume parades at school, treats, and fun festivities with your little ones. And yes, sure there may be some drama —  kids don't actually want to wear a coat over their costume! But despite the inevitable tantrums and sugar highs, celebrating Halloween with your family and friends makes for great memories!

Eight Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating

To help ensure your Halloween goes off without a hitch, we’ve researched and compiled a list of safety tips for Trick-or-Treating. Check out these tips to help keep parties and festivities fun and safe for little trick-or-treaters and party guests.

• Trick-or-Treat in Groups. Avoid going alone or sending your kids by themselves. Why not get a group of your kids' friends and their parents together and go around neighborhoods together?
• Plan a Route in Advance. Designate a walking route in advance to avoid getting lost. If you’re going with older trick-or-treaters, print out maps so everyone knows where the groups is going in case someone gets lost.
• Reflective tape. Yes, this may seem silly and a little dorky, but it’s always helpful to have reflective tape on part of your childs costume. The days are getting shorter and that means daylight goes down around 6 pm. Late night trick-or-treating can often go late into the night, make sure to take proper precautions so drivers can see you easily.
• Flashlight. Flashlights are a must. Bring one with you while you trick-or-treat so you can easily see walkways, porches, and where everyone is at all times.
• Stay on Sidewalks.  Keep your group on the sidewalk. Don’t let kids run ahead of you or run across the street. Tell them before hand to act in a mannerly way and to watch for cars while crossing the street.
• Don’t Enter Homes of Strangers. This sounds obvious, but on Halloween, some kids get so excited about the festivities that they forget common sense rules. Talk to your kids and remind them never to go into a home of someone they don’t know and don’t trust.
• Examine Treats. As soon as you get home, have your kids dump out all of their treats. Expect for any foul-looking pieces; check if the candy is old, unwrapped, dirty, or looks tampered with, or is homemade. Only eat candy and goodies from trusted sources. Make sure to take the time to do this before you let your kids dig into their treasure!
• Be a Safe Driver. This is for all you parents and drivers out there, make sure to be safe the night of Halloween. Watch the roads carefully. Slow down and take precautions. You never know if a child might run into the road over their excitement. Absolutely no drinking and driving.

We hope these Safety tips for Trick-or-Treating and Halloween festivities serve as a great reminder before the big day. Wishing you a safe and happy Halloween from Hapari!

Kids Treat or Treating

Want more Halloween-inspired posts? Check out: Spooktacular Halloween Recipes, Our Favorite Halloween Costumes, and DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids.