Halloween is one of the most enjoyed holidays for both parents and children alike. We hope that everyone has a safe and happy time whether you’re trick or treating or hosting a costume party.

Scroll through each page for 10 important tips to consider for a safe Halloween!

Tip #1: Keep your home safe for Trick-or-Treaters and party-goers.

Tip #2: Test all makeup and Halloween masks before you wear them. Allergic reactions can occur with certain materials and many costumes can contain irritants and latex. Be very cautious if you plan to wear decorative contact lenses.

Tip #3: Take special care when carving pumpkins. Try painting or drawing instead.

Tip #4: No trick-or-treating alone!

Tip #5: Add reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you. Or wear brightly colored pinneys over costumes!

Tip #6: Agree on a specific route and time that older kids should return home. Have kids take a cell phone and make sure they know how to make emergency calls before you go out! 

Tip #7: Only visit well-lit houses.

Tip #8: Look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks and stay on the sidewalk.

Tip #9: Check all candies and treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. And limit the amount of treats you eat so you don’t get an upset stomach.

Tip #10: Be careful near open flames like candles, luminaries and jack-o-lanterns. If possible wear a costume that is flame-resistant.

Tip #1: Keep your home safe for Trick-or-Treaters and party-goers.

  • Keep the walkway, driveway and steps clear of leaves
  • Clean up items that can be tripped over like garden hoses, toys and bikes
  • Make sure outside lights work and are on during trick-or-treat hours
  • Keep pets indoors or leashed so they do not jump on or bite your guests
  • Keep candles, luminaries and jack-o-lanterns away from the doorstep and if indoors away from curtains.

Tip #2: Test all makeup and Halloween masks before you wear them. Allergic reactions can occur with certain materials and many costumes can contain irritants and latex. Be very cautious if you plan to wear decorative contact lenses.

When in doubt, just don’t risk it!

Tip #3: Take special care when carving pumpkins. Try painting or drawing instead.

Small children should always be supervised by an adult.

Tip #4: No trick-or-treating alone!

Walk in groups and with a trusted adult. Children under the age of 13 should always have a responsible chaperone.

Tip #5: Add reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you. Or wear brightly colored pinneys over costumes!

Tip #6: Agree on a specific route and time that older kids should return home. Have kids take a cell phone and make sure they know how to make emergency calls before you go out! 

Take a flashlight while you trick-or-treat to help you see. You can use your flashlight on your cell phone if you forget!

Tip #7: Only visit well-lit houses.

Never enter the home. Unless you are attending a Halloween party or haunted house that you have been invited too with trusted adults, your neighbors should not ask that you go inside.

Tip #8: Look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks and stay on the sidewalk.

Never run through yards or alleys to get to the next house faster.

Tip #9: Check all candies and treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. And limit the amount of treats you eat so you don’t get an upset stomach.

 

Tip #10: Be careful near open flames like candles, luminaries and jack-o-lanterns. If possible wear a costume that is flame-resistant.

 

Sources:

http://www.safekids.org/tip/halloween-safety-tips

http://www.creativechild.com/articles/view/halloween-safety-tips

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2010); The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) (2014)

"Halloween Safety Tips." Retrieved on-line 27 Oct 2011 and 10 Oct 2014. 

http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/

All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

Special thanks to Sheryl Giordano, MSN, APRN-C for her contribution to this article. She is a Nurse Practitioner and Program Coordinator for The Johns Hopkins Hospital.