This includes falls from poorly-fitting costumes, injuries from being struck by a car, burns from fireworks or cuts from pumpkin-carving.
To keep it fun, make safety a part of your Halloween prep with your kids and teens: answer questions, and encourage them to stick together and help each other out.
Parents and caregivers should keep a few tips in mind to help keep children safe and have a fun Halloween celebration:
- Dress appropriately
- To prevent falls, make sure your child’s costume fits well and isn’t too long or loose.
- Use make-up instead of masks, which can obscure your vision.
- Use bright, reflective materials like buttons, tape or lights so children are easy to see.
- Stick together and stay on the path
- Younger children should always be accompanied by an adult. Hold hands and watch out for uneven ground, steps or other bigger trick-or-treaters.
- Stay on one side of the road, then cross at an identified or safe crossing area and go down the other side. Don’t dodge between vehicles.
- Pumpkin carving care
- Choose a clean, dry, well-lit area to carve your pumpkin, and please, don’t use a big kitchen knife! Take advantage of pumpkin carving kits or use a serrated knife.
- Point the blade away from you, and use a short, sawing motion.
- Skip the candles - they create a fire hazard - use battery powered/LED lights instead.
- Fireworks safety
- If you plan to buy fireworks, buy legal ones from reliable sellers. These will have a safety label – read it carefully and follow the instructions and never aim or throw fireworks at other people.
- When in doubt, throw it out!
- Before eating candy (this goes for parents and kids!), check all treats for unsealed, unwrapped or broken wrappers, and review all home-packaged candy. Don’t eat anything if you’re unsure.
