Halloween is one of our FAVORITE holidays, but it's easy to let fun get in the way of safety.
Take a little extra time to be extra prepared, and do some double-checking so that your sweet and spooky fun doesn't lead to toil and trouble!
When choosing a costume,try to avoid outfits with long, trailingfabric. Also,choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame.
If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out.
Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
If you are putting up Halloween lights, make sure that all electric cables are safely out of the way of prying little hands. Also make sure that your lights are safe to use outside, and will not cause any problems should it happen to rain.
Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)
Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.
If your children are going to Halloween parties at others' homes, have them look for ways out of the home and plan how they would get out in an emergency.
Since flickering lights and darkness are such a large part of Halloween, it could be difficult to see very clearly. Keep the area around your home clutter free. Put away any gardening implements or sharp tools that could cause a child, or even an adult to trip. Put away garden hoses, toys, and bikes.
Check your porch lights or entry lights beforehand to make sure they are fully functional. Make sure to keep the area around your entry brightly lit to prevent accidents.
When putting out Halloween decorations for display, make sure to leave enough room for people to walk up to your door without bumping into them.
If you are hosting a Halloween party for children inside your home, put away all the breakable stuff. Make sure there is sufficient light to see, as some children may not be familiar with the layout of your home.
Have a super SAFE and FUN Halloween!
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