By Christine Frietchen on October 1, 2010 in
This time of year, we see oodles of "top five" safety tips for Halloween. But frankly, some of them are major buzzkills for kids who don't want to cover up their Dora costumes with a winter coat or haul around a flashlight with them. Fortunately, there are ways you can convince your kids that "safe" is also "cool."
Classic tip: Carry a flashlight so you see and can be seen
The twist: Wearable glow sticks are great. Modified head lamps are also hands free and fun
Giving kids flashlights is easy enough, but doing so leaves just one free hand for carrying the all-important trick-or-treat bag. One easy alternative? Glow sticks. They're easy to find this time of year, and most include a loop for a lanyard or cord, allowing you to make a glow-stick necklace or attach them to a belt. If you're pulling very young children (i.e. the baby brothers and sisters) around the neighborhood in a wagon or something similar, it's fun to hang a bunch of glow sticks off it as well. It makes it highly visible to others, and gives it a "parade float" effect that kids love.
Alternatively, you might want to check out a head lamp instead of a handheld flashlight. You can adjust the strap to make an armband, or even pin the lamp to your child's treat bag, giving it a "headlight." Finally, you might also consider adding reflective tape to your child's costume and bag.
Classic tip: Wear makeup instead of a mask
The twist: Modify your mask if makeup won't work
For optimum visibility, wearing makeup is clearly the best way to go. If your child is dead-set on wearing a mask, however, you can certainly modify it to make it safer. Since most discount-store masks are made of thin plastic, you can easily cut larger eye holes. Ditto for the nose and mouth and nose holes.
Classic tip: Stay warm by adding a coat on top
The twist: Factor cold weather into your costume planning
Plan on a disappointed child if the ballerina tutu and tights she's so excited to wear get covered up with a winter coat on a particularly cool Halloween. Plan in advance for cool weather by purchasing costumes a size or two larger; kids can wear sweats or long underwear underneath if necessary. Girls stuck on a cheerleader or ballerina look can add warmth without compromising the costume by adding leggings. They're all over stores right now and have the look of tights, minus the chill. You can also consider incorporating a jacket into the costume itself -- as a fireman, for example, or underneath overalls for a farmer or train-engineer look. If you get a nice, warm night on Halloween, you can simply ditch a layer.
Some safety tips are musts...
- Inspect your child's candy haul.Many news stories advise parents to inspect their children's candy, but what are the red flags to watch for? Unsanitary, torn, worn or wet packaging should go into the dump pile. Also, weed out small items like coins and erasers that could pose a choking hazard to younger kids.
- Establish a curfew for older kids. Nobody likes encountering groups of teens late at night, and it's no secret that Halloween can encourage the type of vandalism that ruins the fun for everyone. Make sure your child isn't in one of those groups by setting a curfew.
- Make sure your own property is kid-safe. Clear your own driveway and sidewalk of leaves and other debris. Check for good lighting and replace burnt-out bulbs. Keep your car in the garage so kids don't have to navigate around it. Don't use real candles in jack-o-lanterns or luminarias (the battery-operated lights are terrific and have a very realistic effect, incidentally). The last thing you want on Halloween is for someone to unnecessarily slip, trip, or fall on your property.
Traffic is the biggest threat to trick-or-treaters
According to the Centers for Disease Control, pedestrian traffic fatalities are four times higher on Halloween. Furthermore, the CDC says that 84% of Halloween pedestrian fatalities occur at non-intersections, indicating that kids are darting accross the middle of the street and jaywalking. Combine that with Halloween occuring on a weekend (which means more adult Halloween parties and drinking) and it's easy to see why traffic is the biggest threat to trick-or-treaters' safety.
Establish street-crossing rules with your kids: Cross only at intersections. Always cross with a group that includes an adult, and don't run.