Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe this Halloween

Fall is a great time to be a kid. Temperatures are much better for playing and spending time outside. Though it gets darker sooner, children still have some time after school when they can get rid of their energy. 

I recently wrote an article about keeping your children safe this fall. If you haven't had a chance to read it, you can check it out here. 

That being said, fall also brings Halloween. Many children love to dress up and go through their neighborhoods in order to get candy and other special treats. This can also be a dangerous time, so, as a parent, you need to do everything that you can to keep your children safe. 

Here are some tips to help you do this on Halloween. 

Walk with your children. Though your children may be getting to the age where they don't want to be seen in public with you, you should walk with them as they go trick-or-treating. 

You may even want to go with your older children too, because they may be so excited to go, that they can't really think about safety! They may see a cool house that they need to get to, and end up crossing the road without looking. 

Make safety a priority. You should continue walking on sidewalks. You and your children should only cross the road at crosswalks, looking both ways. These rules don't change just because it is Halloween and there are children everywhere. 

Make sure that your children are easily visible. You may want to choose a costume for your kid that has reflective tape on it. If there isn't, you may be able to put a sticker on them that is reflective. Glow sticks and flashlights can also help others see your children as they walk down the road. 

It is also important to buy costumes that fit your children well. Though you may want to reuse the costume, you don't want your children to trip over their dress or top. Though you may not think about it, the shoes need to fit, too. If your child's shoes are too big, he or she may end up falling on the road. 

You may even want to avoid using swords, sticks, and canes. This can hurt your child or someone else if your child gets into a group of people. It is much better to leave these at home (or even in the store)!

Many people recommend using face paint instead of masks. This will help your children see better. It can be hard to see out of some masks, and your children may not see the car that is right there. 

When doing so, make sure that you use non-toxic makeup. You may even want to try it out on a small section of your child's skin to make sure that it doesn't bother him or her.

You should teach your children basic Halloween safety. They should only go to homes where the porch light is on. It is even better if the path is well-lit. They should never go into anyone's home or their vehicle, even if they are getting promised candy. They should also stay in a big group so that they are safer.

Halloween can be a lot of fun for children, but it can also be scary. You need to go with your children, even if you have to stay back a little bit. You may also want to give them a glow stick to carry around to ensure that they are well-visible.

Their costumes are also important. You want to make sure that they fit properly so that your children don't trip and fall when they are out and about! Basic safety is also important. They should only go to homes where the porch light is on, and they should stay in a group where they will be safer. They should never go into a home or car!

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This article was previously published on Medium and/or Newsbreak.