Tips for Trick or Treaters
- Carry a flashlight
- Walk, don't run.
- Stay on Sidewalks
- Obey all traffic signals
- Stay in familiar neighborhoods
- Don't cut across yards or driveways.
- Wear a watch you can read in the dark.
- Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.
- Wear shoes that fit, even if they don't go with your costume.
- Avoid wearing masks while walking.
- Carry only flexible knives, swords or other props.
- If no sidewalk is present, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
- Wear clothing with reflective markings or tape.
- Approach only houses that are lit. If the porch lights are off, move on to the next home.
- Stay away from and don't pet animals you don't know.
Tips for Parents
- Have your child eat dinner before setting out so they don’t snack on un-inspected candy.
- Children should carry quarters so they can call home.
- Ideally, young children of any age should be accompanied by an adult.
- If your children go out on their own, be sure they wear a watch, preferably one that can be read in the dark, and that they have some sort of ID. Consider loaning them your cell phone just in case.
- If you buy a costume, look for one made of flame-retardant and reflective material.
- Older children should know where to reach you and when to be home.
- You should know where they're going.
- Although tampering is rare, tell children to bring the candy home to be inspected before consuming anything.
- Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspect.
Tips for Homeowners
- If you don’t want to have trick or treaters visit your home, turn your porch light(s) off.
- Make sure your yard is clear of such things as ladders, hoses, dog leashes and flower pots that can trip youths or be used in mischief.
- Some pets get frightened on Halloween. keeping them in to avoid inadvertent accidents will protect them.
- Battery powered or electric jack o'lantern “candles” are preferable to a real flame.
- Make sure electric powered decorations and jack o’lanterns have their cords taped down or away from sidewalks and porches.
- If you do use candles, place the pumpkin well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing.
- Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations won't be blown into a flaming candle.
- Consider healthy food alternatives such as low-fat crackers, single-serve boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini boxes of raisins and single-serve packets of low-fat microwave popcorn.
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Don’t pass out non-pre-packaged foods.
Links to Halloween related sites
The Department is providing links to these sites as reference only and does not support or endorse these web sites.Halloween Magazine: Includes safety tips, teacher activities and ideas, patterns for carving pumpkins, etc.
FamilyCorner.com: Coloring pages, costume ideas, food and party ideas
