Halloween is one of the best holidays in my opinion; you get to dress up, meet with friends and you can eat your weight in candy for one night. However, as fun as this time of year is, it’s imperative that you keep yourself and your kids safe. That’s why we’ve pulled together this handy guide — so you can fully enjoy Halloween with no regrets.
With variants of COVID-19 coronavirus still around, trick-or-treating won’t be as it was. But, that doesn’t mean Halloween should be cancelled. With a few small changes, you can keep the kids safe and prevent accidents too. Here are our Halloween safety tips.
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Halloween safety tips
1. Don’t leave your kids alone — even older children should have an adult with them to chaperone.
2. Don’t stay out too late — there’s no rule that trick or treating needs to be in the dark. With younger children, it’s best to take them out in the early evening from 3pm to 6pm.
3. Cross roads safely and stick to the sidewalks — there are lots of distractions for drivers at this time of year, so be sure to stay on the sidewalk and only cross the road when it’s safe.
4. Decorate your costumes brightly — use reflective materials if possible so they can easily be seen by drivers.
5. Decorate and wear a face mask as part of your costume — While there's a lower chance of Covid transmission in outdoor settings, the CDC recommends wearing face masks in public indoor areas and among those who are not yet vaccinated. You can decorate one to match your costume, or save yourself some time if you choose to be a mad doctor. Bear in mind that the face mask that comes with any costumes won’t offer the same level of protection as the real thing, so don’t interchange. Also, don’t wear them over the top of each other as this can cause breathing difficulties.
6. Make sure your kid can see clearly and their vision isn’t impaired from the costume or facepaint — this is so they can see cars as well as any tripping hazards.
7. Sanitize and wash hands regularly — this goes without saying not just for COVID-19, but for other viruses, such as the flu.
8. Stay six feet away from other groups at all times — social distancing is crucial at this time of year to prevent the spreading of any viruses.
9. Don’t carry around real fire — as beautiful as a glowing candle looks, it’s a real fire hazard, especially when you consider how flammable Halloween costumes can be. Instead, carry around electric lights or glow sticks, so the kids can still be easily seen by drivers.
10. Try to only visit houses which are offering candy in a contactless way — granted, this is tricky, but some might lay out candy in individual bags to grab at the end of the drive for instance. Others have suggested making chutes from cardboard or other tubes through which you can slide the candy to trick-or-treaters.
11. If you’re in a high risk area, celebrate at home instead — it’s better safe than sorry if you happen to be in a high risk area. But, don’t worry, you can still celebrate in your backyard with scavenger hunts and candy prizes.
