Halloween Safety Tips

At Stikii, the safety of our customers and children alike is extremely important, which is why we chose to dedicate this blog to Halloween Safety Tips. Everyone knows that Halloween is meant to be a time for treats and spooky fun. No child should have to experience an actual “scary” Halloween in which they are found to be in danger or injured. Parents should ensure that all proper precautions are taken during this ghostly holiday in order to provide the child with a memorable and fun experience!

Parents can help keep children safe and prevent them from harm by following the following safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Safety Council and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Rules and Tips for Children:

  • Approach only well-lit houses and remain on the front porch. NEVER enter a house, especially without adult supervision.
  • Travel in small groups while accompanied by a responsible adult.
  • When using costume weapons, ensure that they are not dangerous. Swords and knifes should be flexible, not rigid or sharp. Toy guns should be colorful so that they are not presumed to be real, and if “loaded” should contain soft ammunition such as a Nerf ball or dart.
  • Use flashlights, stay on sidewalks, avoid crossing yards, cross streets at the corner, use crosswalks and do not cross between parked cars. Be sure the child understands the importance of “stop, look and listen”.
  • Allow children to carry a cellphone. Ensure that they are aware of how to reach parents as well as to call 911 in an emergency situation.
  • Pin a tag to the child’s costume that states their full name and phone number if the child is too young to remember them.
  • Do not allow children to eat the treats they collect until they have been inspected by an adult. Ensure that candy has not been tampered with, unwrapped or spoiled prior to eating. Local fire stations and police stations often offer free candy inspections during the Halloween holiday.
  • Consider using face paint instead of masks so as to not obstruct the child’s vision.
  • Avoid wearing long, baggy or loose costumes and oversized shoes to help prevent tripping.

                                              Tips for Parents and Adults:

  • Supervise trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities for children under the age of 12.
  • Establish a curfew for older children.
  • Be sure to leave the porch light on and clear the way for incoming trick-or-treaters.
  • Avoid handing out choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys as treats to young children.
  • Have the child eat dinner prior to trick-or-treating to help ensure that they do not over-indulge in candy after.
  • Ration treats.
  • Inspect all candy for safety.
  • Drive slowly, exit driveways and alleyways carefully.
  • Have children exit vehicles on the curb side rather than traffic side.
  • If putting on your own Haunted House production, be sure to only allow entrance to older children and to avoid using dangerous props.

                                                  Jack O’lantern Tips

  • Adult supervision at all times for children and teens.
  • Carve pumpkins on stable, flat surfaces with good lighting.
  • Have the child draw the face on the pumpkin with a permanent marker and let the parent/adult do the carving to avoid injury.
  • Place lighted pumpkins away from curtains and other flammable objects and do not leave lighted for an extended period of time
  • Paint pumpkins rather than carve them!
  • We suggest that rather than using tea candles, to use battery-operated candles that can be found in the Halloween section of local drug stores. 
  • Do not allow children to handle sharp objects and tools.
  • Keep very small children away from the carving, especially the pumpkin seeds which can be a choking hazard.

Although Halloween is a fun time of year for kids, it is no fun to get hurt, so take some time to make sure your kids have a safe, healthy, and fun Halloween.  For Halloween 2012, we suggest you invest in a pair of Stikii shoes for your child. They are extremely comfortable and will help to avoid painful blisters after many blocks of trick-or-treating. We also suggest purchasing various light-up Stik-em’s for the child to attach to their shoes prior to treat collecting.

 The lights on the Stik-em’s will keep the child visible and help to avoid injury by increasing the light near their feet. For more information on Stikii shoes and our fabulous Stik-em accessories, become a fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/stikiishoes.  Have a happy and safe Halloween!