Trick-or Treating Safety Tips

This is a fun poem/song that many of the classrooms have worked on this past week. The staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center wishes you all a safe and happy Halloween.

Halloween safety: Tips for trick-or-treaters

Make Halloween safety part of your holiday fun. Start with these practical Halloween safety tips.

By Mayo Clinic staff

It's the time of year for costumes, sweets, and tricks and treats. Put Halloween safety first with these common-sense tips.

Carve safely

Are your children begging to carve pumpkins? Make Halloween safety a family affair.

• Decorate with markers or paint. Let young children draw faces on pumpkins with washable markers or child-friendly paint. Leave any carving to an adult.
• Use candles with care. Place candlelit pumpkins on a sturdy surface away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave candlelit pumpkins unattended. Better yet, light pumpkins with flashlights or battery-operated flameless candles instead.

Get clever with costumes

From furry animals to princesses and superheroes, choosing costumes wisely is an important part of Halloween safety.

• The brighter the better. Whether you buy a costume or make one yourself, choose bright colors and flame-retardant materials. If your child will be trick-or-treating outdoors after dark, attach reflective tape to his or her costume.
• Size it right. In case it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath — but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels.
• Skip the masks. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use kid-friendly makeup instead.
• Limit accessories. Pointed props — such as wands, swords and knives — may pose safety hazards.

• The promise of Halloween candy may leave stars in your child's eyes, but Halloween safety still rules.

  • Get in on the fun. Accompany trick-or-treaters younger than age 12. Pin a piece of paper with your child's name, address and phone number inside your child's pocket in case you get separated. Encourage older kids to trick-or-treat with a group of friends, parents or older siblings. Make sure someone in the group carries a flashlight with fresh batteries.
  • Stay close to home. Don't allow your child to go door to door in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
  • Set ground rules. If your child will be trick-or-treating without you, establish a route and set a curfew. Review safety rules, including staying with the group, walking only on the sidewalk, approaching only clearly lit homes and never going inside a home. You may want to give your child a cell phone for the evening should he or she need to contact you.
  • Inspect the treats carefully. Don't let your child snack while he or she is trick-or-treating. Feed your child a healthy snack before heading out, and inspect the treats before allowing your child to dive in. Discard anything that's not sealed, has torn packaging or looks questionable. If you have young children, weed out gum, peanuts, hard candies and other choking hazards.
  • Ration the loot. If your child collects gobs of goodies, dole out a few pieces at a time and save the rest. You may even ask your child if he or she would like to swap some — or all — of the candy for something else, such as a special toy, book or outing. You might also suggest donating excess candy to a food shelf or other charity.
  • http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/halloween-safety/CC00072/NSECTIONGROUP=2