Spook-tacular Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is just around the corner, and everyone is ready for a night of excitement, scary fun, and lots of treats! As children from all over are full of anticipation, it’s important for parents to keep their little ones safe this Hallows Eve by following these safety tips below:
Choosing a trick or treat route in advance is important to ensure a safe Halloween experience. You can do this by CHECKING FIRST; scout out the streets you feel safest with and stick to those for the night. For extra Halloween fun, always choose the streets with the best child-friendly decorations!
Additional tip: Try adding reflective tape to costumes or candy bags for extra visibility!
As every parent knows, your child will be jumping with glee to get more sugary treats.
Regardless of if you or your child is familiar with a house, they should still TAKE A FRIEND to the door. It is important to not to let them enter a home (even that awesome haunted mansion) unless you are with them.
The same goes for older children who will be dressing up in fa-boo-lous costumes this year. Make sure they trick-or-treat in groups and stay together to avoid the thrills and chills. Encourage them to stay in familiar neighborhoods and have a charged cellphone in case of an emergency.
Help kids beat the tricks while trick-or-treating by instructing them to “TELL PEOPLE ‘NO!’” if someone tries to separate them from the group or take them somewhere without your permission. Have kids practice firmly saying ‘No! and identifying adults who could help in emergency situations.
Who doesn’t love trick-or-treating with a group of friends? It’s likely that an innocent “Can I bring a friend!?” turns into you on your own with 20 kids. Don’t fear! It is okay to ask for help, consider enlisting another trusted adult to help keep an eye on the group. Also, let your child know that if anything makes them uncomfortable, they should TELL A TRUSTED ADULT!
As you’re filling up the candy bowls and making last minute costume adjustments, don’t forget to keep these tips in mind! Have a Happy Halloween from everyone at NCMEC!
Download these tips here, and get more parent tips about preventing abduction at www.missingkids.org/education/kidsmartz#childabductions.