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Halloween Safety Tips: Beware of the Tricks!

10-24-2024

It’s that spooky time of year again – Halloween is creeping up! As kids conjure up their costumes and get ready to haunt the neighborhood with trick-or-treating fun, it’s important to make sure they stay safe. Follow these faBOOlous safety tips from NCMEC to ensure a fun and safe Halloween for everyone.  

Check First: Plan out your trick-or-treat route ahead of time! Stick to familiar, well-lit neighborhoods where the spookiest thing is the decorations – not the path!  

Pro tip: Try adding reflective tape to costumes or candy bags for a little extra glow-in-the-dark magic. 

Take a Friend: Boo-lieve it or not, it’s always more fun to trick-or-treat with friends. With younger children, walk with them all the way to the door, and do not let them enter a home – even that awesome haunted mansion – unless you are with them. 

Tell People “No!”: Keep your little monsters safe by teaching them to say “No!” if someone tries to separate them from the group or take them somewhere without your permission. Practice firmly saying “No!” with your kids and show them how to spot adults who could help in spooky situations. 

Tell a Trusted Adult: Has “Can I bring a friend!?” turned into you chaperoning 20 little witches, werewolves and ghosts? Time to call in some backup! Bring along another trusted adult to help keep an extra set of eyes on your trick-or-treating crew. 

We want to be sure everyone has a safe and happy Halloween. For children with autism, the holiday may feel overwhelming, unpredictable or even scary. Check out these tips from the National Autism Association (NAA) for a safe and enjoyable night!

Happy trick-or-treating! 

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Download these tips here, and get more parent tips about preventing abduction at www.missingkids.org/education/kidsmartz#childabductions.  

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