38 Halloween Safety Tips for Kids: Trick or Treating Safely

On average, twice as many children are killed walking on Halloween than on other days of the year, according to SafeKids. Keeping your kids safe is important, so check out these Halloween safety tips for kids and families:

Halloween Safety Tips for Kids

With help from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), we created our Halloween Safety Guide, filled with Halloween safety tips for children & parents. Continue reading to ensure your family is prepared for Halloween!

Find the best tips to keep your kids safe this Halloween while they are trick or treating & trunk or treating, exploring the pumpkin patches around KC, or at other Halloween events for kids.

Also, consider Halloween safety for pets this year. Your furry children need to be kept safe too!

Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips

Kids, knives, and fire don’t mix well…who knew?

Here are the best tips for safely decorating & displaying your pumpkins.

• Encourage young kids to paint their pumpkins. Check out these No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas!
• Use flashlights or electric candles to light your carved pumpkins.
• If candles are a must, votive candles are safest.
• Don’t leave candlelit pumpkins overnight.
• Place lit pumpkins on a sturdy surface and far away from flammable objects. Make sure lit pumpkins are in an area where they will not be kicked over or fallen on. 

Halloween Costume Safety Tips

A child can be easily injured if they trip or fall because of their Halloween costume. There are also things you can add to Halloween costumes to make your kids more noticeable when walking in the dark.

• Choose costumes with bright fabrics, or even better, costumes that are reflective.
• Light-colored costumes make it easier to see children at night. If they have to wear dark…give them glow sticks. 
• Add reflective tape to Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat bags/buckets.
  • You can also check out Halloween safety lights that flash while your kids walk around the neighborhood.
• Make sure shoes fit comfortably and the costume is an appropriate length to avoid nasty falls
• Suggest hats or non-toxic face paint instead of masks – easier for kids to see.
• Avoid swords or costumes with violent props
• Do not wear decorative contact lenses. As creepy and fun as these might be, these lenses are not prescribed by a professional. They could cause serious damage or irritate kids’ eyes. This is probably a safety tip you didn’t think of, but definitely worth looking into. If your kids insist on wearing them, do your research or talk to your family doctor.

Many parents are reluctant about letting their kids trick or treat alone because of what could happen. Even if you’re going trick-or-treating with them, what happens if you get separated?

Trick or Treating Safety Tips

Walking around in the dark can be dangerous, so set specific trick-or-treating rules with your kids before they head out. Make sure your children know how to stay safe!

Most Halloween safety tips center around trick-or-treating, so these tips are must-dos.

• Glow sticks are a great way for children to be visible at night. So, make a glow stick necklace to light them up all night!
• Younger children should always be with a responsible adult, even just around the neighborhood. Ensure older children know all the rules before they head out!
• Only knock on doors with lights on, that is the universal sign for “guests are welcome”
• Carry a cell phone with you, or give your child a walkie-talkie.
• Only walk on sidewalks and stay on well-lit streets
• Do not cut across yards & backyards.
• Always use crosswalks and look both ways before crossing the street.
• Stay in groups when walking around the neighborhoods.
• Every group should carry a flashlight
• Be sure your child is familiar with 9-1-1 in case of emergency
• Write your phone number on your child’s arm if they are young and do not know it.

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Home

It is important to consider safety at your home too!

• Double-check outdoor lights and replace burnt bulbs.
• Provide individually wrapped items for added safety this year!
• Safety-proof your outdoor areas for trick-or-treaters.
  • Remove anything children could potentially trip over (ex. Flower pots, garden hose)
  • Make space for kids to get to your doorstep – expect lots of kiddos!
• Sweep wet leaves on pathways and steps…maybe even snow!
• Put pets in a separate room with the door shut. This will keep your pets safe, as well as trick-or-treaters. You don’t want your dog running off in the dark of night!

Halloween Tips for Parents

• Before children go wild, an adult should examine all treats throwing away all expired candy or treats that have been tampered with.
• Ration candy and other treats to avoid belly aches and further health concerns – don’t let the kids have free reign…we’ve done that. It won’t end well.
• Carry your id with you while trick or treating. (Safety tip for parents)

Apps to Keep Your Kids Safe this Halloween

Fear not. Like everything else out there, you can find an app for that.  Here are four of my favorite apps that you can use to keep track of your kids while they are out and about trick-or-treating and collecting candy.

Life360

This app has been around for a while and has many useful features that can help parents keep track of their kids. It’s best feature is the crime alerts feature which allows you to keep your kids safe by knowing about areas high in crime hotspots on the map. You can view details of theft, burglary, vandalism, and registered sex offenders in your neighborhood and the neighborhood your kids are trick or treating in.

Glympse

This app allows you to know your kids’ location in real-time.  You can request the location of your child while they are out, or they have the option to freely send their location to you.  These updates can come in the form of a text message, email or on Facebook or Twitter.  You can also modify the app to send you constant updates while they are out so you will always know where they are.

FamilyTracker

This is another location-sharing app that allows you to keep track of your kids.  It’s best feature is the “breadcrumb” feature that allows you to see every step they take as they are trick or treating.

FBI Child ID

This is a must-have app. In the unfortunate event that your child goes missing on Halloween night, you can use it as a tool to help authorities find your child.

Download this app and keep it updated with pictures and vital information for all of your children just in case one of your children wanders off.  Having this information handy saves vital time if you do need to report your child missing. It also contains important information on how to proceed if your child goes missing.

Halloween can be a fun time for your family, but remember to take extra safety precautions. Use these Halloween Safety Tips to keep your kids safe & leave your safety ideas in the comments too!

Final safety tips; It’s a good idea to label family contacts as ICE (In Case of Emergency).  Also, encourage them to travel in groups as there is safety in numbers.

Be sure to think about your pets on Halloween too. Pet safety is very important on Halloween!

Stay safe and enjoy your Halloween!

If you want to stay up to date on all things kids in KC, be sure to sign-up for the iFamilyKC Scoop! You will receive exclusive invites to Kids Club Events, movie premieres, special screenings, & more. You don’t want to miss out on the fun…

Happy Halloween!

From our family to yours, iFamilyKC