Halloween safety tips

Halloween is just around the corner. It’s a great time to be enjoyed by families and most of all children.

Unfortunately it is also a very dangerous time as statistics and newspaper reports prove every year. The excitement of adults and children makes them forget to be careful.

Follow our simple safety tips and enjoy a happy Halloween.

It all starts with the Pumpkin – make sure that children don’t handle sharp knifes to carve it. The carving should only be done by an adult but leave the cleaning of the inside to the kids. Don’t place burning candles inside when young children are around.
Next is the costume and accessories. Check the label to ensure it is flame resistant especially if you plan to visit a bonfire. This applies to wigs and face masks too!
Make sure the costume is not too long. The last thing you need is your child tripping and falling.
Kids don’t feel the cold and think a costume is warm enough. Insist that warm clothes are being worn underneath.
Use good quality face paints to ensure they are toxin free and don’t cause an allergic reaction.
If your child insists on bringing a knife, sword or pitch fork make sure they are small and of soft material to prevent injuries
The best part of Halloween for the children is the Trick – or – Treating. Before you leave the house talk to your children about some safety rules, i.e. use the footpath only, be extremely careful when crossing the road. Set out a route and agree on which streets you will be visiting.
Younger children should always be accompanied by a responsible adult while older children should only go on the hunt for treats in groups.
Give each child a torch – to see and to be seen! It reduces the risk of falls and increases the chances that the little vampires will be seen by cars.
Stay away from strangers – Speak to your children before you go trick-or-treating about “stranger danger”. Do not allow children to go into people’s houses.
Children should only go to houses where there is an outside light turned on and you know the residents. Bring younger children to the door of each house.
Be aware of the risk of choking! Children don’t want to wait to get home to start ploughing through their sweets. Make sure children are not eating small sweets and run at the same time. This can be very dangerous. Take a little break and let them enjoy a treat while you are with them.
Read our First Aid tips for choking incidents before you leave the house!
Only let them have wrapped sweets and chocolates. Discard home-made treats (unless you know the person who produced the goodies and trust their cooking skills)
If you are a motorist on the night – please be extra vigilant! Drive slowly especially when you are in residential estates. Don’t forget that the children will be very distracted.
Pay attention when you enter a drive way. Always be prepared that a child might come running behind a parked car.