Alert
Play it Safe This Halloween
October 25, 2007

Safe Streets

Make sure drivers can see your child’s costume in the dark.

• Try a glow-in-the-dark costume
• Carry a reflective trick-or-treat bag.
• Use a flashlight or glow stick when walking at night.

Children should trick-or-treat in a group.

• Don’t let your children go alone while trick-or-treating.
• Kids under age 12 should go with an adult.
• Older kids should always go with buddies.

Cross streets at crosswalks and intersections. Tips for kids:

• Stop at street corners.
• Look left, right and left again before crossing.
• Don’t cross between parked cars!
• Never step into the street without looking to see if a vehicle is coming.

Safe Treats 

Check your child’s treats before he or she eats them.

• Pick only wrapped candy when you trick-or-treat.
• Check all treats to make sure they are safe and throw away open or unwrapped pieces. 

Safe Costumes

 Make the costume short and snug.

• Baggy sleeves or billowy capes and skirts can trip up and catch fire if they brush against jack-o-lanterns or candle flames.

Wear shoes that fit.

• Big, floppy shoes (clown shoes, adult shoes)—that are hard to walk in may make children fall.

Make costume props flexible.

• Costume props can hurt if the child falls. Make sure swords, knives, etc. are made of flexible plastic or rubber.

Cut eyeholes in masks wide enough to see well.

• Make sure mask fits properly and the eye holes allow the child to see fully. Masks that are too loose can slip and block vision. Even better, paint their faces.

Source: Safe Kids Worldwide 

Parents and Kids Materials

• Be Safe, Be Seen This Halloween!  (PDF)
• Halloween Maze (PDF)
• Halloween Bag Design (PDF)

For More Information

• Central Ohio Safe Kids 
• Safe Communities Project