HALLOWEEN Costume, pumpkin carving, trick or treating, and general SAFETY Tips FOR GHOULS AND GOBLINS

Halloween is a fun and exciting time for kids and adults. It’s a time to be super hero, a famous person, a cartoon character, a scary creature, and just about anything a kid can imagine. The tips below are to help parents keep all their ghouls and goblins safe. Remember these tips when you are your touring the pumpkins patch for the perfect pumpkin, snapping pictures of the kids, and doing any last minute costume alterations.

1. Make sure your child’s costume and mask does not obstruct their view or restrict movement.
2. Whether you buy a costume or make one yourself, choose bright colors and flame-retardant materials.
3. In case it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath — but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels.
4. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use kid-friendly makeup instead.
5. Pointed props — such as wands, swords and knives — may pose safety hazards.
6. Be sure to place reflective tape on both the front and the back of your child’s costume.
7. A flashlight or glow stick should be part of your child’s costume. This will add to their safety and visibility.
8. An adult should always accompany small children when they are trick or treating.
9. It is important that everyone has a buddy. Use Halloween as a way to reinforce the buddy system with your kids.
10. Kids should be instructed to never eat any candy until an adult has checked it.
11. Only have your children trick or treat in familiar neighborhoods or community supported festivities.
12. Tell your kids to walk, don’t run, from house to house. Instruct them to walk on sidewalks and avoid walking on streets. Do not let them cross yards or lawns.
13. Attach their name, address, and phone number to the INSIDE of costume (Do not display personal information openly on a costume).
14. Give older children trick or treating without an adult a cell phone that is fully charged or enough change for a pay phone in case they need to make a call. Remind them they do not need change to call 9-1-1 from a pay phone.
15. Small children should not carve their own pumpkin. A child does not have the hand strength to carve a pumpkin.
16. Older children should only use proper pumpkin carving knives or kits.
17. Instead of carving a pumpkin let the children draw faces on pumpkins with washable markers or child-friendly paint.
18. Adults should use a dry wooden handled knife when carving a pumpkin. Try to use a pumpkin carving knife whenever possible. Emergency rooms experience a large amount of finger and hand injuries during the pumpkin carving season. Some injuries are suffered when pumpkin pulp covered hands slip off of the knife handle on to the blade.
19. Do not leave a lit candle in a pumpkin burn while you are absent from your home. Blow out all the pumpkin candles before you turn in for the night. There are alternative products available in most stores you can use to illuminate your child’s pumpkin safely. Explain to children that their Jack-O-Lantern is not a toy to be played with.

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!!!

4-7-2011

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