Halloween Safety Tips for 2020
How to make sure your family celebrates Halloween safely this year
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Check the weather forecast.
Before you leave the house, be sure to check the temperature! Is your child's costume appropriate and warm enough? You can always add or remove layers as your kids warm up or become chilly, but it's best to be prepared. Kids worried about extra sleeves clashing with their costumes? Tell them that even Batman wears long underwear sometimes!
Sort candy first, eat later.
It’s best to hold off eating treats until the kids have returned home and parents can go through their candy bags to ensure which candy is acceptable. (Bringing snacks on the trick-or-treating trip helps stave off the temptation.) Any candy that’s unwrapped or looks suspicious should be thrown out. And, of course, if your child has any allergies, be sure to read all the labels. If there are any concerns, or if a child feels sick, parents or guardians can call the NYC Health Department’s Poison Control Center at 212-POISONS (764-7667).
Halloween at Home
Even before your kids venture out for candy, there are safety measures parents should practice at home. For example, don’t allow young children to help carve the jack-o’-lantern. Avoid using candles in your jack-o’-lantern (glow sticks or flashlights work well) and if you do use candles, keep the pumpkin a safe distance away from the path children use. Eliminate tripping hazards on your porch, walkway, and lawn. Be sure to bring all pets in for the night—this is one night of the year they don't need to be out unsupervised.
Finally go with your gut—if something seems amiss, avoid it. And remember: Halloween should be fun! It’s the holiday most kids eagerly anticipate all year, so let them enjoy themselves and get into the spirit—safely of course.
Here at Rockland Parent, we've got everything you need to have a safe, fun, and festive fall and Halloween season. Whether it is pumpkin or apple picking, getting lost in a corn maze, making Halloween crafts or finding costumes and decorations, we're here to help.