Halloween may be a fun holiday for kids, but for parents, trick-or-treat time can be a little scary. To ease the stress so often associated with Halloween the Lee’s Summit Police Department is providing the following safety tips from the National Crime Prevention Council to ensure a “howling” good time for all.
“Unhaunting” Your House and Neighborhood
• Welcome trick-or-treaters at home by turning on your exterior lights.
• Remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard to visitors.
• Drive slowly all evening—you never know what may suddenly cross your path.
• Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your local police or sheriff’s department.
Making Safe Costumes
• Check that costumes are flame-retardant so the little ones aren’t in danger near candlelit jack-o-lanterns and other fire hazards.
• Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
• Encourage kids to wear comfortable shoes.
Preparing Ghosts and Goblins for Their Tricks and Treats
• Make sure older kids go out with friends and younger children should be accompanied by an adult.
• Set a time limit for children to trick-or treat. Together, map out a safe route so you know where they’ll be. Remind them not to take shortcuts through backyards, alleys, or playing fields.
• Remind kids not to enter a strange house or car.
• Try to get kids to trick-or-treat while it is still light out. If it is dark, make sure the children are carrying flashlights that work.
Enjoying the Treats
• Kids need to know not to eat their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or- treaters from digging in while they’re still out is to feed them a meal or substantial snack beforehand.
• Check out all treats at home in a well lighted place.
• What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers.
Consider This
Parents and kids can avoid trick-or-treating troubles entirely by organizing a Halloween costume party with treats, games, contests, music, scary stories, and much more. Make your Halloween party the place to be! Schools, libraries, even malls in many communities organize “haunted houses” and other festivities for families.
And, unfortunately Halloween is notoriously a night of pranks - toilet papering a house or filling mailboxes with shaving cream are not unusual. Try to get a handle on your children’s plans before they go out. Explain to them that while you want them to have a good time, some tricks could hurt other people or vandalize property. Emphasize the importance of not allowing the consequences of a bad decision to ruin their holiday fun.