Halloween decorations come out in stores a little earlier every year and it seems like it might be right around the corner now. But it's never too early for a few Halloween safety tips!
Written By: Bradley Nutting
Here are some helpful tips if you're planning on taking your kids trick-or-treating:
· To avoid getting lost and sore legs, pre-plan your route and stick with it
· Going along with the previous tip, make sure everyone is wearing comfortable shoes
· To increase visibility, wear reflective tape or vests over costumes, especially in high-traffic areas
· Modify kids' costumes if they are too long to avoid tripping and other hazards
· Instead of letting kids wear masks (which may make it hard to see and breathe), use Non-toxic makeup for a similar effect
· If your child's costume is not complete without a "weapon" (a pirate, for example), make sure swords or other weapons are short in length and made of a soft material
· Only allow children to eat commercially-wrapped candy, check all candy for tampering or discoloration
· Look both ways before crossing the street – there will still be cars driving around and not all of them have Subaru's Eyesight auto-braking technology.
· Bring a flashlight! It gets dark early this time of year, especially when it is overcast
Plan on bringing your furry friend out trick-or-treating? Here are some unique tips geared towards pets:
· Make sure your pet likes costumes and is comfortable in one if you choose to dress him/her up
· Make sure any costumes are free from small, dangling or easily chewable pieces that he/she could choke on
· Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with proper identification. Squirrels love to play trick-but-not-treat with Fido on Halloween too
· Watch out for curious kittens around lit pumpkins. Kittens love to knock over pumpkins and try to play with the lit candles
Most importantly, keep the candy away from your pets. Chocolate looks just as appealing to them as it does for us, but candies, especially ones with the artificial sweetener xylitol, can be very harmful if ingested by pets.
Sources:
http://www.rd.com/slideshows/7-trick-or-treating-safety-tips/
http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/halloween-safety-tips
