We might think that talking about ways to be safe with kids would be too frightening, but we can do this at an appropriate level depending on age. One of the scariest places to be on Halloween is the emergency room. Instead of limiting fun, safety is a sort of risk management strategy.
Halloween is an eventful and exciting night. Young children are using all their senses, building their knowledge and memories of the different things that happen at Halloween. They are celebrating and participating in an event that covers practically the whole continent.
Some basic safety tips are:
- Kids only go out with parents or adults, in areas they know.
- Save treats for eating after they have been checked.
- Walk on sidewalks and cross streets at the corner.
- Use costumes that are easy to walk in. Injuries from fall are the main reason for emergency room visits at Halloween.
- Make sure kids can see all around.
- If outside, take a flashlight.
Balance is part of everything in life, and having fun and being safe can both be included. Kids will likely ask why they can’t eat treats right away, and we can give them the information that we need to check them and make sure they are okay without going into details. It helps if we are calm and matter of fact and treat safety as common sense.
We want the only doctors that kids see to be the ones in costume. Do you have any other tips to suggest to parents and caregivers for a safe Halloween?