Halloween is an enchanting time of year, especially for children but hoe do you make sure you have a safe Halloween? The magic of costumes, trick-or-treating, and glowing decorations create excitement, yet safety should remain a top priority. To help families enjoy Halloween safely, we’ve compiled essential tips to avoid common hazards, ensuring a spooky experience everyone can remember for the right reasons.

1. Choose Fire-Resistant Costumes

Halloween costumes are often not held to the same safety standards as everyday clothing, making them more prone to fire risks. Protect your little ones by keeping them away from flames, fireplaces, or any heat source. When selecting costumes, opt for those labelled with UKCA or CE marks, ensuring they’ve been tested for fire safety. While these labels don’t make costumes fireproof, they indicate additional safety measures.

🔥 What to Look For in Safe Costumes

• Check Labels: Look for certifications like UKCA or CE.
• Extra Safety Testing: Some garments specify fire resistance, such as “This garment has undergone additional safety testing for flammability.”

Safety Tip: Layer regular clothing under costumes to create an extra barrier between the costume fabric and skin, providing further protection if a costume catches fire.

2. Teach “Stop, Drop, and Roll” Early

Ensure children know the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” technique if their clothing catches fire. This can help prevent injuries, as the immediate instinct may be to run. Reinforce the following:

• Stop: Stay in place.
• Drop: Lie down and cover your face.
• Roll: Roll back and forth to extinguish flames.

3. Prioritise Safer Lighting Options

Candles and lit pumpkins add an authentic Halloween vibe but pose a significant fire risk. Place candles far from pathways, costumes, and decorations, and always extinguish them after festivities. For a safer option, use battery-powered LED candles instead for a safe Halloween.

⚠️ Important Safety Notes on Battery-Powered Items:

• Secure Battery Compartments: Ensure LED lights and decorations with batteries have secure compartments. Many LED items use button batteries, which are highly dangerous if swallowed.
• Alternatives to Candles: Consider flameless candles, which offer a similar ambience without the fire risk.

4. Increase Visibility with Reflective Accessories

With early nightfall, visibility becomes essential for child safety. Incorporate reflective tape or glow-in-the-dark accessories into costumes, which reflect headlights and make children easier to spot. Fluorescent glow sticks and jewellery are fun and enhance visibility. Encourage bright clothing choices, especially for younger children or those trick-or-treating in the early evening for a safe Halloween.

Pro Tip: Choose costumes that incorporate face paint instead of masks, as masks can obstruct vision, particularly around roads.

5. Practice Road Safety: Eyes Up and Phones Away

Trick-or-treaters often focus on the fun rather than the road, so practising good road habits is crucial. Encourage children to stay aware of their surroundings, put mobile phones away when crossing streets, and rely on flashlights for light rather than phones.

For children under 12, adult supervision is recommended. For older children, agree on a planned route and keep open lines of communication.

🚦 Halloween Road Safety Tips

• Face Paint Over Masks: Avoid vision-blocking masks.
• Carry a Flashlight: Rather than a phone, a flashlight helps kids focus on their surroundings.
• Designate Routes: If older kids go alone, agree on specific routes and check-in points.

6. Carve Pumpkins with Caution

Pumpkin carving is a beloved Halloween activity, but handling sharp tools can be risky. Ensure adults handle the carving or supervise closely if children participate. For younger kids, explore “no-carve” decorating ideas like painting pumpkins, which allows for creative expression but keeps it a safe Halloween.

7. Choose Age-Appropriate Treats

Small hard candies, mini chocolate eggs, and other treats can be choking hazards, especially for younger children. Remind kids to avoid eating while walking, and enjoy treats at home where they can sit safely. Additionally, examine all treats before kids consume them to ensure they’re safe.

🍬 Tips for Safe Treat Consumption:

• Avoid Hard Candy for Young Children: These can be choking hazards.
• Check Treats: Go through all treats at home before indulging.
• No Eating on the Go: Save treats for home to avoid choking risks while walking.

8. Avoid Button Battery Hazards in Decorations

Button batteries power many Halloween decorations, but they’re hazardous if swallowed. Ensure any light-up decorations—like pumpkins, wands, or torches—have secured battery compartments that children can’t access. Opt for decorations that require a screwdriver to open, preventing accidental battery exposure.

9. Use SafeKab’s ‘SafeWalk’ Function:

If your little ones are trick or treating alone, download the SafeKab app to their phone and you’ll find our invaluable feature called ‘SafeWalk’. With SafeWalk you can map any walk and send a real-time location to a loved one. This way they can be with you every step of the road home! Not only that but there is also an SOS button on-screen! So, if they should feel vulnerable or need assistance on your walk home, they just press the button and help will be on the way! Both you and the local SafeKab office are alerted of their location and that they need help all whilst a high-pitched alarm sounds on the phone to attract attention.