Make sure all the little ones in your neighborhood Trick or Treat safely this Halloween with these tips from the experts at the National Safety Council and leading candy maker, Mars Wrigley.

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Before October 31st

• Buy individually wrapped candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Fun-size packs* are one of the easiest forms of candy for trick-or-treaters to grab and go.
• Make sure your yard is well-lit; replace any burnt-out light bulbs.
• Choose safe costumes that are flame-retardant that allow the children to see properly. Non-toxic face paint is better than masks. If they aren’t wearing bright colors, add reflective tape so they can be seen in the dark by cars.

Handing out Halloween treats in your home.

Trick-or-Treating house-to-house.

• Use sidewalks and crosswalks. Don’t cross the street between cars and be as visible as possible as drivers may be distracted.
• Carry a flashlight so you can see everywhere.
• Plan a route that you know is safe, especially for tweens who may prefer to go out with their friends.
• Go out with a group of kids that are a similar age. Parents have fun talking and walking together, too. Then you can have a little party afterwards and watch a spooky kid’s movie to help them relax before bedtime.
• Twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, so review the sidewalk safety rules so they remember to cross the street at corners and don’t run between parked cars.

Trunk-or-Treating for rural areas, apartment buildings, churches or other groups.

There is a new phenomenon in trick-or-treating for people in rural areas, apartment buildings and children’s groups. It’s called Trunk-or-Treating. Everyone gets together in one location, usually a parking lot nearby, or the parking area of the apartment building.

Schools and church groups are sponsoring Trunk-or-Treating for the safety of city children, to give them an alternative to going door-to-door when they don’t know the homeowners.

The idea is to decorate the trunk or your car or the back of your SUV or van in a Halloween theme and offer candy to the kids who join the event. There have been some awesome group costumes and themed decorations at Trunk-or-Treating events. Check out some of the best at GoodHousekeeping.

Joyfy has awesome Trunk or Treating kits* to decorate your car from 9.5′ inflatable spider legs to cat or monster faces.

Socially distanced virtual Halloween party.

• Plan a party where you link up with other members of your family or families with children who want to participate in a virtual Halloween party. Exchange goodies for the kids earlier so they can share the treats together while online. Then you can all watch a family Halloween movie together virtually with Amazon Prime’s Watch Party.
• Alternately, you can use a tool like Mars Wrigley’s “TREAT TOWN,” an app-based digital experience for families to virtually trick-or-treat for real candy. It offers Halloween fans of all ages the ability to create personalized spooky avatars, customized decorations for your in-app “door” and the ability to “knock” on the doors of friends and family across the country. Visit Treat-Town.com for more information or sign up for the app.

After, when you get home.

• Don’t let them crash before you get home!
• Wash your hands when you get home.
• Follow the “when in doubt, throw it out” rule. Throw away any candy that is open, ripped or has torn packaging, an unusual appearance or pinholes. Discard any homemade items made by people you don’t know.
• If you have a young child, make sure candy or toys they collected aren’t a choking hazard. If it is, discard it.
• Keep candy away from pets, especially chocolate and sugar-free gum, which is poisonous for your furry friends.

Safety Pointers

Tell us your opinion. ⬇️

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