Little princesses. Tiny ghosts. Mini mummies. Baby vampires.

There’s only one time of year that these pint-sized monsters walk around the neighborhood, treat baskets in hand, cold-calling for candy at every decorated home they pass. Halloween is an evening full of fun and excitement, but it’s important to establish some trick or treat safety tips so you and your children will have an enjoyable and safe Halloween experience.

We’ve also included a Trick or Treat checklist so you can make sure your kids will leave the house prepared.

Trick or Treat Checklist

Treat Basket
Flashlight
Extra Batteries
Reflector Strips or Glow Stick
Trick or Treating Route
Return Home/Meet-Up Time
Emergency Identification Information Attached
Costume Check
Bandaids
Bottled Water
Extra House Key
Cell Phone
Goody Bag (fill with snack candy so they aren’t tempted to eat the trick-or-treat candy before you’ve inspected it)

Now, here are our seven important Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips:

1. Pick a safe trick-or-treat time
There’s going to be a lot of walking around the neighborhood, so it’s important to pick a time that is both fun and safe. The earlier the better—the best time to go is just after dinner, before it gets too dark. You can keep a good eye on your children and you can easily see other trick-or-treaters. Of course, if you are the first person there, you will also have the best choice of candy!

2. Plan your route in advance
Trick-or-treating can end up leading you several blocks away from your home, which can cause sore legs and a bit of frustration. Avoid long paths by mapping out a route before leaving the house. Stick to paths that you and your child are familiar with to avoid getting lost. Knock on doors that you know, and make sure to tell your kids which houses to avoid. If a home is dark or has no decorations, they probably aren’t set up to receive trick-or-treaters.

3. Be Visible!
Kids are often very demanding and challenging when it comes to costume choice, but if you can, choose costumes that are brightly colored so that they are easier to see in the dark. If they really want a dark costume, try and attach some reflective strips to their attire. Additionally, help your children stay well-lit. It’s always a good idea to provide your kids with a flashlight or other items with sufficient lighting.

4. Avoid Masks!
While masks are a fun part of many costumes, do your best to recreate the mask with face paint. Having a mask on can sometimes impair the vision of the child wearing it. With face paint, it is easier for your child to see where they are going and they won’t have to lift their mask to have a conversation with a fellow trick or treater. If your child absolutely must wear a Halloween mask, make sure it’s a snug fit, is ventilated and has large enough eyeholes so they can see all around them.

5. Review walking and traffic rules
Your child will be out in the real world, so be sure to review simple traffic rules to help them stay safe. Remind them to look both ways before crossing the street, only use crosswalks, and make sure they get the “walk” signal before crossing a street. Remind them to never assume they have right of way—caution is important.

6. Check your child’s candy
Instruct your child to not eat candy until returning home at the end of the night. A good way to encourage this is to have a “candy sorting” activity. While the kids compare their candy coffers, you can help sort their candy and see what they’ve got. Make sure to throw away candy that is not in its original wrapper, or looks as though it has been opened.

7. Order personalized baskets
Children will love seeing their very own customized basket, and it will help them keep track of their candy and not confuse their baskets with other kids. Use it year after year to create great memories.

Staying well-lit and traveling on safe, known roads will keep your children safe and sound

Only trick-or-treat at known houses. If a house is dark and has no decorations, move on to the next one!

Visit our Halloween Hauntquarters for all your spooky desires! You’re bound to find a treat you deserve. We also offer traditional wicker baskets as well as plush and felt bunny baskets. The best thing about these baskets is that you can personalize them with the child’s name, and a choice of different colors and shapes.

Happy Halloween!