Halloween Safety Tips for Kids in North Charleston

Many kids will say that Halloween is their favorite holiday, which is also the case for many adults in North Charleston. But all the tricks, treats and events can pose safety problems if precautions aren’t taken. That’s why the Crescent Homes team put together a list of our favorite safety tips for Halloween.

First a few Halloween safety statistics to keep in mind:

• Only 33% of parents discuss Halloween safety tips with their kids.
• On Halloween kids are twice as likely to die as a result of being struck by a car while walking.
• 12% of parents allow kids 5 years old or younger to trick or treat without them.
• Just 18% of parents use reflective tape to make their kids more visible while trick or treating.

The statistics above were provided by the Safe Kids Worldwide organization. Statistics were gathered from the National Survey of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Behaviors.

Trick or Treating Safety Tips

So how can you squash those scary Halloween statistics? The answer isn’t to skip the holiday fun all together. Instead take the precautions listed below to improve safety for your kids, yourself and everyone else.

• Chaperone kids under the age of 12 while they trick or treat.
• Go over pedestrian safety rules with your kids before leaving the house.
• Walk on sidewalks and trails as far off the road as possible.
• Walk facing traffic.
• Avoid homes with dogs or animals lose in the yard as well as those without porch lights.
• Supply flashlights for everyone.
• Teach children to never walk inside someone’s home.

Costume and Makeup Halloween Safety Tips

• Use reflective tape on kids’ costumes so that they are more visible at night.
• Test makeup on a small patch of skin first in case of an allergic reaction.
• Use non-toxic makeup and check the ingredients label for lead.
• Avoid masks that can impede a child’s vision.
• If wearing a mask have your child take it off while walking from home to home.
• Buy flame-resistant costumes whenever possible.
• The Air Force Joint Base Charleston suggests that parents put the child’s name, address and your phone number somewhere on their costume in case they get lost.
• Make sure that costumes fit properly to avoid trips and falls.

Candy Halloween Safety Tips

• Never allow children to eat homemade or unwrapped candy.
• Check all candy for tampering before consuming.
• Monitor young children and hold on to candy that may pose a choking hazard.
• Limit snacking while trick or treating.
• Make sure kids eat before trick or treating so they are less likely to snack on candy.

Give the team at Crescent Homes a call for more ideas on new communities in South Carolina to go trick or treating.