Have a Safe and Spooky Halloween

Happy children in costumes celebrating Halloween by trick or treating

Halloween is right around the corner!

It’s time for ghost stories, fabulously frightening costumes, and giant piles of candy. We know you’re just dying to head out and haunt the neighborhood, but before you go, how about a quick visibility check? There is nothing scarier than being unsafe.

Infographic via Safe Kids Worldwide

Is your child’s costume bright enough?

All motorists traveling on Halloween should be extra cautious, especially in residential neighborhoods. Since kids are so excited to collect more candy, they may run out into the street in an effort to get to the next house faster. Parents can do their part to guard against injuries by ensuring that all costumes have reflective features. There are lots of easy DIY ways to add reflective elements to a costume – and fast – like reflective tape, glow-in-the-dark tape, and metallic spray paint.

Halloween graphic with safety supplies such as a headlamp, lights, handwarmer, spray paint, leaves and a fire in the background

You can always add safety features without sacrificing style:

Add lightning bolts, stars, or other shapes using reflective tape to make your costume stand out while still looking great
Treat bags (or the traditional pillowcase) can cover reflective bits on costumes, so they should have shiny details too
Add reflective tape to your child’s shoes for extra visibility as they run over to the next house
Use glow-in-the-dark and glitter spray paint on DIY costumes to add more sparkle and shine
Carry flashlights and glow sticks for better visibility

red sneakers with reflective duck tape on the side

Black t-shirt with reflective duct tape in the shape of lightning bolts on the sholders

Lights on for trick-or-treaters!

An illuminated front porch light is typically a sign for trick-or-treaters that candy awaits at your house, but it also serves a very practical function: lighting up your steps! In addition to flipping on your front house lights, try adding extra safety features such as:

Clearly mark stairs and railings so that visitors will see them right away
Adding glow-in-the-dark tape helps make dark railings more visible at night
Use strips of reflective or glow-in-the-dark tape on stairs to help prevent tripping and falling

yellow warning sign on stairs signifying a potential hazard, steep stairs and care to be taken when going up or down stairs

More safety tricks (and treats)…

There are many ways to help increase the visibility of a costume, help make your home safer for trick-or-treaters, and ensure that everyone has a great Halloween. Many homeowners are switching to LED tea lights to help eliminate the danger presented by candles. Most store-bought costumes are flame resistant, but the homemade varieties generally are not. That’s why it’s best for trick-or-treaters to steer clear of candle-lit luminaries and pumpkins.

As always, if you have any questions about how to amp up your Halloween DIY projects, our knowledgeable Associates are available to help.

Visit your local Valu for advice, and last-minute tips. From our family to yours, have a safe and happy Halloween!