Trick-or-treating can be fun for kids of all ages, as long as they know how to stay safe. The Canadian Red Cross has come up with the following list of Halloween Dos and Don'ts. Read this list over with your kids before canvassing for candy on the 31st:
1. Give your kids a map of their trick-or-treat route so they can find their way home. Mark the homes of nearby friends and relatives in case they need assistance on their journey. Younger children should be chaperoned by an adult.
2. Instruct children to walk on the sidewalk not the street, even princesses and fairies have to watch out for motorists!
3. Prepare for the dark with lighter coloured clothing and reflective surfaces. What better way to decorate a sword or a cape, than with magical glowing tape?
4. Avoid any type of flame by substituting candles with glow sticks. Wigs and costumes are highly flammable and glow sticks are perfect for illuminating Jack-o-lanterns.
5. Remind your kids to stick with groups of at least four or five - after all, even legendary heroes are stronger as a team (like the Avengers and X-Men!)
6. Tell them to only visit residences with a porch light on and not to enter a stranger's home. Politely accept candy and promptly leave.
7. Costumes are meant to embellish not to hide. Keep hems short to avoid tripping and don't let masks block the eyes.
8. Whether you have one eye, two eyes, three eyes or four, always look both ways before crossing the street.
9. Both mystical creatures and children need to let parents check their candy before eating to remove any potential hazards.
10. A flashlight is akin to a protective light saber of sorts and makes nighttime travelling safer (it also helps you spot a ghost or goblin trying to plan a surprise attack!).
Happy haunting!
