10 Halloween safety tips and Amazon buys for a spooktacular night

From running down the sidewalks in full costume to filling pumpkin buckets with candy, trick-or-treating is a rite of passage. Halloween is around the corner and with that, it’s important to prepare and educate your children on trick-or-treating safety so you can relax and enjoy the spooktacular holiday, too. 

Aside from reflective tape on costumes and walkie talkies, Halloween safety for some may also mean vigilance around food allergies, which are now estimated to affect roughly 2 children per classroom. Whether your child has an allergy or not, consider putting out a teal pumpkin, a campaign started by FARE (Food Allergy Research Education), with non-food and nut-free treats parents and children can know they can safely enjoy. 

Natalie Thoni, MD, pediatrician at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children shares her top Halloween safety tips and products for a fun Halloween night.

10 tips and product picks for Halloween safety

1. Go over a plan

If your child is old enough to trick-or-treat alone or even if they’ll have you or a chaperone, discuss what route they will be taking and what time they should return home. Encourage them to only trick-or-treat on well-lit streets and not to take any candy from strangers on the street or in cars. They should also be encouraged to stay with their group, remain on sidewalks, and avoid walking in the street. Alternatively, host a Halloween party instead for older kids and invite their friends.

2. Keep in touch

For younger kids that don’t have access to phones or smart watches, handing them a walkie talkie means you’ll be able to reach them if needed and vice versa. They can keep it in their candy bucket!

Retevis

RT628 Walkie Talkies for Kids

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$21.99

This top-rated, affordable set gets high marks for quality, durability and range. Plus they come in handy for everything from camping to hiking!

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3. Stay hydrated

Wearing a costume and walking a lot can get hot and tiring. Have your child bring a water bottle with them to ensure they’re well hydrated.

Camelbak

Eddy

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$18

The big handle makes this one easy to hold on their travels while the design ensures it’s completely leak-free. We also love that everything is top-rack dishwasher safe and easy to clean, and that it keeps liquids cool for hours.

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4. Bring a wagon

For younger kiddos who might tire out easily, a family-friendly wagon is your best bet. Cramming kids in costumes into a stroller (all those straps!) can be trickier than you might think. Plus, they can easily hop in and out in between ringing doorbells.

Best stroller wagons

Evenflo

Pivot Xplore All Terrain Stroller Wagon

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$399.99

A top-rated favorite, the Evenflo Pivot Xplore All Terrain Stroller Wagon isn’t just Amazon’s pick for stroller wagon, it also boasts a near perfect 4.8 star rating.It’s rugged and ready for both urban and off-road adventures with a shareable snack tray, two cup holders and a deep, roomy footwell keep littles happy and comfortable.

It’s also super easy to switch from stroller to wagon mode. Just a press of the button adjusts the handle and parents note that in both configurations, it’s easy for tall parents to captain. It consistently gets high marks for its steering and maneuverability, even when pushing or pulling one-handed. Speaking of one-handed, the exterior storage basket offers plenty of space to stash your extra diapers, snacks or toys and if you’d rather keep things more streamlined, it can rotate into the wagon if you’ve only got one kiddo in tow.

 

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5. Don’t forget dinner

Prior to leaving the house, make sure your child has a good meal. When you return home from haunting, just let your child eat all the candy they want. (We know it sounds counterintuitive, but it works.)

Related: 10 deliciously simple 3-ingredient dinners

6. Make costumes glow

If your child’s costume is a dark color, add some reflective tape to the shoulders and sleeves, as well as shoes and bags. This will help drivers see your child if they are out trick-or-treating after dark.

Aisey

Reflective Tape Waterproof High Visibility Red & Yellow

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$12.59

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7. Light up the night

Try a light up trick-or-treat bag to ensure they have a light on them at all times. Or give them glow stick bracelets or necklaces to wear.

Shappy

2 Pieces LED Light Halloween Candy Bags Light Up Halloween Party Bags Trick or Treat Bags

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$25.99

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Glow Mind

100 Ultra Bright Glow Sticks Bracelets and Necklaces

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$7.99

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8. Pack a flashlight 

A flashlight is essential for both parents and children to see where they’re going when it’s dark out and signal to drivers you’re walking nearby.

Energizer

TAC-300 Pro, IPX4 Water Resistant Flash Light

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$6.78

We love these powerful and durable flashlights which are great for kids but also just great to have around. They’re small and mighty with a convenient clip to hold it when not in use.

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9. Non-toxic face paint

Using non-toxic face paint can help complete their costume vision while avoiding face masks that may impair vision. From cat whiskers to Batman face masks, a little paint is all you need.

Artiparty

Face Paint Kit Dermatologically Tested – Non-Toxic & Hypoallergenic

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$19

This professional grade set works so much better than the crummy sticks we’ve been trying to make work for far too long.

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10. Check their stash

Once your little ghouls arrive home, have them spill out their candy stash so you can remove anything that might prove a choking or allergy hazard. You might want to keep a small selection of stickers on hand to swap in for candy they can’t keep! 

A note from Motherly

Halloween should be fun and stress-free (minus some haunted houses or creepy costumes), so prepare accordingly and be sure to talk with your kiddos about trick-or-treating safety before the big night.