Oaklee’s guest post from Sue Kirchner, local mom and owner of Chocolate Cake Moments, a website dedicated to helping parents relax, smile and enjoy their family and maybe even indulge themselves. Find Sue at www.chocolatecakemoments.com.
Halloween night can’t come soon enough for my kids. They are ready to turn into gremlins, goblins, and ghosts and start raking in the candy. I’ll be excited as soon as I have their costumes done. Nothing like cutting it close to the wire with a homemade costume. Whew!
To make sure Halloween night is fun for your kids, everyone needs to stay safe by following some rules. Here are some helpful tips to make sure your kids stay safe and have fun trick or treating.
For more Holiday fun, check out these easy and creative Halloween activities and ideas.
Adult Participation Required. Walk with your kids if you don’t think they’re old enough to trick-or-treat on their own. There is no “right” age to let your kids trick or treat alone. I’ve heard anywhere from 8 – 12 years old as the magic number. But it really depends on your child, the neighborhood, and how far they will be walking. If you’re nervous about it, go with them. Better yet, make it a party and trick or treat with your neighbors. This way the older kids won’t feel like you’re “watching” them if you all go in a big group.
Safety in numbers. If they’re old enough to trick-or-treat without an adult, tell your kids to stay in a group. Give your oldest child a cell phone so you can call or text to find out where they are. If you really want to keep an eye on them, you can track your little gremlins with the Trick or Tracker 2.0 App for your smartphone.
Light them up. Give your kids a flashlight so they can watch where they are going and don’t get scared in the dark. It also makes them more visible so cars can see them. You can use a glow stick, flashers, or reflective tape for this also.
Map out their steps. Make them a map of the streets they are allowed to trick or treat on. That way you can control how far they roam. Make sure the kids understand that they can only trick or treat in familiar neighborhoods. Tell your kids to visit houses with lights on and suggest that they might find their best luck at houses with Halloween decorations outside.
Respect Your Neighbors. I know the kids are excited and they want to hit as many houses as they can but tell them to be respectful and not run through people’s yards. You don’t want a phone call that your kids smashed the neighbor’s flowers, upset their dog, or broke their fence. Also, remind them to say “Thank You” after getting their candy. ALWAYS!
Stranger Danger Reminder. Tell your kids to stay away from strangers, don’t go up to cars to answer questions, and never go into someone’s house to get candy. Basic stuff but go over it again just so you feel better.
Watch the Clock. Check with your local town or village to see what the hours are for trick or treating. Tell your kids to be respectful and not ring any doorbells after the cut off time.
Have fun. When the kids get home they’ll be tired but ready to inhale all of their precious candy. Make sure they pay up the Mom and Dad “candy tax” before they eat all of the good stuff. Have a fun Halloween night trick or treating.
At what age would you let your kids trick or treat alone? Any other tips to make sure they are safe and having fun?