"Halloween Safety Tips"

Halloween is a long-standing tradition of fun activities for both children and adults! Trick-or-treating, costume parties, carnivals, pumpkin carving...and all of those candies and goodies! And with all the commotion, excitement, and "silly-ness," sometimes we can forget about safety. Here are a few tips to keep your kids safe around Halloween...and still have a great time too!

• Make sure that children are able to comfortably walk and move about in their costumes. Kids get excited during Halloween and tend want to run and bounce around. Minimize trip and fall injuries by making sure that footwear is comfortable and fits well, and that they are able to see well through masks and head coverings.
• Although it is not always possible to wear costumes that can easily be seen in the dark, it is always a good idea to have your kids carry a flashlight, glow stick, or some type of reflective item so that they can better been seen by others...especially those driving vehicles.
• Talk with your kids about not going in to stranger's homes and not accepting rides from them.
• Before your kids dig into their candy, be sure to inspect it for opened wrappers, unfamiliar candies or items, or anything else that looks suspicious. When in doubt, toss it out.
• Be sure to keep your cats and dogs inside the house on Halloween night. Pets get nervous and excited with all the extra people walking around the neighborhood.