Halloween Safety Tips For You & Your Home

Jess

October 18, 2018

parenting

This post about Halloween safety is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Erie Insurance

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Halloween. Personally, I love Halloween, namely because I really enjoy checking out the costumes. My son’s school even has a Halloween Parade of DIY costumes only; it has been a tradition since before my husband attended the same elementary school (a very long time ago). Most of the discussions about Halloween safety surround costume safety or checking candy; most people don’t even think about trying to make their home safer during Halloween. Unfortunately, we live in a litigious society, and if someone is injured on your property, you might not be protected with your current homeowners insurance plan. Luckily there are insurance plans available for you to research online, for example, if you are looking for a specific home insurance policy, you may want to visit somewhere like Homeownersinsurancecover.net to find the right policy that covers all your needs. A friend of mine did this for her house, ensuring that her policy covered her home from floods, storms and other disasters that could affect her property. She even looked up a water damage adjuster firm so that in the event her home did suffer water damage that she would get the maximum amount of compensation. It got me thinking about different tips that could help my family around Halloween. So, today I’ve partnered with Erie Insurance to share a some practical Halloween safety tips for your home and how you can check your policy to ensure that you’re properly covered in the event of an accident.

halloween safety

What are your children (or you) dressing up as this Halloween? We plan our costumes out months ahead of time. It isn’t uncommon for my kids to have more than one costume to wear at different events. My son has a hard time choosing and this gives him an opportunity to try them all. Last year he was Peter Pan for our trip to Disney and his sister was Tinkerbell. He was Harry Potter for trick or treating at home and school. His sister was Snow White. I’m excited about their costumes this year, but you’ll have to check back on Halloween to catch a glimpse of their costumes. I try to keep costumes safe and simple.

Here are a few tips for selecting Halloween costumes for children:

Long costumes can be more dramatic, but they can be hazardous. Check to make sure hems are an appropriate length and won’t be a trip hazard for them or someone around them.
Skip face-covering masks if at all possible. They can restrict vision, and that’s not safe. Hypoallergenic face paint is a great alternative.
We do a lot of walking on Halloween. Choose shoes wisely so that your family is safe and comfortable.
If you’ve ever been hit in the head by a 3 year old wielding a hard plastic light saber, you’ll know that soft props are a must.
Some people still use regular candles to illuminate pumpkins, luminaries, and walkways. Choosing fire resistant costumes is safest.
Look for costumes with reflective strips or tape already on them. You can also add reflective tape to ensure children are seen after dark.
Carry a flashlight with fresh batteries.
Have you ever stopped to consider what your children might do if you were accidentally separated on Halloween? It gets dark early and some locations can be crowded during trick or treating hours, make sure that your child has identification on them. Laminated cards with contact information can be used over and over throughout the year.

Tips for preparing your home for Halloween:

Create a clear walk way from your driveway to your door (or wherever you plan to hand out treats). Leaves can be especially hazardous when they’re wet.
Turn on exterior lighting if you’re going to be handing out treats.
If you own a pet, read this one twice: Place your pets in a safe environment. Even the most well behaved and docile animal can be startled by the noise of trick or treaters and costumes. The front door opening and closing constantly could also lead to an unwanted escape. You wouldn’t want a pet to become injured or to injure someone else because they were startled by a costume.

rottweiler with cattle

You should always lock your doors and windows.
Why use candles in the age of LED? Use battery- or solar-operated lights to illuminate decorations and reduce fire hazards.
If you have a long walkway to your house or a lot of stairs, consider setting up a table and handing out candy from your driveway. The parents in your neighborhood will probably thank you.
Look over your yard for trip hazards. Children (especially small children) can wander off paths.
Some people prefer to go out on Halloween, but others would prefer to trick or treat at home. It depends on your plans for that year. If you’re not going to be home on Halloween, or if you’re opting not to hand out candy, turn off your exterior lights but leave on interior ones. Thieves and vandals know that many families aren’t home on Halloween. Leaving on interior lights can deter unwanted visitors.

I hope you find these Halloween safety tips helpful, and if you think I missed any please feel free to leave a comment below; I’ll add suggestions and give you credit. We also hope you’ll check back on Halloween to see our costumes for this year. I can’t wait to see how everyone is dressing up this year! Make sure you check out Erie Insurance and determine if you’re properly covered this Halloween and holiday season.

Happy Halloween and safe trick or treating!