5 tips for staying safe at Halloween

Halloween can be a fun time of year – carving scary faces into pumpkins, decorating the outside of the house and dressing up to go trick-or-treating. But it pays to know how to keep safe during this spooky time of year; especially with open flames and floating costumes.

Back in 2014 Strictly Come Dancing’s Claudia Winkleman’s daughter was out trick-or-treating when her costume caught fire. Suffering severe burns, Claudia has since campaigned for stricter checks and regulations in regards to the flammability of child costumes.

Halloween costume safety

Children’s costumes in recent years have undergone further tests and stronger safety measures. In 2017 The British Retail Consortium (BRC) revealed “they had introduced two voluntary ‘Codes of Practice’ which exceed the current testing standard.”

They also advised that the “three largest children’s costumes manufacturers in the UK - Christy’s by Design, Rubies UK and Smiffy’s - have signed up to put their fancy dress outfits through these additional tests.” And that the warning labels now show if a costume has undergone the additional safety testing for flammability.

Although these costumes are safer than they once were, parents still need to be cautious when their child is near flames.

• Always supervise your child if there’s lit candles
• Remember to extinguish the candle completely once finished with
• Consider battery-powered tea lights to put inside pumpkins
• Don’t allow children to play near or carry lit pumpkins

Wrap up warm

With it almost being November, Halloween temperatures can be chilly. Average temperatures are normally around 12C at their highest and dropping down to around 9C at their lowest.

So if you’ve dressed your child in a netted fairy costume then make sure to wrap them up in a thick coat and tights or vest tops underneath.

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Plan your trick or treat route

There’s safety in numbers, so if your child is at an age where they can go out with friends without you, then ensure they’re with a group and not wandering around alone. If they’re younger then make sure an adult is always present.

Stick to well-lit streets and remember that Halloween isn’t for everyone, so only knock on the doors of houses that are decorated.

Check your child’s sweets

If your child has any allergies then be sure to check your child’s sweets when they get home, or if you’re with them, carry them yourself until they’re checked.

Equally check them to make sure they haven’t previously been opened or out of their packaging. Unfortunately there are horror stories of sweets not actually being sweets at all, yet handed out to unsuspecting kids.

Don’t get swept up in the excitement

Although it’s a fun time and the excitement levels are high don’t let common sense go out of the window.

• If you live near busy roads or narrow pavements then try to wear something reflective and bring a torch with you.
• Never enter into a stranger’s house – stay on the doorstep.
• Be respectful or people’s property, so no trampling over flowerbeds or forcing any gates open or closed.
• If you’re wearing a mask then make sure you can actually see out of it.

Keeping in mind these Halloween safety tips will help avoid any accidents and keep trick-or-treating a fun and positive experience for children – and one that they’d hopefully want to do again.