This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Erie Insurance.
Halloween is such a fun time of the year! I love how excited all the kids get about everything from pumpkin carving to choosing their costumes each year. While it’s a time of excitement and a lot of fun, it’s also a good opportunity to take the time and make sure you are ready to have a safe Halloween.
Halloween Safety Precautions
I’m partnering with my friends at Erie Insurance to help spread the word about Halloween safety tips. Here aresome easy ways to keep yourself, your family and others safe this year.
Prepare Your Home for Trick-or-Treaters
It’s not as hard as you would think to get your home ready for trick-or-treaters…you may already be doing some of these!
Here are a few ideas:
- Clear your sidewalk. Make sure the walkways are clear of any debris or tripping hazards like toys, chalk, rakes etc.
- Make it easy to see. Turn the lights on! Consider adding a floodlight or making a lit path so your pathways are easy to find.
- Corral your pets. Even the most well-trained pets can get over-stimulated with the front door opening and closing, and constant knocking and ringing. Help them relax by keeping them busy in a crate or separate room with a treat or toy.
- Skip the candles. Okay, I get it. A flickering candle inside a jack-o-lantern is totally creepy and cool. BUT, with all the draping, long costumes and candy bags going up and down the steps, it can also be a fire hazard. Don’t worry, there are totally authentic flickering LED candles out there you can use instead.
- Make a game plan. For many of us, the front porch is the perfect place to hang out and hand out candy. However, if you have a steep staircase or an uneven sidewalk, find a different spot to make your base- like the driveway.
- Not participating? Out of town. Walking around with your own kids. Maybe you just don’t enjoy Halloween. If you decide to skip the festivities, remember to leave a light on in the house. Don’t advertise that your home is unattended. Also, don’t leave a bowl of unsupervised candy on your porch. Unfortunately, there are risks of someone tainting the candy.
See, that wasn’t so bad! As I said, I bet a lot of you are already doing most of that already.
Make Sure Costumes Are Safe
If you have little ones that are dressing up, it’s super important to make sure their costumes are safe. The last thing you want is for their Halloween to be ruined by an injury of some kind! Here are some helpful ways to keep the costumes safe this year:
- A flashlight with new batteries. Hopefully, everyone reads the above tips and keeps their homes lit and bright. But just in case, make sure your kids have a flashlight with fresh batteries so they can light their own way if needed.
- Rethink the face mask. Masks and helmets can obscure the line of sight, so I’d recommend forgoing the mask and instead using non-toxic, hypoallergenic face paint. However, I get it—some of the masks out there are too fun not to use. If your kids go the mask or helmet route, make sure they can see!
- Watch the hem. Have your child do a test-run of their costume before the big day, and check to make sure the hem isn’t too long (which could cause them to trip).
- Comfortable shoes. Make sure the shoes they wear are comfortable and easy to walk in (and if you are going with them, make sure yours are too!).
- Appropriate props. Okay, I’m sure most of you will already know this tip…but don’t let your kids walk around with any real weapons like swords. This is one area where fake items are absolutely the way to go!
- Reflective tape. Give your kids a pat on the back on the way out…by slapping some reflective tape on their costumes, so they are visible to any cars.
- Emergency identification. Hopefully, they won’t need it, but it’s important to add a bracelet or some sort of identification to your child. Make sure it includes their name and yours, your phone number and address. Also, have your child memorize your number in case it’s needed and make sure they know to ask for help or call 9-1-1 in case of emergency.
How to Protect Yourself Around Halloween
A lot of people don’t know this, but there are actually steps you can take to protect yourself financially for mishaps that happen during Halloween.
If, despite your best efforts and precautions, someone gets injured on your property, it’s wise to be fully covered ahead of time with the right homeowners insurance policy, such as one from Erie Insurance.
If someone falls and ends up with a sprained ankle or broken arm, you can breathe easier knowing you’re covered. It can also help if you do get some “tricks” that results in damage to your home. An egg through a window can be hundreds of dollars to fix.
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