Safety and Health Tips for Halloween and Harvest Day Celebrations

Safety and Health Tips for Halloween and Harvest Day Celebrations

Harvest Day and Halloween celebrations are fun for children who enjoy wearing costumes and eating treats. The Centers for Disease Control encourages adults to plan parties with healthy snacks and to pass out healthy treats to kids on Halloween. The CDC also emphasizes the importance of safety during these Autumn celebrations.

To make parties fun for guests and to promote safety for trick-or-treaters, use the following helpful tips:

- Make sure an adult accompanies children who go trick-or-treating.

- Make sure all knives and swords that accompany costumes have soft, flexible and short blades.

- When children return from trick-or-treating, examine their treats for choking hazards or packaging that may have been tampered with.

- Put reflective tape on costumes or bags to make sure motorists see trick-or-treaters.

- Test makeup on a small area of a child's face prior to applying it for Halloween, and be sure to remove it completely before the child goes to bed.

- To stay more visible and to see others, use a flashlight while going trick-or-treating.

- Do not walk in the street. Try to use sidewalks if they are present.

- Whenever possible, use crosswalks to cross the street. Look twice before crossing.

- Reduce eye injury risks by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

- Make sure costumes fit children properly to avoid falls and obstructed vision.

- Do not allow children to enter strangers' homes.

- Allow children to wear only flame-resistant costumes, and make sure they do not walk by lit pumpkins, candles, luminaries or other decorations with open flames.

- Never allow children to eat homemade treats. All treats should be wrapped in a form of factory packaging.

Expecting Company?

Any homeowners planning a party for guests or expecting trick-or-treaters must take steps to ensure their guests stay safe and healthy. It is best to serve healthy snacks whenever possible. For home parties, provide fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses and low-calorie snacks. Since sodium and sugar can be harmful for many guests, make sure any packaged snacks are low in both ingredients. For trick-or-treaters, buy healthy snacks that come in factory packaging.

When planning games for a kids' party, pick games that require physical exercise. To keep kids' attention, plan several games to ensure they reach their daily dose of 60 minutes of exercise. All common areas, hallways, sidewalks and stairways should be free of debris or runners that may cause guests to trip. Although it is best to use flameless candles and luminaries, keep any decorations with open flames out of the reach of children and out of areas where they could be hazards. Do not leave them unattended. As party guests leave, remind them to watch the streets carefully to avoid hitting any trick-or-treaters. For adult-only parties, do not let guests drive home if they have been drinking. Call a cab for them, allow them to sleep over or ask another sober driver to take any intoxicated guests home. Check twice for any hazards on the property to avoid lawsuits and increases in homeowners insurance premiums. For more tips about keeping the property and guests safe, discuss concerns with an agent.