Halloween Safety Tips
Graphics By Valerie



The following safety tips are from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and me! They can help to protect children who are planning to go out trick-or-treating this Halloween.


Pumpkin Carving
Small children under 5, should never carve pumpkins. Instead, let children draw a face with markers; an adult can then do the cutting for them. Under an adults' supervision, children ages 5 to 10 can carve pumpkins using pumpkin cutters equipped with a safety devise.

Here are two links about pumpkin cutting tools that you can visit:
Pumpkin Masters
Swan's Pumpkin Carving

Here are three links about pumpkin carving and patterns I think are neat:
Carving Great Pumpkins
Funkins - Carvable Pumpkins!
Pumpkin Carving & Patterns

Lighting Up Your Pumpkin
Votive candles are the safest to use, if you want a candle lit pumpkin. Lighted pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table or surface, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended. Another item that I have used in the past to light up our pumpkins, was a glo-stick. These are a plastic tube filled with chemicals that you simply pinch and shake to activate. They glow for hours and are very safe to use.

Here are two links about candles you might like to visit:
Candleworks
Texas Candle Company

Here is a link you can visit about those great glo-sticks I mentioned:
Q-Light, Inc.

Flame Resistant Costumes
When you are purchasing a costume, mask, beard, wig or other wearable accessory for your child, you should look for the label "Flame Resistant." Although this label doesn't mean that these items won’t catch fire, it does indicate that items will resist burning and will extinguish more quickly once removed from the initial source of fire. To minimize the risk of contact with candles or other sources of fire, you should avoid costumes that are made with flimsy materials, and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts and pants. Costumes should always be short enough to prevent your child from possibly tripping and falling down somewhere.

Here is a link about fire safety that you can visit:
Halloween Fire Safety

Here are some cool costume links for you to check out:
Halloween Costume Center
Halloween Costumes That Won't Scare Your Budget
Halloween Street
Mary's Halloween Costumes

Outdoor Lighting
To easily see and be seen, children and adults alike, should carry a flashlight. They can be used to light a darkened pathway, keep you and your child from stumbling over an unforseen obstacle, and if necessary (and we all hope not) used as an object to defend yourself. Besides, what could be cuter than holding it under your chin while out in the dark, and creating a spooky looking effect on your face??

If you are planning on giving out treats, you should be sure to check your outdoor lights and replace burned-out or old yellowed bulbs. Especially be sure to check on the light by your door, where you will be handing out treats, and keep a spare or two in the house somewhere - in case one burns out in the course of the evening. This has actually happened to me once, and the kids wouldn't come to our door - we had tons of candy left over that year! No fun!!

Here is a site with product information about flashlights:
Eveready And Energizer Flashlights

Trick-or-Treats
Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering. Parents of young children should get rid of choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or soft toys. Things that I ALWAYS discard: Anything that looks homemade, anything unwrapped or partially unwrapped, and anything with puncture holes. I've heard rumors on the radio here in Texas - to be on the look out this year for straight pins and razor blades in treats. I sincerely hope, that no one gets hurt this year. Also, anyone who has animals that are white, black, or white and black should keep them safely inside this year - away from all those weirdos out there.

Here are some fun candy sights to visit:
Butterfinger Simpsons Contest
Hershey's Chocolate World
M&M's Chocolate Candy
The Willy Wonka Candy Factory

Halloween Safety Web Sites
While I have been surfing the Web this month, here a few other sites that I have found, that have good Halloween Safety Information and Tips. I hope they are of help to you also.

Halloween Safety Tips & Information:
10 Halloween Safety Tips - Protecting Your Ghosts and Goblins
Children's Safety Zone - Halloween Safety Tips
HomeArts Halloween Safety Guide
LAFD - Halloween Safety Tips
The Official Halloween Safety Game 1998

I will try to finish adding to this later today, if I can find the time. Otherwise I will update it later on some time. I wish I could've gotten it finished in time for Halloween, but time just did not permit it this year. I still hope that there is enough information on this page though, to help keep your little ones safe while out & about Trick-or-Treating this year.

Have A Happy Halloween!!

STAY SAFE THIS YEAR!!


This page was created on October 23, 1998 and last updated on October 31, 1998.


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