Halloween Safety Tips for 2020

Halloween is a very special time of the year for many children and families. Figuring out costume ideas, carving pumpkins, and putting spooky decorations on display, and handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, are all things we look forward to! The biggest thing to be spooked about this Halloween is covid-19! This is an added challenge, but of course, you can be safe and have spooky fun!

So many parents are racking their brains, trying to figure out how they can still make this Halloween memorable for their families while still staying safe. With large gatherings and parties off the table, we’ve got to get creative!

This year it’s “extra-spooky” so every costume must have the following accessories:

1.  Doorbell ringer wand, light-saber, or other hand extensions to limit in-person contact;
2. Breathable face mask;
3. Hand sanitizer;
4. BONUS: Goggles or eye protection!

Below is a list of helpful tips to implement this Halloween to make sure you’re keeping yourself and your little ones as safe as possible!

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Seven ways to have the safest, spookiest Halloween:

1. Set up an area outdoors with pre-bagged candies for children to take.
   For anyone who is staying home this year and expecting trick-or-treaters, use a grabber/reacher to pick Ziploc bagged & prepacked candies to drop into the loot bags from 6′ away. This will decrease the amount of person to person contact you have with other families and their children. If you are crafty, then the possibilities of dressing up the reacher/grabber to match the occasion are endless. Be creative!!
2. Make disposable or reusable fabric masks a part of the costume.
   Many children already choose to dress up as masked characters from their favorite movies or shows. You need to be aware that a costume mask is typically plastic and is not a substitute for easy ventilation. If you purchase your child’s costume and it does not come with a cloth mask, no problem. Choose a mask that matches the colors of their costume. Encourage your child to keep their mask on at all times and make sure that it’s covering their mouth and nose.
3. Attach a “bell-ringer” wand as a part of their costume element wand or pointer to ring the doorbell instead of using fingers.
   Many costumes will have accessories hanging to use for ringing doorbells if not add one matching the outfit. 
4. Carry a sanitizer to use in between candy collection.
   You never know what they might touch. Make it a fun game of contests of keeping hands off the face; which will encourage them to keep their hands out of their mouths and faces as much as possible. If they must touch, then sanitize after they touch anything and before touching their faces 
5. Wait to eat candy at home after proper sanitization.
   Even if you’re using hand sanitizer as you walk through the neighborhood, it’s a good idea not to touch any candy by hand. Keep all candies in their wrappers in their loot bags until you get back home and can wash your hands before eating. You don’t want to spread any germs!
6. Visit an outdoor pumpkin patch or orchard.
   Keep at least 6 feet away from other people at all times. Sanitize hands after touching anything around or before touching your face. This is a fun and active way to get your family together, not to mention you can make delicious treats with the pumpkins and apples you pick! 
7. Have an outdoor costume contest or parade with a limited number of people at a time.
   Empty the parking lot and driveways for a bigger crowd as per your township regulation if needed. All children and their families should maintain the 6 feet distance from each other and wear masks at all times. It’s a fantastic way for your child to show off his or her Halloween costume and participate in a fun activity while still staying at a safe distance.

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Tags: parenting tips, halloween, children, holidays, trick or treat, covid-19