Each year, there are plenty of concerns about Halloween safety. From traffic to strangers, but this year there are even more concerns. Some of the traditional Halloween activities can increase the risk of spreading COVID-19, but there are safety precautions to take and other activities to try and make this Halloween for fun children and families!
Make trick or treating safe:
- Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters by setting up a station in your driveway or lawn with individually bagged treats for kids to take and try to keep trick-or-treating hands free. Getting the bags together is a fun activity for you and your children to do together.
- Wash hands before handling treats. If your child is trick or treating, bring hand sanitizer. If you are giving our candy, keep a large bottle of sanitizer nearby for trick-or-treaters to use.
- Everyone should wear a cloth mask. For kids, think about ways to make the mask part of your costume. A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. If your children are still having trouble with wearing a mask check out our blog post here.
- Do NOT wear a costume mask over a cloth mask. It can make breathing more difficult.
- Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you.
- Create and post signs in your yard encouraging trick-or-treaters to stay 6 feet apart.
- Talk with your neighbors about socially distanced options, such as decorating tables and placing them at the end of driveways so kids can grab candy themselves. And how about organizing a virtual costume parade?
- Respect the latest guidelines – such as trick-or-treating hours – provided by your local health and safety officials.
When you’re done Trick of Treating:
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds when you get home.
- Let the candy sit for 24 hours, or sanitize the wrappers, before eating.
- Throw out any candy that’s open or has torn packaging, an unusual appearance or pinholes. Toss any homemade items made by people you don’t know. Follow the rule: When in doubt, throw it out.
Other Fun Halloween Activities:
If you decide to skip trick or treating this year, consider some of these fun activities.
- Decorate your home for Halloween.
- Carve pumpkins with members of your household or outside with neighbors or friends.
- Walk from house to house, admiring Halloween decorations at a distance.
- Go on an outdoor Halloween-themed scavenger hunt.
- Visit a pumpkin patch or orchard. Remember to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently, especially after touching frequently touched surfaces, pumpkins, or apples.
- Go to a one-way, walk-through haunted forest or corn maze.
- Hold an outdoor costume parade or contest so everyone can show off their costumes.
- Host an outdoor Halloween movie night with friends or neighbors or an indoor movie night with your household members.
As always, feel free to call our Parenting HelpLine at 1-800-243-7337 with questions or concerns about general parenting or Halloween Safety!
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