Halloween safety tips for infants and toddlers
Updated 2024
Halloween is a fun time of year: dressing up, seeing friends, eating candy - sounds amazing, right?! A lot of us have fond memories of Halloween from our own childhood, and while you might want to re-create that for your child, it is important that during all the fun we take the steps to keep our kiddos safe. Here, we cover Halloween safety tips to help you have fun and be safe!
Tips for trick-or-treating with infants
Consider skipping trick-or-treating! If this is your first or only child, perhaps skip the tradition until they are old enough to really enjoy the night. This will eliminate all the dangers or stress completely!. They can show off their cute costume by “helping” you answer the door and give out candy.
Take pictures in advance! If it’s just the memory you want, take the picture early in the day or even a few days before. No one will know whether you were out late with your infant or not.
Keep traveling in mind! If baby is going to be traveling in a car seat or stroller, make sure that the costume allows you to still safely buckle them in. Also, ensure that there is no part of the costume that covers their face or could obstruct their airway. It’s likely going to be dark. Remember, you want to be confident they are safe and secure!
Bring a bottle/pacifier! If baby is going to need to eat while out and about, make sure you have breastmilk or formula on hand or there is a place you can breastfeed, to keep them happy. A pacifier is a helpful way to comfort babies in potentially high-stress or unknown situations, such as traveling around at night with lots of people and noise!
Be cognizant of the weather! Make sure baby is kept warm enough on a cool night by ensuring either their costume is warm or by covering them with a blanket. Remember to only use blankets if you have eyes on them at all times! Never use a blanket with an unsupervised infant. Also if you live in warmer areas and Halloween night is warm, make sure they are not overly covered. Maybe even pack a stroller fan to cool baby off.
Tips for trick-or-treating with toddlers
Bring an easily accessible mode of transport! Toddlers usually love running up to homes to trick-or-treat, but they also tire easily. Make sure to bring a stroller or wagon they can easily get in and out of for travel between houses. This also provides you a safe place to put them when crossing the street and traveling back home.
Choose costumes wisely! Though important with all ages, perhaps the toddler age is when you can most get into trouble if the costume isn’t ideal. Many toddlers don’t have great coordination, so make sure their costume is not so bulky or long that it’s hard to walk in. Definitely do not choose a mask or headpiece that obstructs their vision. Also accessories that are too small may be a choking hazard, and ones that are too large (swords, lightsabers, etc.) may trip or poke them. Costumes for toddlers should fit similar to how their pajamas fit- snugly but breathable and moveable!
Emphasize no running! Though toddlers get easily excited, emphasize the importance of walking over running. This minimizes tripping potential and allows you to keep an eye on them.
Go early! Toddlers usually go to bed early anyways, so be the early trick-or-treaters. There will be less people and more daylight the earlier you go, both of which means a safer experience!
Tag them! Use a safety pin to attach an index card (ideally laminated!) to their costume that provides their first name and your name/contact information. In the scenario that you get separated, another adult will be able to reach you. For extra safety and better a visual, attach a few glow sticks to their costume as well! They will love it and you’ll be able to see them easier.
Follow the 2:1 rule! The 2:1 rule means that there should be no more than two toddlers or young children for every one adult for maximum safety. If you have more kids than that, bring a friend or family member to help! The more eyes to supervise, the better.
Have a candy counter! It’s important that an adult can inspect all candy before kids eat it, so tell your toddler they are going to be a candy counter! The goal is to get the most pieces of candy possible (if they eat it, it doesn’t count!) so no eating will occur until you get home and can count each piece. Even then, limit candy to just a few pieces, especially before bed.
Tips for sleep on Halloween
Turn up the sound machine's volume! If you use a sound machine for your child’s sleep (which we recommend!), make sure it is going so constant trick-or-treaters isn’t waking them up. You could also place a bowl of candy outside so that your doorbell isn’t becoming a disruption and place a sign outside that says “please don’t ring the doorbell”.
Remove costumes/make-up fully! Even though your child may look comfortable, costumes can cause a sleeping hazard because they aren’t made for sleep. Make sure to fully undress your child and put on proper pajamas for bed. Also, take off any face makeup so that it does not cause skin irritation overnight (or ruin the sheets!).
Stick to the bedtime routine! Halloween can be very overstimulating for people of any age, let alone the littles. Make sure to still do their regular bedtime routine so that they can decompress from the busy night before asking them to sleep!
If you follow these tips, you’re sure to have a great Halloween night with your child!
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