PHOENIX — It’s the spookiest time of the year, yes, Halloween, and of course. Valley kids are pumped to suit up in their Halloween costumes and hit the streets on the hunt for candy.
With safety being the top priority, especially for parents with young kids, 12News went to the experts to get some simple things you can do, to be sure your child has more fun and fewer frights this Halloween.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Consejos para que su familia celebre Halloween de manera segura
Costume safety
Whether you plan to dress up as a hotdog, princess, cheeseburger, or SpongeBob SquarePants, Dr. Gary Kirkilas with Phoenix Children’s Hospital said to choose your costume wisely.
“Costumes that are bright, have some sort of reflective material on them or even things that light up,” said Kirkilas. “Dark costumes are hard to see, and when someone is crossing the street, it’s very easy for a car not to see them.”
If your child’s costume has a mask, make sure they can see clearly out of it.
“That the child can see through the eye holes and of course, that they’re able to breathe easily,” he said.
Street safety
Street safety should be at the top of your mind.
“You only cross at cross streets,” said Kirkilas. “We cross in large groups, and we look both ways before we cross the street.”
Even if you're not trick-or-treating, anyone getting behind the wheel needs to be extra careful too.
Federal data shows Halloween is one of the deadliest nights of the year on the road because of the mix of pedestrians and more drunk drivers.
“If your children are older, and they’re planning on trick-or-treating by themselves, having that safety discussion around street safety is very important,” he said.
Candy safety
For the younger kids, if your child has tree nut allergies, steer clear.
“Low-risk candies are things like hard and soft fruit chews, like Jolly Ranchers, Skittles or Starburst,” said Kirkilas.
He said it’s important to inspect your child’s candy before they consume it, and if the wrapper appears to be tampered with, throw it away.
Rather than a free-for-all, he recommends setting boundaries regarding how much candy you’re going to let your kids eat.
“Like, we’re going to eat one or two pieces of candy,” he said. “It could also be used as an incentive for good behavior, so if they do their homework or help around the house, they’re allowed to eat some candy.”
Keeping in touch
Experts say using smartphone tricks for your older kids hunting for treats is the way to go. Just make sure their phone is charged 100% before they head out and then start a group chat with a neighbor or family member.
Put the alarm on your kid’s smartphone to good use. You can set an alarm as a reminder for your child to check in, or, set a curfew for when it’s time for them to head home.
It’s important to know where your child is at all times, and tech experts said that’s easy to do, with the ‘Family Link’ app on Android devices or ‘Find my iPhone’ and ‘Family Sharing’ on Apple devices.
“You can ping their phones, and even if ringer is turned off, they'll be able to hear those notifications,” Suzanne Kantra of Techlicious.
By keeping these safety tips in mind, you can be sure that you and your candy hunters will have a night of all the treats without any of the tricks.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.