Halloween is a time for fun that children and adults wait for every year. In October, you can see many houses in Canada with decorations that look “scary”.

A lot of people will also be thinking about what fun and creative outfit they can put on for parties. They also think about what to wear for trick-or-treating on the last day of October. People who are new to the country will see that it’s a good time to meet people who live nearby. It’s also a chance to have fun.

Halloween costumes

Are you a parent buying a Halloween costume for your child for the first time? There are many options and you will have a lot of fun choosing. Don’t forget to ask your child what they might like! You can buy from places like Superstore, Costco, or the seasonal Spirit Halloween. There are similar stores all over the city.

Remember, your child will probably use the costume only once. They might grow too big for it or lose interest by next year. Parents who want to save money can go to second-hand or thrift stores. These include Value Village, Goodwill, Plato’s Closet or Salvation Army. These stores have cheaper options. If you like to make things, you could make the costume with your child. A costume you make at home is very special.

Remember these safety tips when choosing or making the costumes:

1. Cover the face safely – Full masks and face coverings can make it hard for your child to see. This is important when they are walking around trick-or-treating. Make sure that the eye-holes are big enough. Or choose a mask that doesn’t cover the eyes.
2. Use safe materials – If you’re using face paint, make sure it’s safe and won’t cause allergies. Wash it off your child completely before they go to bed. Don’t use materials like strong glue, big pieces of glitter or glass pieces, especially on skin. Check if wigs, beards, wings, and tails are safe don’t catch fire (read the package).
3. Check for dangers – Scarves, strings, and ribbons can be choking dangers for the little ones. Look for costumes that fasten with velcro instead. Also, long dresses or heels can make little witches or princesses trip when walking around. Check if they can walk properly before leaving the house. Flat, comfortable shoes are better.
4. No costumes that might offend others please! – This means no ceremonial headdresses, blackface, or similar ones.
5. Stay warm – October evenings are usually cold so make sure that your child is warm enough to stay outside for some time.
6. Make them shine – Brightly coloured costumes are great. This makes your child easy to see, especially for drivers. You can also stick reflective tape strips on the front and back of costumes to make them more visible. You can buy this kind of tape at any hardware store.

Lighting and decorations

1. Make your yard safe – Clean your yard and the way to your door. Get rid of small pieces of rubbish or leaves to make it safe for children who are trick-or-treating. Make sure heavy decorations are secure so they won’t fall on people (it can be windy at this time of the year!).
2. Don’t use candles – Use lights that work with batteries or LED lights for your Jack-o-lanterns, monsters and other decorations that need light. Use these for both inside and outside displays.
3. Turn your porch light on – Make the path bright with lights to help children who are trick-or-treating reach your door safely.

Trick-or-treating

If your children are walking around the area, make sure they are safe by using these ideas:

1. Young kids need adults to watch them – Children who are less than 12 years old should have an adult with them when they walk around. Expert parent tip: Give your little ones their evening meal before they go out to collect sweets. They will have the strength to walk around and won’t want to eat the sweets right away. This means you can check their sweets first for any dangers.
2. Set some rules – Plan your path before you start (and check the weather!). Walk in areas you know well as a group and make some basic rules like no running, not crossing the streets in a random way, or leaving the group. Also, remind the children to be nice. They should not take someone else’s sweets and they should always say “thank you!” when they get treats.
3. Bring a flashlight and extra bags to carry sweets.
4. Go only to houses that have a porch light on -Tell your children to stay on the porch and never go inside a house of someone they don’t know.
5. Check their sweets first before they open and eat them or use toys – Check if the packages are closed. Throw away sweets that look strange as well as loose sweets, candy corn, or other food that are not wrapped. Make sure that they brush their teeth before they go to sleep.

Have a fun and safe Halloween!
 
Sources: Halloween safety: Tips for families, Caring for Kids and 15 trick-or-treating safety tips to ensure a happy and healthy Halloween, Joelene Huber, Today’s Parent. Accessed October 18, 2019.