Here are some Halloween safety tips to keep Halloween safe and fun for you and your child.

1. Plan a costume for your child that is shiny and/or brightly colored and easily visible in low lighting. You can always add reflective tape (available at most athletic stores) to your child’s shoes or trick-or-treat bag as well.

2. If your child picks out a pre-fabricated costume, make sure it’s made from non-flammable material (the label should say “flame-resistant”). Check the costume for tripping hazards like a long tail or pants that need to be hemmed, and fix the issue before your child goes trick-or-treating.

3. Masks may look cool, but they can obscure your child’s vision. A better choice is non-toxic face paint and/or decorative headwear (like the classic cat-ears headband). Test the makeup on your child’s skin ahead of time to make sure it won’t break them out on Halloween night.

4. Have a backup costume for very young children in case of “accidents.” That way you won’t have to cut their fun short just because they’re not fully potty-trained yet.

5. Your child should wear comfortable shoes that fit well while trick-or-treating. Bonus points for shoes that light up with each step, an easy way to improve your child’s visibility at night.

6. Make sure your child eats a full, healthy meal before going trick-or-treating or attending a Halloween celebration. This will help them resist the temptation to gorge themselves on candy and other sugary treats, and it will also give them enough energy to make it all the way around the neighborhood. 

7. Never allow small children to handle pumpkin-carving tools. Let them use non-toxic markers to decorate the pumpkin or to draw a face that you can then carve out for them. Just be sure to follow pumpkin carving safety tips for adults to keep yourself safe as well.

8. Use a flashlight, glowstick, or battery-operated LED candle to light up your pumpkin instead of an actual flame. 

9. Make your front yard and front porch safe for any visiting trick-or-treaters. Remove or illuminate any fall hazards that may be present, like garden hoses, kids’ toys, wet leaves, or sprinkler heads. Keep your porch and outdoor lights on so that your doorway and the path leading up to it are well-lit and clearly visible from the street.

10. Restrain your pets for their safety as well as the safety of your trick-or-treaters. Even normally sweet and friendly dogs can get scared and turn aggressive around strangers, so make sure your indoor pets are kept away from the front door and your outdoor pets are confined to a kennel or fenced-in area.

11. Always accompany your child at all times during trick-or-treating or other Halloween activities, and keep your eyes on your child—NOT your phone! As a parent, you alone are ultimately responsible for your child’s safety.

12. Be extra careful and vigilant when driving through neighborhoods on Halloween night.

13. Halloween can be a rough holiday for kids suffering from food allergies. It’s no fun winding up with a bunch of treats you can’t eat and nothing else to show for it! Therefore, consider being more inclusive by offering small toys or gizmos like glow-sticks, fidget spinners, plastic bugs, finger puppets, or bottles of bubbles instead of candy.

14. Observe traffic signals and obey the “rules of the road.” Only cross the street at designated crosswalks, and never cross in front of a vehicle without first seeing the driver acknowledge your right of way. Stay on the sidewalk if possible, and if there’s no sidewalk, walk on the farthest edge of the road, facing traffic.

You may feel like your neighborhood is safe, but what if it isn’t? What plan do you have in place to protect your child or yourself when trouble occurs? Consider a personal protection device for yourself and/or your child, like the TOPPS Security Key fob.

The TOPPS Security Key Fob is an excellent resource for Halloween safety whether it’s carried by you or your child. With the push of a button, an alert is sent to an agent at the TOPPS Security network along with your precise GPS coordinates, meaning that help is on the way to exactly where you are. 

The key fob is discreet, easy to carry, and easy to use—plus, it comes with a free charger and a quick-release feature so you can easily detach it from your keys for charging. Charge it by your bedside at night, and you’ve got a lifeline at arm’s reach in the event of a break-in or home invasion.

Let Halloween be all treats and no tricks by putting your trust in TOPPS.