Children & Young People at Halloween

Kids always enjoy Halloween, but it can be a worrying time for parents. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust thinks Halloween should be a treat for everyone, so we have produced the following safety tips to help make sure your kids have fun in safety!

Dressing Up Safely

Lots of kids like to make turnip or pumpkin lanterns – so try and make sure that costumes are flame-retardant.
Costumes should not be too long or restrict your child’s freedom to move – you don’t want any unplanned bumps in the night!
Some masks can obstruct a child’s vision, a potential danger, especially if they are crossing roads. Consider using face paints instead.
If your kids are going to be outside then make sure they are wearing visible clothing – perhaps you could put reflective tape on their costumes.
Some costumes – coupled with the excitement of Halloween – can encourage aggressive behaviour. Even fake knives, swords and other costume accessories can hurt or scare people. Make sure your kids understand this and that any potentially dangerous items are made of cardboard or other flexible materials.

Having Fun in Safety

The safest way for children to celebrate Halloween is by going to an organised party. Why not hold your own with ducking for apples, doughnuts on strings and all the other fun and games of Halloween?!
Lots of kids like to go trick-or-treating or guising at Halloween. Kids should always go out in groups and younger children should be accompanied by an adult.
Older kids should agree with parents or guardians in advance exactly where they are going and if possible which houses they intend to visit.
With the clocks going back on Sunday 26th October, it is likely to be dark outside – make sure kids have torches and only walk down well-lit streets.
If your kids have a mobile phone make sure they take it with them and check in at regular intervals to let you know all is well. Agree in advance a time when they will be back home and make sure one of them has a watch.
Make sure your kids know not to enter anyone’s house and not to accept lifts in people’s cars.
Talk through the idea of trick or treat, and make sure your kids don’t do anything to upset or annoy the people they visit.

Safe Treats

Ask your kids not to eat any sweets or other goodies that they have been given until they get home. Giving them a meal or snack before they go might help them resist temptation!
Carefully check all the things your kids have been given. Sweets and food that are still in their original wrappers are safest.