The jack o lanterns are carved and the fall decorations are out! October 31st is the day your kids have been waiting for: Halloween! Check out these halloween safety tips to keep your kids safe while they have fun trick-or-treating!
Halloween Safety Tips
Walk Cautiously
- Cross the street using traffic signals and crosswalks.
- Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
- Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
- Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
- Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to
the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings. - Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Safe and Creative Costumes
- Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
- Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
- If a sword or stick is part of your child’s costume, make sure it is not sharp or long. A child may become easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
- Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
- When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
- Review with children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they ever have an emergency or become lost.
Trick or Treat with an Adult
- Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
- Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
- Have flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and adults.
Drive Extra Safely on Halloween
- Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
- Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
- Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
- Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
- Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
- Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
Scan your home for safety
- To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
- Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
- Wet leaves should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
- Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.
Legacy Scholarship
We are proud to unveil our new Legacy School Scholarship Program. Students who attend Legacy from 1st grade are eligible for a $500 scholarship towards higher learning. This scholarship can be used for college or trade school upon graduation from high school. We are very excited to give back to our students. We know each child has the potential to succeed at whatever goal they set for themselves. cCan’t wait to help your student celebrate their high school accomplishments and continue to their higher education.