(NC)-It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of Halloween – in fact, planning out costumes and decorations often starts early, and by the time Halloween night arrives it’s all kids can do to keep from bursting with excitement!

While Halloween is certainly about fun, it’s also about safety – and parents need to take the lead when it comes to ensuring the safety of both their kids – and others – on Halloween night.

Here are some top tips to keep in mind:

. Be wise with your candy purchases. Give some thought to the candy you choose to hand out. With a growing number of children suffering from severe food allergies, including peanut allergies, consider a peanut-free treats bowl where snacks like Mars Peanut-Free bars can be given out to trick or treaters. Read the labels carefully – products that say “may contain peanuts” should be avoided by those who have allergies to peanuts.

. If your child has a food allergy, be sure to accompany him while trick-or-treating the entire time. Also, bring along an EpiPen or Twinject, just to be sure. For more information on peanut and other food allergies, visit www.anaphylaxis.ca

. Make a rule not to eat candy while trick-or-treating, and then carefully sort through everything when you get home, tossing anything unwrapped, unlabelled, or homemade right away.

. Be responsible with your child’s costume. Makeup is more fun than a mask and allows for better visibility at night. Costumes should be easily seen in the dark, and should be short enough to avoid tripping hazards.

. Plan your route ahead of time. Have your child help plan your route before you step out the door. They’ll love being involved, and having a plan will help you restrict the route to a well-known area.

. Revisit the rules of the road. With all of the excitement, it’s easy to forget to look left and right before crossing the street. Be sure your children know the different traffic signals and when it is safe for them to cross – and to always wait for cars to come to a complete stop before crossing.

. Keep your house free of safety hazards. Clear your walkway of toys or other tripping hazards for the little ghouls and goblins that will be visiting your home. Halloween decorations can add spooky ambiance, but make sure they don’t block lights or obstruct visibility.

Halloween is no doubt an exciting time in a child’s life. Be sure to keep these tips on hand to ensure a safe night of ghoulish fun for everyone!

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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. Children should only accept commercially wrapped candy.

. Parents of young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, hard candies or small toys from candy bags.

. Make sure your children know not to dig into their treats until they’re back home and you’ve had the chance to examine them.

. Involve your children in the candy sorting process by creating a sorting room at home. Go through the candy together and remove any unwrapped items or choking hazards.

. In addition to your regular Halloween trick or treats, for children with peanut allergies or who may have friends with peanut allergies, be sure to stock products that are identified as being made in a peanut free facility – like Twizzlers and Nibs candies. These can be easily recognized by the peanut free logo on the packaging.

. Always read food ingredient lists carefully.

More information is available online at www.twizzlers.ca.

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This Halloween may be the year to be more creative at your own door by giving out non-sweet and non-edible treats to the many ghosts and goblins that make the trek through your neighbourhood.

Thanks to the abundance of dollar stores, all sorts of miniature toy items are now available at reasonable prices. Stock up on crayons, pencils, stickers, coloured chalk, erasers, friendship bracelets, whistles, hair clips, baseball cards, mini vehicles, plastic animals, or even rubber worms and spiders. The trick-or-treater benefits, and so does the household handing out these treats. Instead of the temptation to munch away on leftover candy, non-edible treats can be boxed up and stored for next Halloween.

If, however, you still prefer to hand out something tasty, there are plenty of items that are healthier than traditional potato chips and chocolate bars like, sugar-free gum, cheese straws, and small packages of nuts, raisins and seeds. More information on this and other related topics is available online at HealthyOntario.com.

Here are a few more healthy Halloween tips:

. Eating a good meal before trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on the candy collected as they make their rounds.

. Check your kids’ treats before they sample them.

. Divide the loot into portions to be consumed over many days.

. Check for age-appropriate treats. Small hard candies for example may choke young children.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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. Outfit your children in costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure shoes fit well and costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement, or contact with flame. Add reflective tape to costumes and loot bags to make your child more visible.

. Facemasks can limit or block eyesight. Consider using non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives.

. Only purchase costumes, wigs, and accessories with labels that clearly say they are flame-resistant.

. Provide children and their escorts with flashlights that are loaded with fresh batteries.

. Plan and review an acceptable trick-or-treat route and agree on a specific time when they should come home.

. Trick-or-treaters should:

. Always stay in a group and tell parents where they will be going

. Go only to homes with a porch light on

. Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.

. Eating a good meal before trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats as they make their rounds.

. When your children arrive home, sort and check their treats. Throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.

. Portion out the loot so it lasts many days.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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(ARA) – Halloween is a season that brings jack-o-lanterns to front porches and spiders, super heroes and princesses to the streets. This year add to the ghoulish atmosphere with a few safe and healthy tricks that will make your book of spells the most popular on the block.

Lanterns Lead the ‘Spooky’ Way:

Safety comes first on Halloween when you are welcoming trick-or-treaters to your haunted mansion. Always maintain a well-lit area to prevent accidents and to monitor ghosts and goblins as they approach. Use pumpkin-inspired paper lanterns to do the trick. Have the kids draw jack-o-lanterns on paper lunch bags, cut out the eyes, nose and mouth and add several inches of sand to the bottom of each bag. Place a small votive candle in a glass jar, position on the sand and light for an eerie trick-or-treat experience.

Fright Light:

Whether your costume is scary or sweet, always wear lightweight and lightly colored clothing and remember to carry a flashlight to navigate through the dark night. Try adding a recognizable patch or reflector to a child’s costume to make sure they are easily spotted.

‘Boo’ in Your Basket:

According to the National Confectioners Association (www.CandyUSA.org), 93 percent of children go ”trick-or-treating,” making candy the focus of the door-to-door Halloween ritual. So why not give some special attention to the way you pass out your candy selection? Make your treat bowl the most memorable in the neighborhood and give it a costume of its own. Decorate your treat basket with a witch’s broom and hat or create a ghostly silhouette with a white cloth covering a round table. Costumes are no longer just for kids.

Gummy Mummy:

Choosing which candy to pass out is a tough decision. NCA surveys reveal that kids’ favorite treats are candy and gum. Give trick-or-treaters what they want this year and fill your bowl with Life Savers Halloween Gummies. Kids love them for their adventurous flavors and gummy texture and parents like the lower calorie, fat-free treat option. You can also use gummies to top seasonal cupcakes, cookies and cakes.

Carry in Style:

Making a one-of-a-kind trick-or-treating bag with inexpensive materials is a fun way to involve kids in Halloween preparation. Grab an old pillowcase or bag and let kids decorate it to match their costume or favorite Halloween creature. Adding designs is easy with fabric paints, ribbon and buttons.

Cook before they Collect:

In addition to choosing a guilt-free treat for trick-or-treaters cook a wholesome meal before sending your goblins and ghosts into the night. Serve a Halloween themed meal like grilled cheese sandwiches cut into tombstone shapes with an enchanted forest of broccoli. Add ”Boo” and ”R.I.P” in ketchup to make them smile. Sending your trick-or-treaters out on a full stomach will prevent them from over eating their Halloween goodies.

“Chews” Gum:

After the kids sample their basket treats, suggest they chew gum. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), chewing sugar-free gum, like Eclipse, Orbit or Extra, helps reduce tooth decay. Let the kids indulge a little during the special holiday, but don’t forget the importance of oral hygiene and brushing and flossing your teeth before bed and after every meal. They’ll need those fangs again next year.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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