Halloween Tips for Safety & Sleep!

It's the spookiest time of year - Halloween is here! Thinking about heading out for some trick-or-treating with your little one? Check out my tips for safety & sleep to keep everyone happy, healthy, and sleeping great!

Halloween can bring up a lot of feelings for both parents and kids. Some people LOVE it; dressing up, seeing friends, eating candy - sounds amazing, right?! But for others, Halloween comes with a lot of anxiety. In fact, Halloween holds a scary statistic: Kids are twice as likely to get hit by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year. But if you’re a new parent and excited to enjoy your child’s first Halloween (and you should be!), you’ve come to the right place! Here are some safety tips to help you get through the holiday with minimal stress and maximum fun...

Tips for Trick-or-Treating with Infants:

• Take pictures in advance! If it’s just the memory you want (understandably!), take the picture early in the day or even a few days before. No one will know! :)
• Keep traveling in mind! If baby is going to be traveling in a carseat/stroller, make sure that the costume allows you to still safely buckle them in. Also ensure that there is no part of the costume that covers their face or could obstruct their airway. It’s likely going to be dark remember, so you want to be confident they are safe and secure!
• Bring a bottle/pacifier! If baby is going to need to eat while out and about, make sure you have breastmilk/formula on hand to keep them happy. Also a pacifier is a helpful way to comfort babies in potentially high stress or unknown situations, such as traveling around at night with lots of people and noise!
• Be cognizant of weather! Make sure baby is kept warm enough on a cool night by ensuring either their costume is warm and/or by covering them with a blanket. Remember to only use blankets if you have eyes on them at all times! Never use a blanket with an unsupervised infant. Also if you live in the warmer area and Halloween night is warm, make sure they are not overly covered and perhaps bring a stroller fan to cool baby off. 
• Don’t take them trick-or-treating! If this is your first/only child, perhaps skip the tradition until they are old enough to really enjoy it. This will eliminate all the dangers/stress completely! They can show off their cute costume by “helping” you answer the door and give out candy.

Tips for Trick-or-Treating with Toddlers:

• Bring an easily accessible mode of transport! Toddlers usually love running up to homes to trick-or-treat, but they also tire easily. Make sure to bring a stroller or wagon they can easily get in and out of for travel between houses. This also provides you a safe place to put them when crossing the street and traveling back home.
• Choose costume wisely! Though important with all ages, perhaps the toddler age is when you can most get into trouble if the costume isn’t ideal. Many toddlers don’t have great coordination, so make sure their costume is not so bulky or long that it’s hard to walk in. Definitely do not choose a mask or headpiece that obstructs their vision. Also accessories that are too small may be a choking hazard, and ones that are too large (swords, lightsabers, etc.) may trip or poke them. Costumes for toddlers should fit similar to how their pajamas fit- snugly but breathable and moveable!
• Emphasize no running! Though toddlers get easily excited, emphasize the importance of walking over running. This minimizes tripping potential and allows you to keep an eye on them easier. 
• Go early! Toddlers usually go to bed early anyways, so be the early trick-or-treaters! There will be less people and more daylight the earlier you go, both of which means a safer experience!
• Tag them! Use a safety pin to attach an index card (ideally laminated!) to their costume that provides their first name and your name/contact information. In the scenario that you get separated, another adult will be able to reach you. For extra safety and better a visual, attach a few glow sticks to their costume as well! They will love it and you’ll be able to see them easier.
• Follow the 2:1 rule! The 2:1 rule means that there should be no more than two toddlers or young children for every one adult for maximum safety. If you have more kids than that, bring a friend or family member to help! The more eyes to supervise, the better.
• Candy counter! It’s important that an adult can inspect all candy before kids eat it, so tell your toddler they are going to be a candy counter! The goal is to get the most pieces of candy possible (if they eat it, it doesn’t count!) so no eating will occur until you get home and can count it! Even then, limit candy to just a few pieces, especially before bed. 

Tips for Sleep:

• Turn up sound machine volume! If you use a sound machine for your child’s sleep (which I recommend!), feel free to turn it up a few notches to help drown out the extra noise that occurs on Halloween.
• Remove costumes/make-up fully! Even though your child may look comfortable, costumes can cause a sleep hazard because they aren’t made for sleep. Make sure to fully undress your child and put on proper pajamas for bed. Also, take off any face makeup so that it does not cause skin irritation overnight (or ruin the sheets!).
• Stick to the bedtime routine! Halloween can be very overstimulating for people of any age, let alone the littles. Make sure to still do their regular bedtime routine so that they can decompress from the busy night before asking them to sleep!

Find additional costume tips at: 
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/5-sneaky-halloween-costume-health-concerns/

If you follow these tips, you’re sure to have a great Halloween night with your child!

Wishing you all the best & lots of rest,

Bethany Barba