Halloween is quickly approaching which means there will be many children out trick-or-treating. While this can be a fun time full of costumes and candy, it is important to remember to put safety first. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest the following tips for having a safe and happy Halloween:

• Swords, knives and similar costume components should be flexible and short.
• Don’t allow children or teens to trick-or-treat alone. Always have an adult supervising the trick-or-treat festivities.
• Use reflective tape fastened to costumes or flashlights to let other trick-or-treaters and drivers know where you are.
• Empty out your children’s buckets and examine all of the candy for choking hazards and tampered-with items before allowing your children to dive in.
• Remind everyone in your group to look both ways and stop at corners to avoid any accidents. Also, keep everyone in your group together.
• Stay on sidewalks if they are available. If not, stay off the road in the grassy area.

While spookiness and fear is a fun aspect of Halloween, accidents shouldn’t be something on the list of scary things this year. Use the above tips to help your family have a fun, spook-tacular and safe Halloween. Find more tips on the CDC website here.