Halloween costumes and safety

October 26, 3:21 PMUS Headlines ExaminerCharisse Van Horn

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When it comes to choosing Halloween costumes, it is important to put safety first. Gone are the days of hard, plastic costumes adorned by children throughout the 1970’s. Today’s Halloween costumes are created from softer, flexible materials ensuring comfort as well as a great look. Selecting Halloween costumes, however, should focus on more than just fit, comfort, and appearance. Halloween costumes should be selected for their safety value as well.

A good, proper fit is essential for making certain that the Halloween costume is safe. It doesn’t matter whether the costume was handmade or store bought, if the costume is ill fitting or too long, it poses a safety hazard. Costumes that drag on the ground can cause a child to trip or stumble. Ensure that costumes fit properly and that they are the appropriate length to avoid hazards.

Choose Halloween costumes that have reflective accents, if these are not available, add reflective strips of tape to the costume yourself. Ghosts, goblins, and witches might be easy costumes to make in your home, but they might be difficult to see during late night trick or treating. Adding reflective tape along the sides of the costume will give extra visibility during nighttime activities. You can find reflective tape available at your local hardware store.

Provide children with adequate lighting during evening trick or treating. Some costumes might have lights attached to them, however, these should not be considered a suitable source of light. Provide flashlights for each child to ensure that their visibility is not impaired while trick or treating.

Since children will be out walking ensure that they wear proper shoes. The shoes that accompany children’s costumes might not be the best choice for a child walking through neighborhoods or crossing streets during late night hours. Have children wear proper shoes for best protection.
The accessories that complement children’s Halloween costumes should be selected carefully. These items might pose a threat to other children (such as swords or knives) and might hinder a child’s mobility while walking. If an accessory poses a hazard, leave it at home.

Face masks should be considered and selected carefully, as these can limit a child’s visibility when trick or treating. An easier solution is to opt for face makeup rather than a full face mask. With these tips you can rest assured that your child chooses a Halloween costume that is fun to wear as well as safe.
 

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