Fall is all about fun; and with Halloween being at the centre of it all, children have a ball with candies and costumes. While Fall is an exciting time for kids, they need to be reminded of the need to keep safe in the season and understand that safety is as important as having fun.
Keep Low Nighttime Visibility In Mind
With the weather changing and nighttime arriving earlier than usual, it’s important to be extra vigilant past sunset, especially when trick or treating. Even on Halloween night, low nighttime visibility spells danger.
According to road safety experts, small children are at great risk for pedestrian accidents on Halloween night. So, besides reflective patches, a glow-in-the-dark tape on their costumes as well as their trick-or-treat bag is a good idea.
Steer Clear of Leaf Piles
Children love the crisp sound of dry leaves crunching under their boots and are, more often than not, tempted to jump into leaf piles. However fun-filled the whole idea may seem, the outcome of this innocuous activity could be far from it. That’s because piles of leaves often become home to mold and other bacteria that are harmful for kids, especially those with allergies like asthma.
They can also become home to insects and other pests. Let children have fun in other parts of your backyard instead. Take the swing covers off, and let the clean and dry swing offer some safer fun.
Start Bundling Up
Fall is in full swing, and Winter is not far behind. As the temperatures drop, it’s important to stay warm all season long. Children generally don’t like the idea of donning too many layers as they find them restricting, but it’s important to tell them these will keep them warm and safe when they are out riding bikes, walking to school, and trick or treating.
Be Careful Around Fire Pits & Bonfires
Nothing says Fall quite like a bonfire. It’s time to take off the fire pit covers that have kept your fire pit looking like new and light things up. While bonfires and fire pits are perfect for the cold season, it’s also important to keep safe around them, just like you would around a grill without its custom griddle cover.
Children must be told never to sit too close to them. They must always keep the wind direction in mind, after all, you don’t want even the tiniest of sparks flying in their direction. It’s also a good idea to keep a shovel and a bucket of water at hand to ward off any emergency. Keep children prepared for any such event by teaching them the ‘stop, drop and roll’ exercise.
Take Care When Walking to the School Bus
Now that schools are back in session, it’s commonplace for kids to walk to and from the school bus alone. This is where they need to be given some mandatory road safety tips, often by example. To start with, they must be told that phones when walking are a no-no. Even for older children, these can be a distraction and a road hazard. Using sidewalks is a must and as is following traffic rules when crossing a traffic signal, even the roads in smaller/side streets.
Set Up Rules for Trick or Treating
Trick or treating is the highlight of Halloween, but there are some ground rules that must be strictly followed by all children. To start with, little children mustn’t go out unless they are accompanied by an adult or older child. Remember to pin your child’s name, address, and phone number to his/her jacket in case it gets separated from others.
Make a familiar route for the children to follow and set a time by which they must get back home. Kids must also be told not to, under any circumstances, step into unfamiliar homes or cars.
Practice Home Fire Drills
It’s always good to be prepared for accidents, so keep your children in the loop about what to do in case a fire breaks out. It’s a good idea to have a home fire drill a couple of times a year. Let your children be prepared for the sound of the smoke alarm button and understand what it means.
Show them a safe place outside the house they must run to in case of a real fire. They must quickly take the chair covers off and wait there till things settle down. Be sure to teach your kids the ‘stop, drop and roll’ exercise as well.
Learn Road Safety
With kids often biking to school, it’s always good to go over bike safety rules with them. The first of these is the need to keep the head covered with a well fitting helmet. They must always stick to bicycle lanes wherever they see them. When out on the road, children must always stay alert, go with the flow of the traffic, never against it.
Following all the traffic rules such as stopping at the stop signs and obeying traffic lights is mandatory. When at a crossing, it’s always wise to get off the bike, check traffic in both directions, and only when it’s clear of traffic, proceed. Another rule children must strictly follow is to keep away from parked or stationary cars, for injuries could happen in case their doors open suddenly.
Be Wary of Strangers
This is a subject that needs to be dealt with from an early age itself. While they may be aware of the ‘don’t talk to strangers’ rule, kids still need to be reminded of it. They must know that this rule applies even when a friendly-looking person they haven’t ever met tries to talk to them. If this stranger offers sweets or a ride, they must step back and scream ‘No!’, and quickly run to tell a trusted adult about it.
Stay Safe at School
Kids need to stay safe even while off at school. The first step that needs to be taken is to have children memorise their home address and parent’s phone numbers. They must be told that wandering off outside the school premises is not allowed. These rules will help keep them on top of safety all school year long.
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