Final Halloween Checklist For Central Minnesota Families

The Countdown is on; the ticking is getting louder and louder as we approach Friday night’s “Trick or Treating”. You could be in a final press to find the right costume for yourself, but most likely if you’ve got kids or grandkids, they’ve had their costume for a little while at least. 

As we get into the final 24 hours before the fun starts, it’s a good time to do a final checkup of your kids’ costume to make sure they’re safe and can have the most fun possible this year.  

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The American Red Cross offers these suggestions, so Halloween brings more candy and fun and less time dealing with an injury or an accident. 

First, make sure your kids can see and hear well with their costumes on. Also, make sure they can walk normally without the possibility of tripping over the costume itself.  

When it comes to the costume, make sure your kids will easily be seen by motorists and other trick or treaters. Light-colored, flame-retardant costumes are the best choices. You can add reflective tape to their costumes to help them be more visible.  

It's also a good idea if your kids will be walking a lot, to have them carry a flashlight with them as well. A flashlight helps them see better and be seen at the same time.  

If they will be walking, remind them to stay on sidewalks or driveways. It’s probably best that your kids don’t go out alone trick or treating, but even with you walking with them, encourage them to look both ways before crossing streets, walking between vehicles or getting back in your vehicle if it’s parked along a street.  

A really important note is for them to knock on doors only of those homes that have their porchlight turned on. And of course, they need to know to only stand at the door of a home; they should never go inside someone's home to get a treat.  

Lastly, make sure to check through your kids’ candy to double check for treats that aren’t in packaging. Toss out anything that looks suspicious.   

Having a solid trick or treat plan should help everyone enjoy the night to the fullest. And then your biggest challenge will be stealing some of your favorite candy without your child noticing.