🎃 Halloween Safety Guide: Stay Safe, Have Fun & Enjoy the Treats!

Halloween is a magical time of year — costumes, pumpkins, and sweet treats everywhere! Whether you’re trick-or-treating with little ones, hosting a party, or handing out goodies, it’s important to plan for safety. A little preparation helps make sure everyone has fun without any scary accidents.

Here are our top Halloween safety and food safety tips to share with your teams, residents, service users, friends, and family.

🧙‍♀️ General Safety Tips

✅ Plan a safe route
If you’re trick-or-treating, choose well-lit streets and remind children not to go into houses. Stick to pavements and use pedestrian crossings where possible.

✅ Costume visibility matters
Encourage bright costumes or add reflective strips, armbands, or glow sticks. A torch (or even a phone light) helps others spot you.

✅ Avoid trip hazards
Long costumes, oversized shoes, or dragging capes can cause trips and falls. Ensure costumes fit properly and avoid masks that restrict vision.

✅ Check for allergies and sensitivities
Some face paints and costume accessories can irritate skin. Patch-test first, and look for hypoallergenic products.

🍬 Trick-or-Treating Tips for Children

➡️ Always go in groups and with a trusted adult.
➡️ Remind children never to enter someone’s home.
➡️ Only visit houses with lights on or Halloween decorations.
➡️ Agree a “home time” before you set off.

📱 Tip: Put a parent’s name/number inside costumes in case a child becomes separated.

🚗 Road Safety (for adults and drivers)

  • Drive slowly in residential areas — expect the unexpected.

  • Avoid reversing near groups of children.

  • Do not use phones while driving — even hands-free can be distracting.

🎃 Halloween is one of the busiest pedestrian evenings of the year — be extra cautious.

🍭 Halloween Food Safety

Whether you’re sorting trick-or-treat sweets, hosting a party, or offering treats to visitors, keep these food safety basics in mind.

✅ Check sweets and treats before eating them

  • Only eat pre-packaged treats from sealed wrappers.

  • Avoid anything homemade unless you know and trust the person who made it.

✅ Allergy awareness

Many sweets contain or may be contaminated with:

  • Nuts

  • Milk

  • Soya

  • Gluten

If you’re hosting, create a small allergy-aware treat bowl and clearly label it.

📍 Consider offering non-food treats like stickers or glow sticks.

✅ Keep cold food cold (and hot food hot)

If you’re hosting a party:

  • Store chilled foods in the fridge until serving.

  • Don’t leave buffet food sitting out for more than 2 hours.

✅ Be mindful of choking hazards

Hard sweets, gum, nuts, popcorn, and marshmallows can be risky for children and elderly individuals.

🏡 Safety for Pets and Residents in Care Settings

🐶 Keep sweets out of reach — chocolate and certain sweeteners are toxic to pets.
👵 If you work in a care home or residential service, avoid loud door knocks that may cause distress — consider placing a sign requesting quiet or scheduling a designated time for residents to join in safely.

🎃 Final Thoughts

Halloween should be full of fun — not fright! A bit of planning, awareness, and common-sense safety can make the evening enjoyable for everyone.

Stay safe, stay seen, and have a spooktacular Halloween! 👻