October is absolutely one of my favorite months. Not only do I celebrate a birthday in October (even in my 30’s, I still like my birthdays), but I think Halloween is so fabulously fun! I have a lot of fond Halloween memories from my childhood and now that I am a mom, I want to make sure that my little guy grows up with some great memories of this holiday as well.
But beyond adorable costumes and carving pumpkins, there are some steps we parents should take to help ensure great memories, and these involve safety. Approximately four times more children, ages 5-14, are killed while walking on Halloween evening than any other evening of the year. Additionally, a lot of falls happen, resulting in injuries. Have your kiddos follow these safety measures this year:
- Use flashlights, stay on sidewalks, and avoid crossing yards
- Cross streets at the corner, use crosswalks, and DO NOT cross between parked cars
- Stop at all corners and stay together in a group when crossing streets
- This seems like a no-brainer, but to look left, right, and left again before crossing the street.
Also, you might want steer clear of masks and use face paint instead as masks can obstruct a child’s vision. Have them avoid wearing hats that will slide over their eyes and baggy, loose costumes that can cause tripping.
At Discovery Gateway this month, we’re hosting a Halloween safety class on Friday, October 29th. We’re also hosting a series of art classes, Marvelous Masquerades, in which participants will learn how to use face paint to create incredible costume effects—and help us as parents steer clear of masks! Those classes are scheduled for October 15th, 22nd, and 29th at 4:30pm. Check out our event calendar for our full schedule of classes.
