6 Steps to Halloween Costume Safety
Keep Your Little Ghosts and Goblins Safe
Make sure your child's costume is a safe length. Otherwise, "Their feet will get tangled up and they’re going to face-plant in the middle of the lawn or the sidewalk."
— Tampa Police Officer Harry Augello
Her sons’ Halloween costumes make Caroline Jorgensen nervous. She worries most about visibility. Their outfits of choice make it difficult for them to see -- and be seen.
Four-year-old Charlie wants to be Iron Man but almost bumped into the doorway wearing the superhero’s mask around the house, she said. Seven-year-old Thomas prefers dark outfits, like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker clad in all-black Jedi gear.
“I’ve stuck glow sticks on him, but they always get dropped,” said the concerned mom, who lives in Wesley Chapel, Fla. She went on to explain that if it weren’t for the plastic orange pumpkin holding her child's candy, “I would lose track of him on the sidewalk.”
This year Thomas wants to be a skeleton, which makes his mom once again fret about how visible his costume will be.
“It would be really cool if it was glow-in-the-dark, but it’s not,” she said.
Visibility is a top Halloween costume-safety concern, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But there are other concerns as well. Properly fitting costumes, worn with non-hazardous accessories and comfortable shoes will keep your child safe from harm.
Following these important tips can help you avoid mishaps and injuries on Halloween night.
See the Light
Although dark costumes present a particular challenge, any costume is tough to see once the sun sets, when most trick-or-treating begins, said Tampa Police Officer Harry Augello, a community crime-prevention liaison and father of a young son.
Augello suggested parents get creative with reflective tape, available from a mass retailer or a hardware store.
Trim the edges of sleeves, pant legs, skirts, capes or robes with the tape. Make the tape part of the costume, he said, covering the buttons in Darth Vader’s chest panel, for instance.
If your child balks, try reflective wristbands, which would add sparkle to a little princess outfit.
For the utmost protection, Augello explained, “You’ve got to have something on the back of the costume because most of these kids will be walking away from traffic."
Party stores also sell small flashing lights that run on watch batteries. These can add zip to a magic wand, or enhance any costume with mechanical parts, such as a robot.
I Can See Clearly Now
Darth Vader and certain superheroes wouldn’t be known as well the same without their masks. But masks are made to fit a mold, not your child’s head, Augello said.
Young children, in particular, have difficulty seeing through both eyeholes.
An ill-fitting mask not only impedes the child's field of view but makes him an easy target for troublemakers who pull pranks or steal candy, Augello said.
In addition, a child in a warmer climate can become overheated under a large rubber mask, he said.
“I recommend using face paint,” Augello said.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission also advises securing any wigs, hats or scarves, which can slip into your child’s eyes.
Does That Fit?
Baggy costumes are another hazard. Even if your child is the Grim Reaper, be sure the bottom of the costume doesn’t go past his ankles.
Kids tend to run from house to house, and with costumes that are too long, “their feet will get tangled up and they’re going to face-plant in the middle of the lawn or the sidewalk,” Augello said.
Also check that sleeves and skirts don’t billow excessively. These can be dangerous around Jack-o’-lanterns and luminaries with real candles.
“Most (store-bought) costumes will be flame-retardant,” Augello said.
If you’re making a costume, use pajamas or fabric intended for pajamas, which will have this added protection, he said.
Throw Down Your Arms
No young commando or warrior wants to explore without a gun or a sword. But roughhousing -- or stumbling over unfamiliar ground -- packs the potential for injury when accessories are made of hard material such as wood, metal or plastic.
Augello said he’s seen his share of toy guns where children have removed the orange cap on the end to make them look real.
In the dark on a night already primed for scares, this can pose a danger.
"Let’s use some common sense here,” he said. “Don’t alter it from what the manufacturer had designed.”
If the costume requires a weapon, use one made of foam, cardboard or other flexible material.
Best Foot Forward
Halloween night is not the time to wear new shoes, especially those with high heels.
Besides, Augello explained, your child will already be wearing so many unfamiliar articles of clothing. The shoes should be kept simple.
For comfort and balance, have your little fairy or witch wear flat shoes, which can be adorned with sequins and other details. Sneakers, especially those that light up in the heels, also provide extra visibility.
Safe and Sound
After hearing the officer’s tips, Jorgensen said she plans to place reflective tape over the bones in her older son’s skeleton costume.
She hates to take the Iron Man mask away from her younger son. “He thinks it’s the greatest thing,” she said. But she will cut the eyeholes larger so he can see.
She also is eager to add a key accessory: A light to represent the generator on this superhero’s chest.
- Photo Credit sjlocke/iStockphoto.com
