How to Keep Your Yard Safe for Trick-or-Treaters At Halloween

Many people take the time to talk to their children about Halloween safety, and spend lots of time making sure their trick-or-treaters will be safe in their costumes. However, if your house is going to be visited by little ghosts and goblins at Halloween, it's important for you, as a homeowner, to make sure your yard is a safe place for them to walk through.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Time to clean out the yard
• Battery-operated candles
• Glow light sticks

How to Keep Your Yard Safe for Trick-or-Treaters At Halloween

1. Make sure your yard is free of debris and trash. Put away the rake that you used to gather up all of those leaves, and scoop up any pet droppings that may end up on the bottom of a trick-or-treater's shoe. If you have Halloween decorations in the yard, such as a graveyard or other items, make sure there's plenty of lighting so no one trips over wires or stumbles on a dimly lit headstone. Put away all the garden hoses, toys, and other goodies that accumulate in a yard.

2. Put your pets away. Even the most docile domestic animal can be frightened on Halloween. After all, it's a time when normal people suddenly look unfamiliar. Find a quiet room in your house to put your dogs or cats in, and keep them there during the festivities. Don't let them outside at all - a scared pet could bite a trick-or-treating child or dart in front of an oncoming car.

3. Eliminate any candles or open flames from areas where children might be walking. If you have jack-o-lanterns, consider using one of the battery-powered candles or a glow light stick instead of a real flame. If you do wish to use a real candle, make sure the decorations are placed well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking, and that no cloth or paper will blow into the flame. Make sure your driveway, sidewalk and front porch are well lit, especially if your neighborhood has trick-or-treating after dark.

4. Offer non-candy alternatives to your trick-or-treaters. If you plan in advance, you can often order small toys or games in bulk that you can give away. Consider spider rings, rubbery ghosts, Halloween pencils, inexpensive puzzles or notepads. If you want to give out food, keep it healthy. Offer individually wrapped granola bars, fruit roll-ups, or small packets of goldfish crackers.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask parents to be vigilant with their children. If a child is doing something in your yard that has the potential to be dangerous, don't shy away from saying, "Could you please ask little Jimmy not to climb on the wrought-iron fence?" or whatever.
• Once trick-or-treating is over, be sure you bring in any loose items that may be in the yard. If someone comes by after dark, you don't want them hurt because you forgot to put away your Halloween decor.