The Halloween season is here. Whether you celebrate Halloween or not, check out these Halloween safety tips to ensure that all the kids out trick-or-treating have a good time and get home safely.

FOR PARENTS * Prearrange routes with your kids. Know where your kids are going and who your kids are going out with. Agree on a time when your child should be back home.

* Make sure all young children are accompanied by at least one, or preferably two adults. If your children are going up to the doors without you, make sure to maintain visual contact with them and keep within hearing distance.

* Organize a parents' community walk for the evening - and why not get into the spirit of Halloween by dressing up too?

* Make sure you know exactly what your children are wearing when they go out Trick or Treating. If anyone goes missing you need to be able to give a good description of your child and their clothing.

* Make sure your kids know the difference between trick or treating and vandalism. They should respect the property of the person they are visiting.

* Instruct your kids NOT to eat treats until they get back home. Then you can check the treats. When checking treats, throw away any loose candy, and any wrapped items that appear to have been tampered with. Discard any homemade treats unless they have been made by someone you know. Not everyone out there has your kids' fun in mind.

COSTUME SAFETY * Halloween costumes should be made of flame resistant material.

* Since your kids will be out after dark, make the costume is bright. Costumes that glow in the dark or glow brightly in dim lighting are excellent choices.

* Make sure that underneath that ghost costume your child is warm enough. Kids should dress warmly for the weather.

* Avoid using high heeled shoes - your child may trip over and fall down steps. Remember it is dark, and if they are out for a while, they need to stay comfortable.

* If your costume includes "weapons" like swords or knives, make sure they are flexible and can do no harm.

* If your child is wearing a mask, make sure they understand that they MUST take it off before crossing any roads.

* Put a name, phone and address tag somewhere on your kids' costume, in case they get lost.

* If Trick or Treaters need lights, make sure they are using flashlights. NOT candles. A flashlight held under the chin pointing upwards will make your child look suitably scary when they ring doorbells, but a candle is dangerous.

FOR RESIDENTS BEING VISITED BY KIDS

* Indicate your willingness to join in the festivities by displaying pumpkins, jack o' lanterns etc. in your windows or on your porch.

* Remove obstacles from your lawns and steps so that kids won't trip over them. Make sure the outside of your house is well lit.

* When choosing Halloween treats, consider items other than candy, like stickers, erasers, pens, crayons etc. If you do get candy, make sure it is in sealed bags for safety.

* Consider dressing up for Halloween even if you are not going out. It is great fun to answer the door to masked kids if YOU look even more scary!

* Be careful how you drive on Halloween. Expect excited kids to be running out from behind parked cars and drive accordingly.

* Don't be a killjoy. If you don't celebrate Halloween and you get called on by mistake, there is no need to call the Police, or rain on the kids' parade. Rather than telling those smiling faces "Halloween is the Devil’s work and you will all burn in hell!", try instead: "Sorry kids, but this household does not celebrate Halloween."

* Keep your family pets indoors on Halloween. They are likely to be terrified of the masked groups of children (and adults!) rushing about the neighborhood shrieking.

FOR KIDS * Don't forget to say thank you for any treats you are given. You may be a witch, a monster, a vampire, a ballet dancer, a pokemon or a cowboy, but be a POLITE one!

* Stick together in a group. Make sure you are never alone at any time. Carry plenty of flashlights and be seen!

* Be wary of strangers, walking the streets. Remember a stranger is anyone that your parents or teachers have NOT told you is OK. Don't be scared of strangers, just be careful!

* Not everyone celebrates Halloween. Neighbors who are celebrating the Halloween festivities indicate this by decorating their windows or doors with Halloween symbols - pumpkins, bats, etc. These people are inviting kids to visit. It's better not to go trick or treating to houses that don't display these signs. If you do you may end up upsetting someone.

* Don't stop to chat with strangers driving cars around the neighborhood, don't accept treats from drivers and never get into a stranger's car.

* Never go inside someone's house. It's better to wait on the doorstep.

* Be aware of basic road safety. Cross streets only at corners, don't rush out from between parked cars, and watch out for cars pulling into driveways.

* Respect other people's property - don't trample through their gardens.

Colin Gabriel Hatcher may be contacted at http://www.safetyed.org colinhatcher@safetyed.org. Click here to view more of their articles.
Englishman Colin Gabriel Hatcher, a Silicon Valley California attorney and lifelong volunteer youth worker, is the innovative mastermind behind SafetyEd International. With 21 years experience in education, 12 years experience as a Martial Arts Instructor (he holds 5 black belts), 11 years of computer experience, and over 7 years working in internet related safety, child protection and child advocacy, Colin is an accomplished expert researcher and writer in the internet field, as well as being an expert in internet and cyberspace law.