Trick or Treat! Halloween Safety Skills Kids Can Practice
By Laura Slesar, Director of Kidpower Vermont
Many parents tell kids, “Don’t take candy from strangers.” But on Halloween, we send them out to…take candy from strangers!
How can families make this make sense?
With a little preparation, Halloween can be fun and safe, and the holiday can even provide a great chance to reinforce everyday safety skills. At Kidpower, we believe that children build confidence by practicing what to do in different situations, rather than just memorizing rules. And Halloween offers lots of opportunities to practice!
You Know Your Child Best
Halloween does not have to look the same for every family or for every child in one family.
What would be fun for your child? Are spooky costumes and sounds exciting or overwhelming? Would they enjoy going to a costume party, visiting a haunted house, going trick-or-treating, or staying home to hand out candy?
There are lots of wonderful, kid-friendly Halloween events in our area, so you can choose according to your child’s interests, comfort, and needs. And remember, it's okay to change plans if something isn't working!
Costumes: Fun, Frights, and Flexibility
That amazing costume you’ve spent all week making? Your child may discover that it’s uncomfortable, hard to move in, or creates a sensory challenge. Having a backup plan can save the evening.
Other people’s costumes can also be scary. Remind your child that costumes are pretend, and help them practice setting boundaries:
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“We can turn around or step further away.”
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“You don’t have to get close to someone if you don’t want to.
You can advocate for their boundaries, too: “Small child here! Please wave hello without getting too close.”
And if you know that scary costumes will be a challenge for your child, choose an event where your child can enjoy Halloween without the frights.
Stranger Safety for Halloween
On Halloween, kids encounter lots of unfamiliar (or unfamiliar-looking!) people. How do we explain that it’s suddenly okay to accept candy from strangers?
You don’t have to throw your usual safety rules out the window! Year-round at Kidpower, we teach kids to CHECK FIRST with their adult before talking with someone they don’t know well and before accepting something from them.
On Halloween, you can explain, “Today, while I'm with you, it's okay to talk to people who answer the door and accept their candy.”
You can also clarify boundaries ahead of time: “While we’re trick-or-treating, we’ll stay outside people’s houses.”
Try this: Practice at your own front door before heading out! Take turns pretending to be the trick-or-treater and the person handing out candy. Practice saying “Trick or treat” and “Thank you!”
You can even practice handling unexpected situations:
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If someone invites your child inside: “No, thank you!”
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If someone asks personal questions, like “Where do you live?”: “I’m a dinosaur!”
The sillier the practice, the more fun it can be! And rehearsing what to say helps children feel prepared when they’re out in the neighborhood.
Make a Halloween Safety Plan Together
Getting separated on Halloween isn’t fun for anyone! Crowded sidewalks, exciting decorations, and groups of costumed children can make it easy to lose sight of each other.
Before heading out, talk about how you’ll stay together. How close should your child stay? What should they do if they can’t find you?
For younger children, you might practice a plan like this:
“If you can’t see me, stop moving and call my name loudly. If you still can’t find me, ask a grown-up with children to help you call me. If you can’t find someone to help, wait on the doorstep of the nearest house with lots of decorations and light.”
Identify other safe places or people to ask for help along your route. Make sure children know that it’s okay to be loud, interrupt an adult, and ask for help when they need it.
For older children trick-or-treating without an adult, agree on their route, who they’ll be with, when they’ll check in, and what to do if plans change.
The most important part is to practice the plans before you need them. You can even turn them into a game!
More Than Just Halloween
One of the best things about Halloween is that it gives kids a chance to practice important safety skills while they’re having fun! Saying “No, thank you,” checking with a grown-up, speaking up about something uncomfortable, and asking for help are skills they’ll use long after the costumes are put away.
A little preparation and some playful practice can make Halloween more fun for everyone. Whether your family is trick-or-treating, enjoying one of Vermont’s fall celebrations, or greeting costumed visitors at home, here’s to a Halloween filled with confidence, connection, and fun!
Happy Halloween from Kidpower Vermont!
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About the Author
Laura Slesar is the director of Kidpower Vermont and a certified Kidpower instructor. Since 2007, Kidpower Vermont has helped children, teens, and adults build skills for safety, confidence, and healthy relationships through fun, interactive workshops. Learn more at kidpowervermont.org.
This article was adapted in part from Halloween Safety – The Kidpower Way! by Irene van der Zande, founder and executive director of Kidpower International.
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