When it comes to the best Halloween around, we all know that Aliso Viejo is a pretty fun city! But we aren’t the only ones; CBS Los Angeles recently named our city as one of the best places to trick or treat in Orange County. Chances are, if you have little ones, you will be out trick or treating Tuesday. As you’ve probably experienced, it is always important to practice safety with the little kids scampering around from house to house.
Here are a few simple ways to ensure safe and fun trick or treating this Halloween!
Bring Flashlights
We are lucky to live in a community with not much light pollution. But those streets and driveways can be dark. Bring mini flashlights for the little ones, and carry one yourself. Don’t rely on the flashlight on your phone, after all, you will probably burn through the battery taking photos and videos. The neighborhood kids usually start the trek around about 6 pm, and they all head towards home around 8 pm. It will be dark outside, so bringing a bit of light will help you guide the kids and can be used as a spotlight if your costumed cutie gets mixed in with the others.
Travel in Groups
Who said trick or treating is only for kids? Having more parents along with the group of kids is important. This will increase the ratio of parents to kids and give you more eyes out there. Your kids are sure to have a great time collecting their buckets of candy, and you can enjoy the stroll and talking with others from the community while ensuring the kids are safe at the same time.
Use Recognizable Candy Totes
Sometimes those jack o’lantern candy buckets and matching princess costumes can cause a bit of confusion when spotting your child in the crowd. A clever trick is to use a brightly-colored tote or a patterned pillowcase as a candy bag instead. This way, when there are four little Princess Elsa’s running about, you can spot that yours has the dinosaur pillowcase in hand. One other tip is to buy a couple of those glow sticks and toss them in the bags. This will help you recognize the bag over the costume.
Have a buddy System
Tell the kiddos to stay with at least one of the other kids at all times. It can be easy for moms and dads to temporarily lose sight of a child in the crowd, especially when they are darting and dashing their way across front lawns and walkways. Make sure they know who their buddy is and that they both feel comfortable with each other.
We hope you have a fun and safe Halloween! See our blog for local events and tips!