This weekend, kids and parents will be negotiating the aisles of stores, rummaging through the play clothes and raiding mom’s costume jewelry and make-up to construct the perfect Halloween costume.
Growing up we all had the costume made out of a cardboard box that would not allow us to turn, bend, walk or even see where we were going. Now that you are a parent, help prevent your child from being injured because of an unsafe costume.
When selecting a costume make sure to follow these guidelines.
- Costumes should be short and snug – baggy sleeves or billowy capes and skirts can trip children and catch fire if they brush against jack-o-lanterns or candle flames.
- Shoes should fit – big, floppy shoes (clown shoes or adult shoes) can be hard to walk in and may make your child fall.
- Costume props need to be flexible – costume props can hurt your child if they fall. Make sure swords, knives, etc. are made of flexible plastic or rubber.
- Eyeholes in masks need to be wide enough – make sure masks fits properly and the eye holes allow children to see fully. Even better, paint your child’s face instead of wearing a mask.
- Drivers need to be able to see costumes in the dark – choose a glow-in-the- dark costume or attach retro-reflective tape or stickers to the costume. Take a flashlight with you when trick-or-treating.
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