• Be cautious of strangers: Teach your child to be cautious of strangers. Halloween should be no exception.
  
• Make sure trick-or-treaters travel in pairs/groups: Tell your child not to trick-or-treat alone. Make sure he/she travels with others and have at least one parent present to avoid any potential dangers that may come up unexpectedly.
  
• Inspect candy before eating it: Sifting through the mounds of candy that fill your child’s shopping bag or pillowcase is not always an easy task, but discard anything unwrapped or suspicious in case of tampering.
  
• Never go inside a house, only accept treats in the doorway: By distancing themselves from strangers, children are less vulnerable.
  
• Get costumes, masks, beards and wigs made of flame-resistant fabrics: Costumes are not always made well. They can easily flare up around lighted candles, not to mention rip, tear, or get caught. Make sure the face and body can easily be seen and don’t leave your child’s costume dragging underneath their feet.
  
• Carry a flashlight: No one wants to get lost in the dark, especially on Halloween when the streets are crowded with trick-or-treaters. Teach your child to make sure they can see around them on all sides.
  
• Walk, don't run: To avoid tripping over uneven sidewalks and driveways, tell your child to walk at a slow pace.
  
• Obey traffic signals: Collecting their favorite treats can divert children’s attention from traffic signals and signs. Emphasize the importance for your child to stay alert.
  
• Stay in familiar neighborhoods: In case they get lost, at least they’ll know the surroundings or have neighbors close by who can walk them home. An alternative to walking the neighborhood is to look for safe places that offer a trick-or-treat experience like your local mall or community center.
  
• Wear costumes with reflective markings or tape: Many costumes are dark and cannot be seen by a passerby. Avoid a collision by having your child wear a light colored costume that can be seen from a distance.
  
• Carry quarters to call home or a cell phone: In case children get lost from their group, they must have a way of getting in touch with someone.
  
• Always use common sense: If children think something is suspicious or have an uneasy feeling about their surroundings, teach them to use good judgment.

Mix up the fun with classic Halloween movies. Instead of sitting through Halloween I, Friday the 13th, and Freddy Krueger, rent Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and Hocus Pocus for kids. These favorite children’s books and videos are sure to promote a safe and fun holiday for the whole family.

Parties in the home are also a good way to create a safe environment because you are protected within your own home. Fun finger foods shaped as ghosts and goblins, and game teasers like “Pin the Tail on the Witch” can bring the magic of Halloween to your living room. Girl Scouts around the country will be having their own special parties on this day since it is the birthday of our founder, Juliette Gordon Low. Juliette Gordon Low was not only a wonderfully imaginative woman who believed in service to community and self-reliance for girls, but she also understood the importance of having fun.

For more information, call Girl Scouts of Nassau County at 516/741-2550.