Halloween 2012: Trick or Treat Hours; Safety Tips

The costumes are chosen and the kids are just itching to get out and collect the Halloween candy and treats.

Before heading out on Halloween it’s good to take some safety precautions and talk with children about staying safe and having a fun time.

Trick-or-treating times in Wheaton are between 3 and 7 p.m., according to the City of Wheaton. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the DuPage County Health Department offer a number of safety tips to make Halloween fun for kids.

General safety guidelines from the CDC:

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see children.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats eaten.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help children see and others see them. Always walk and don't run from house to house.

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Lower the risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Don't stop at dark houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

In addition, the DuPage County Health Department offers some safety tips for families and children.

• Parents should warn their children not to eat any of their treats before the parents have inspected all candy to ensure that it is safely sealed and no one has tampered with it.
• Parents should be especially careful with fruit. Wash fruit and cut it open before allowing a child to eat it.
• Parents should also examine any toy or novelty items received by children in place of candy. 
• Do not allow young children to have any toys or novelty items which are small enough to present a choking hazard or which have small parts or components that could separate and become choking hazards.

The following treats should be discarded:

• All unwrapped or partially unwrapped treats
• Any food that looks homemade
• Any treats that appear to be stale or spoiled
• Packages that have puncture holes

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