COUNTY LIFE
Safety steps for spooky fun
(Family Features) Traditional family activities like trick-or-treating create fun moments and memories, but the effects of COVID-19 on this Halloween will bring about change for the spooky excitement.
You can still ensure a special night for your little ones and all the ghouls, goblins and ghosts in your neighborhood by following safety measures aimed at keeping everyone healthy on All Hallows’ Eve. Consider these tips for safe trick-or-treating from the experts at the National Safety Council and leading candy maker, Mars Wrigley.
Before
- Buy individually wrapped candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Fun-size packs are one of the easiest forms of candy for trick-or-treaters to grab and go.
- Create fun, individual candy goody bags for a no-touch option for trick-or-treaters.
- Make sure your yard is well-lit; replace any burnt-out light bulbs.
- Create signs encouraging trick-or-treaters to stay 6 feet apart and display them in your yard.
- Don’t hand out treats if you are not feeling well.
- Consider socially distanced options such as “trunk-or-treating,” during which prepackaged goodies are handed out, or a virtual costume parade. Alternately, you can use a tool like Mars Wrigley’s “TREAT TOWNTM,” an app-based digital experience for families to virtually trick-or-treat for real candy. It offers Halloween fans of all ages the ability to create personalized spooky avatars, customized decorations for your in-app “door” and the ability to “knock” on the doors of friends and family across the country. Visit Treat-Town.com to find more information.
During
- Make trick-or-treating care packs with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and extra face masks.
- Help little ones clean their hands throughout the night.
- Maintain a distance of 6 feet from other groups of trick-or-treaters, allowing one group to collect candy at a time.
- Wear face masks and reflective tape or clothing and carry flashlights or glow sticks if you’re walking in the dark.
- Do “mask checks.” Stop in a safe place and make sure young children’s masks are covering their mouths and noses.
- Use sidewalks and crosswalks. Don’t cross the street between cars and be as visible as possible as drivers may be distracted.
- Consider setting up a grab-and-go “candy corner” for visitors, inclusive of hand sanitizer and treats.
After
- Wash your hands when you get home.
- Sanitize candy wrappers before eating or let it sit for 24 hours.
- Follow the “when in doubt, throw it out” rule. Throw away any candy that is open, ripped or has torn packaging, an unusual appearance or pinholes. Discard any homemade items made by people you don’t know.
- Watch for choking hazards. If you have a young child, make sure candy he or she collected isn’t a choking hazard. If it is, discard it.
- Keep candy away from pets, especially chocolate and sugar-free gum, which can be poisonous for your furry friends.
Handing Out Treats from Home
If you’re staying home to hand out treats to the superheroes, ghosts, princesses and other little guests that arrive on your doorstep, consider these ideas to encourage safety and fun:
- Minimize the number of hands reaching into a bowl. Find fun, hands-free ways to give candy to trick-or-treaters. You can place candy on your lawn or driveway, so trick-or-treaters don’t have to crowd around your front door, touch handrails or knock.
- Move out of the way any items that children could trip over and keep pets inside.
- Stand outside when handling treats, wear a mask and use hand sanitizer often. Consider keeping a large bottle of sanitizer near you for visitors to use as well.
- Allow one small group at a time at your door.
- Give out one set of treats at a time to minimize hands reaching into a common bowl. For example, fun-size packs of treats like M&M’s and SNICKERS offer plenty of options and are easy for trick-or-treaters to grab and go.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
SOURCE:
Mars Chocolate North America
COUNTY LIFE
Get ready to track Santa via NORAD on Christmas Eve
Visit noradsanta.org to track Santa as he heads out on his worldwide trek tomorrow night. The site has games and other fun activities for the entire family before the kids head off to bed and sleep before the Big Guy arrives in Texas.
COUNTY LIFE
Santa Claus makes a stop at Bowie Elementary
COUNTY LIFE
Bowie fish fry to assist youth fair sales on Jan. 4
Enjoy a fish fry and live music concert on Jan. 4 all to support the 4-H and FFA youth of Montague County as they compete in the annual youth fair.
The annual Bowie fish fry for the Bowie buyers group will begin serving at 5:30 p.m. at the Bowie Community Center. Cost is $10 per plate. There will be a live auction at 7 p.m.
The evening’s concert will feature Dax Davis. Live music begins at 8:30 p.m. with the Davis concert at 9:30 p.m. Cost for the concert is $25 per ticket and $20 for a student, or $300 for a reserved table for eight.
Tickets are available at Fashion Floors, 202 N. Smythe or call 872-2468.
-
NEWS2 years ago
2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS1 year ago
Suspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS2 years ago
SO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS2 years ago
Wreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS1 year ago
Murder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS2 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS2 years ago
Bowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint