Halloween is such a fun holiday for the entire family. Both kids and adults love going into the costume section of stores and giggle at the wide-variety of fun, cute and spooky holiday accessories. But the Halloween season can be a bit dangerous, too. Here are a few tips to keep your family – and visiting trick-or-treaters- safe.

• Be mindful of candle and light bulb placement. This time of year, many of us like to burn candles to make our homes feel more comfortable and welcoming, but loose clothing, especially the arms of costumes, can easily catch fire. Additionally, the fall decorations we use inside the house – straw, dried flowers and crepe paper – are all highly flammable. Same goes for light bulbs because they are hot when they are on, and any of the above-mentioned decorations can also heat up to the point they catch on fire.
• Keep entrance to your home clutter-free. Young and anxious trick-or-treaters often trip over their own feet – particularly when their slight is limited with masks. On trick or treat night, If your walkway or porch are cluttered with fall decorations, think about widening the path to your door, so trick-or-treaters are less likely to hurt themselves.
• Remove tripping hazards. Because of the extra excitement (and sugar rush), kids often don’t take the logical path from house to house and race through your yard instead. Put away anything they could trip over, such as garden hoses, tools and bikes.
• Outdoor lighting. Strobe lights and other scary lights are fun, but make sure that any electrical devices you put outside are safe for outdoor use.
• Use reflective tape on costumes, shoes and loot bags to keep your trick-or-treaters highly visible.
• Look both ways. If your kids are walking door-to-door, remind them to look both ways before crossing the street, and if you are driving your kids from house to house, be extra careful when you pull out from the curb. Kids are everywhere!

The team at Metzler Home Builders wishes you an enjoyable Halloween season!