Stay bright
It may be dark outside when you go trick-or-treating, says Chrissy Cianflone, spokesperson for Safe Kids USA. If you can't convince your kid that there's a secret order of ninjas who wear only yellow, trim his costume and booty bag with reflective tape so he'll be visible to drivers.

Keep costumes short
Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries, so watch out for long hems.

Save face
A mask can block your child's peripheral vision (and can be a suffocation hazard for infants). Stick with nontoxic face paint instead.

Go with them
Kids under 10 aren't old enough to trick-or-treat alone, says Cianflone. Carry a flashlight with you and have your kids hold glow sticks (trust us, this one's a snap).

Walk on
Enforce a strict "no running" rule, and use the sidewalk. If there isn't one, walk on the street facing traffic, as far to the left as possible. Cross the street at crosswalks, says Cianflone. "Kids are twice as likely to be struck and killed by an automobile on Halloween than on any other night." 

Be neighborly
Trick-or-treat in a familiar neighborhood. Stick to the homes of people you know when you can and never let your kids enter alone.

Fill up first
Feed your kids a hearty, early dinner so they're not too tempted to sneak treats on the go.

Check it out
Look over all candy before your kids dig in to make sure it's in original, unopened wrappers. Tots under 3 are at increased risk of choking, so remove any hard or gummy candies and chewy bars made with caramel, nuts, marshmallows, or raisins. (You can save those for yourself!)

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