We feel like little kids when we decorate our front yard for Halloween. But there are real dangers lurking around all those spider webs and flying bats. It’s important to be aware of Halloween decorating safety tips that can help you reduce those hazards.
If you plan on trick-or-treating from your yard to your front door, you need to look at everything from a young child’s point of view. When they run out the door on Halloween night, will they see the talking skeleton’s power cord lying on the sidewalk? Will they notice the real candle burning in the pumpkin by the door? Will they make sure her vampire cape or princess robes don’t get anywhere near her, or will they just think about putting the candy in her bag?
If you have electrical decorations, make sure the wires are secure and that no one can trip over them. Kids don’t always use sidewalks, so don’t leave those strings lying anywhere in the way of those little feet.
Use the battery operated candles in the pumpkins or other decorations that are on the way to your door or on the porch near the door. Real candles should only be used where children will not get near them and you can keep an eye on the decoration/pumpkin with the candle. It’s up to you to think about the dangers before you light those candles.
If you use fairy lights in your front yard, you want to make sure they are bright enough for good visibility on the way to your door. Make sure all your decorations are away from the main walking path. You don’t want any kids tripping over them.
Those spider webs and bats that fly out of nowhere when kids come up on your porch may seem like fun to you, but they can be really scary to some kids. They can run away screaming. That is where you need to make sure that there are no obstacles in his way. It is best to keep most, if not all, decorations in areas of the garden that children cannot mow.
If you’re hosting a party inside your home, Halloween decorating should follow similar tips. Fire is the number one safety issue with home décor. Candles are widely used and without proper precautions fires can occur.
Many decorations are made from dried flowers, corn stalks, crepe paper, and flammable fabrics. These types of materials should be kept away from candles or other open flames, such as fireplaces. They should also be kept away from other sources of heat, such as light bulbs, heaters, televisions, computers, or other electronic equipment that get hot to the touch. This also includes exterior lights.
When setting up your Halloween decorations indoors, ask yourself these questions.
1. Will these candles, when lit, be in a place where someone might trip over them?
2. Are the talking skeleton wires connected securely down or behind furniture?
3. Can that web covering the steps cause someone to trip and fall?
4. Are all exits (doors and/or windows) free of decorations so that they can be used in case of fire?
Use these simple Halloween decorating safety tips to help make the difference between a happy Halloween and a disastrous one.
