Make sure young children are accompanied by an adult or responsible teenager when they go door-to-door.
If you can't accompany your children, instruct them to trick-or-treat in their own neighborhood and in well-lighted streets.
If children are going to be out after dark, make sure they carry a flashlight.
Teach your children to use the sidewalks if they can. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the street facing cars.
Know which friends your children will be with and which route they are taking.
Leave your porch light on so children will know it's OK to visit your home.
Instruct children never to eat anything until they are home and the treats have been carefully examined. Cut and wash fruit before eating. Throw away anything unwrapped. Check the wrappers of commercial treats for evidence of tampering. Call the police if there are any suspicious treats.
Teaching your kids basic everyday safety such as not getting into cars or talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing streets and crossing when the lights tell you to, will help make them safer when they are out Trick or Treating.
Explain to children the difference between tricks and vandalism.
Throwing eggs at a house may seem like fun but they need to know the other side of the coin as well, clean up and damages can ruin Halloween. If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they've made.
Explain to your kids that animal cruelty is not acceptable. Kids may know this on their own but peer pressure can be a bad thing. Make sure that they know that harming or mistreating animals is not only morally wrong but punishable by law and will not be tolerated.