Halloween is this Saturday and the Mishawaka Police Department issued tips to parents to make sure children stay safe while out trick-or-treating.

• Choose safe costumes for your child that are fireproof and with eye holes good for peripheral vision
• If jack-o-lanterns are on your porch with candles inside, keep them out of the way so children’s costumes aren’t set on fire
• If your child carries a prop with their costume, make sure the tips won’t cause injury if a child should fall
• Before trick-or-treating, make sure your child eats a meal so they are less likely to eat candy before you have the chance to look at it
• If children are unaccompanied by a responsible adult, children should be out during daylight hours.
• When trick-or-treating alone, children should stop by familiar houses in their neighborhood, unless an adult is with them
• Small children should not be allowed to go out alone on Halloween
• Parents should plan a safe route so parents know where older children are located and set a time for when they should return home.
• At intersections, children should cross at the crosswalk and not between parked cars.
• When it gets dark, children should carry a flashlight
• If any candy is opened in your child’s bucket or bag, do not eat it