How can you keep your kids safe while allowing them some neighborhood fun during the holiday? Here are some suggestions:
Mask Up
The Halloween mask has a whole new meaning this year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The good news is that it is fairly easy to make the medical mask part of kids’ costumes.
Skip the Candy Bowl
A communal candy bowl that children can reach into is probably not a good idea this year, unless you are the only one dipping in to it to hand out treats. Still, the six-foot and contact-free social distancing guidelines will be hard to maintain if you choose to go this route.
Forget the Front Door
Consider creating a “grab and go” table outside lined with individually-wrapped treats so you can watch everyone safely from a distance. You can even make little individual baggies containing multiple wrapped treats if you like to get elaborate. Keep the treats spaced out and set up hand sanitizer on the table for yourself and others to use regularly.
Just Visit Friends
Instead of hitting as many houses as possible for maximum candy load, this year you may want to limit trick-or-treating to the neighbors you know.
Let the Candy Sit
It goes without saying that you’ll want your kids to keep individually-wrapped candy only and throw the rest out. But if you want to be on the even-safer side, you may want to allow your children’s collected candy to sit for 48 to 72 hours to keep the chances of spreading coronavirus fairly low. You can let your kids eat some of your own candy in the meantime.
