[printer friendly (text) page]

Halloween Safety Project Ideas

Unfortunately, Halloween can be a frightening and troublesome time when Devils' Night and other pranks get in the way of candy, costume parties, pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples.

Keeping kids safe during the Halloween season is a task all communities take seriously. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (www.cdc.gov), approximately four times as many children ages 5-14 are killed while walking on Halloween evening than on other nights of the year. With Halloween just around the corner, community character education projects that address Halloween safety are timely.

Consider implementing any of these community safety projects that promote positive character traits and help keep children stay safe during this Halloween season:

Elementary School Project:
On Halloween night, when kids take to the streets and go door-to-door for tricks and treats, it is imperative that children exercise caution and that community members practice safety measures such as safe driving, keeping sidewalks free of debris and making sure that front porches and door steps are well-lit to prevent trips and falls. Elementary students can help educate the community about these safety measures by sponsoring a poster contest in the school. Once the posters are completed, students can partner with public safety organizations such as the police, fire and EMS departments to distribute the posters throughout the community and post them in places where people are most likely to view them.

Middle School Project:
Children who will be trick-or-treating after dusk should have reflective tape on their costumes and carry flashlights. Unfortunately, not all parents can afford to purchase these items for their children at Halloween. For some families, even purchasing a Halloween costume for their children and candy for trick-or-treaters is a hardship. An important service-learning project that involves collecting donated flashlights and reflective tape and distributing the items to parents who cannot afford them would help teach students about compassion, kindness, sharing and citizenship. Students can solicit donations of these items from local hardware and home improvement stores, or they could sponsor a community-wide effort to collect these items. There is nothing wrong with used flashlights being donated! And don't forget that flashlights need batteries!

High School Project:
As people carve their pumpkins and illuminate them for the Halloween season, there are many fire safety tips that everyone should be made of aware of and practice. Students can partner with the local fire department and help spread the word about these important fire safety issues. For example, the safest candle to place in a carved pumpkin is a votive candle, and lighted pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended. By helping spread the word about Halloween fire safety tips, students will develop positive character traits such as responsibility and citizenship.

Grant Opportunities provide additional project ideas >>