If your organization plans to get in on the Halloween festivities with this creative alternative, we have some tips to ensure the safety of all ages as they enjoy the decorations, costumes, candy and good company.
1. Light It Up
Make sure your area is well lit. A large component of safety involves good visibility. Beyond the parking lot lighting, you can help improve visibility while also adding to the festival theme by using string lights, pumpkin lanterns, and even glow sticks.
2. Traffic Flow and Parking
Use cones or even better, volunteers to guide cars into appropriate parking spaces and keep the trunk-or-treat area car free. You might also consider using caution tape and/or construction fencing to make one single ingress/egress point for additional safety.
3. Emergency Preparedness/Lost & Found/Information All In One
Have a designated tent/table (feel free to be creative) with a first-aid kit on hand, and make sure the volunteers are familiar with basic first aid. Enhance the use of this area to include lost and found (including little ones looking for their parents) and even an information center.
4. Keep It Clean
Having hand sanitizing stations scattered throughout the event can help make uncomfortable parents more at ease and help keep everyone healthy. Along with that, place several portable trash cans for those not wanting to wait until they get home to enjoy their goodies.
5. Allergy-Friendly Options
Remember, some kids have food allergies that can turn a treat into a real scare. Offer a variety of goodies, including non-food items like stickers or pencils. A little sign indicating allergy-friendly options can make a big difference.
6. Decoration Decorum
Before the event, be sure everyone knows any rules for decorating and any do’s or don’ts. Decorations for participating vehicles doesn’t have to be difficult – you can purchase inexpensive decorating kits from Amazon or there are a lot of great decorating ideas online.
7. Keeping Control
With excitement can come a bit of chaos. Have volunteers that are qualified for such a task help with crowd control and peacekeeping (not everyone qualifies for this). It may go without saying but since you may have a lot of visitors, reinforcing that volunteers are to smile and be kind is always a good idea.
8. Background Check or Other Screening for Key Volunteers
This might seem a bit of a stretch but only you can identify if this is applicable – but if you have key volunteers who will be in direct contact with children beyond perhaps simply handing out candy, make sure they are approved through your church’s screening process.
9. Plan B
We hope this would not happen but have a plan for inclement weather in case you need to move the event indoors.
10. Feedback and Improvement
After the event, gather feedback from participants and volunteers. What worked? What didn’t work? The goal is to make each year better than the last and that usually only comes with review and honest evaluation.
Following these simple guidelines ensures that the focus stays on fun, creating a positive experience for all participants.
