Instruct children trick or treating on their own to not run through yards, to visit homes on one side of a street at a time and to carry or wear an ID tag. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings and cautious of strangers. Don't allow children to eat their candy as they trick or treat. Inspect the treats at home, throwing away any unwrapped or partially opened candy. Offer your visitors individually wrapped treats.
Some households offer health treats or small gifts, like pencil erasers, as alternatives.
Once the kids have returned home with their Halloween loot, there are a few ways parents can monitor their candy consumption. Collect their candy and regulate how much candy each child receives each day. Allow your children to keep a certain amount of candy for themselves and share the rest with a community organization. If you are trusting, tell your children you know they won't eat too much and allow them to control how much candy they eat. Although older children look forward to being spooked on Halloween, younger children need reminding that the day is full of pretend.