We’re eager to return to normal, which may explain why Halloween decorations hit stores even earlier this year and have been selling out fast. But concern for safety still haunts many parents. Here are five fun tips for protecting kids, pets and even helping save the animals in the rainforest, this Halloween.
- Use face masks that double as costumes. From superheroes to monsters, costume-worthy face masks are trending this year, giving you and the kids a spooktacularly simple way to celebrate the holiday.
- Go wild with your candy choices. Treats made with Malaysian certified sustainable palm oil help keep orangutans, elephants and other native rainforest species safe and healthy by funding the efforts of the Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU). “Our Wildlife Rescue Unit works tirelessly to ensure animals’ survival in their native habitat. And Malaysia’s sustainable palm oil industry provides substantial funding for our programs. On behalf of our country’s orangutans, elephants, sun bears and other wildlife, we thank every American consumer who purchases Halloween candy made with certified sustainable palm oil,” says WRU Manager Nathan Sen, DVM. Choose candies made by companies such as Kellogg’s, Hershey, Mars, Nestle, Kraft, PepsiCo, Ghirardelli and Lindt that are committed to using sustainable palm oil.
- Channel your inner mad scientist. Keep kids entertained safely at home by transforming your kitchen into a spooky lab and stocking it with the makings for vampire slime and rice cereal treats to be decorated like Frankenstein.
- Choose your furkids’ costumes wisely. Dressing up your pets for Halloween makes for some great social media photo ops, but stay away from costumes made with choking hazards or that could cause an expensive trip to the emergency vet if they chew on it. And keep curious pets away from candy bowls, which are another risk for Halloween night pet emergencies.
- Consider reverse trick-or-treating. Instead of your kids going door to door, organize a parade of cars to drive through your neighborhood, tossing out treats to costumed children waiting safely in their own front yards. Make the holiday extra spirited by ensuring everyone in each car is also dressed in costume.
Some families plan to teach kids how to make stovetop popcorn made with Malaysian palm oil then watch Halloween movies. But if your little ones are too young for a scary movie marathon, consider driving through a neighborhood that goes all out with outdoor Halloween decorations. While this year’s celebrations may once again be unique, there’s no reason why they can’t still be memorable!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has also created an app to help consumers find products made with sustainable palm oil (Apple, Google Play).
Image by 123RF
