Above / Last weekend youngsters costumed as classic characters from the Wizard of Oz enjoyed activities dedicated to the season throughout downtown Naperville. Be prepared throughout the City when the doorbell rings this Saturday between 4 and 8PM. There’s no place like home!
City provides “downloadable, printable” signs for residents to welcome or politely turn away trick-or-treaters amid pandemic. Cheers to welcome!
This year, Halloween falls on Sat., Oct. 31, which means it’s time for residents to prepare for little goblins and ghosts to be out for a night of fun in our community. There is no City ordinance in Naperville designating official trick-or-treating hours for children, but the Naperville Police Department would like to offer these Halloween safety tips to ensure that Halloween is a safe, fun and festive time for all.
Tips for all to celebrate safely
Residents
- Familiarize yourself with guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine whether you/your family will participate in Trick-or-Treating this year.
- Visit www.naperville.il.us/halloween for more COVID-related guidance.
- Consider using signs on your window or door to indicate whether or not you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters this Halloween. Free signs from the City of Naperville can be downloaded and printed here or picked up at the Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St.
- Report any suspicious or criminal activity to the Naperville Police Department immediately by dialing 911.
Motorists
- Exercise extreme caution when driving a vehicle, especially during the popular trick-or-treating hours of 4 to 8PM.
- Be on the alert for excited youngsters, whose vision may be obscured by masks, darting out into traffic.
- Enter and exit driveways with caution.
- Drive sober or get pulled over.
- Avoid distractions.
Dressing up safely
- Make sure costumes are flame retardant.
- Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls and contact with flames.
- Per the CDC, a Halloween costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask or face covering. Costume masks can be used if it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose.
- If face coverings are worn under costume masks, please make sure it does not create breathing problems. If it does, discard the costume mask.
- Avoid costumes that are overly scary or that require “weapons” of any kind.
- Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes. Glow sticks and flashlights are also fun ways to light the way.
Safety First
- It is recommended that young children end trick-or-treating when it begins to get dark. Older children should be in by 8PM.
- Do not allow children to trick-or-treat alone but keep groups small and maintain a safe distance from other groups when travelling from house to house.
- If older children are going Trick-or-Treating without you, create a map of a safe trick-or-treating route in familiar areas. It is always best to keep the activity to your own neighborhood. Agree on a specific time they should be home as well as pre-set check in times.
- Do not go inside anyone’s home. Remain on the porch at all times.
- Parents should know where registered sex offenders live to avoid placing children in a risky situation. Visit the City of Naperville website at www.naperville.il.us/NPDinvestigations to find a link to registered sex offender information, searchable by location.
- Do not accept rides from anyone, including people you know, without checking first with a trusted adult.
- Children should remember to look both ways before crossing the street and to cross at corners only. Use sidewalks, not the street, for walking. Be sure to “Stop, Look and Listen.” Never run between parked vehicles.
- Do not take shortcuts through back yards, alleys or parks.
- Carry a cell phone for quick communication and review how to call 911.
Treats
- Do not give homemade or unwrapped treats to children.
- An adult should inspect all candy in a well-lit place and discard any homemade or unwrapped treats.
- Eat only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers.
Finally…
