KidsHealth.org, the most-visited Web site for children’s health information, offers these safety tips to help make this year’s Halloween festivities a trick-free treat:

Trouble-free trick-or-treating

¢ Accompany young children under the age of 10 on their rounds, and try to go early before it gets too dark.

¢ For older kids going out on their own, be sure they carry a cell phone, if possible, go in a group and stay together, only go to houses with porch lights on, and carry a flashlight with new batteries.

¢ If kids want to visit neighborhoods other than your own, be sure to stress the rules about strangers.

¢ Check all treats to make sure there are no signs of tampering and throw out loose candy, spoiled items and any homemade treats.

¢ Make sure your home is safe by removing anything that might obstruct your walkway, providing a well-lit entrance, and keeping pets away from trick-or-treaters, even if they seem harmless to you.

Pumpkin-carving protection

¢ Children should never handle knives. Instead, let them draw their designs on the pumpkin and then you do the carving.

¢ If your kids beg to remove the guts of the pumpkin – as many do – let them get messy by scooping out the flesh with their hands or an ice cream scoop instead of a knife.

¢ A burning candle in a pumpkin may become a blazing fire if left unattended. Use a glow stick (available in many colors) to safely illuminate your jack-o’-lantern.