Trick or treating is a fun Halloween tradition that kids love every year. However, there are a few things to consider beforehand. Here are our favourite tips to make sure your kids have a spook-tacular day!

1) Costume

If you're looking for a traditional spooky costume at a low price, try this skeleton costume, it's super simple and classic! We also love this witch outfit, which is adorable as well as scary. This bat cape makes a super easy costume for time-pressed parents, all you need to do is add black trousers. If you're extra creative, you could always try a DIY outfit. We love this zombie outfit by Betz White. It's super easy to make and perfect for parents on a budget, and can always be made with clothes your kids already have. Add some fake blood to make it extra scary!

2) Costume Safety

Fire Safety Fire is one of the largest dangers while trick or treating. With many houses having carved pumpkins or lanterns decorating their gardens, make sure your costumes aren't completely flammable. If your child is wearing a dress or cape, make sure that they're a suitable length and don't drag across the floor, risking setting alight if they stand too close to a pumpkin! Hemming costumes prevents danger and also means your kids are less likely to trip up and hurt themselves. Shoes While sandals might look lovely with your daughter's witch costume, you should try and stick to trainers or canvas shoes. These are much more practical and will make sure your kids are comfortable. Before they leave, double tie their laces to prevent them from tripping over. Makeup and Face Paint Test out any products you're directly applying to your children's skin by doing a patch test around 48 hours before full use. Toy Weapons Make sure any weapons your kids have in their costumes are safe, you don't want anyone's child getting a devil's fork to the eye! Many plastic weapons can be replaced with foam ones, which are much safer, or just not used. If you want to be extra savvy, try making your own weapons out of cardboard.

3) Be Seen in the Dark

Late October nights are short, which means kids will probably be out after dark. It is important to make sure your kids are equipped with torches. We also recommend trying to co-ordinate some reflective accessories into their outfits to help them be seen by passing vehicles. We suggest adding reflective stickers to kids' Halloween baskets or giving your kids glow sticks to wear as bracelets or necklaces. Not only will this help them stay safe, but it will make their Halloween even more fun! This DIY glow-in-the-dark skeleton costume by Hello Bee is super simple and keeps kids safe, too! It also works amazingly with glow-in-the-dark face paints. Face paints will help kids be seen and are super fun.

4) Stranger Danger

We always tell our kids to stay away from strangers, so why does this go out of the window on Halloween night? Make sure your kids are safe by only letting them go to houses of people you know and trust. This prevents any nasty surprises and possibly even worse. If you live in a close-knit community, letting your kids roam around with some friends is probably fine; however, if you live in a big city or don't know all your neighbours, make sure kids only go to houses that you've approved beforehand. If you want to make sure they're extra safe, go with them. Depending on their age, your kids might find it a bit embarrassing being with a parent, but it's definitely better to be safe than sorry!

5) Knock Knock

If you do let your children have free rein over the neighbouring streets, make sure they don't pester anyone who doesn't want to be pestered. Make sure your kids stay away from houses with 'no trick or treating' signs. If they knock on a door once and no-one answers, make sure they don't keep knocking!.

6) Inviting Friends

Nothing excites kids more than a fun invite for an evening with their friends! This 'Haunted House' invite sets the tone for a spooky party. If you want to involve trick or treating in your Halloween party, make sure to mention a specific time for the kids to meet. Featured design: 'Haunted House'

7) 'Treat' Ideas

Whilst this blog is all about preparing your kids for trick or treating, remember that other kids will knock at your door, too! Stock up on treats beforehand so nobody is left disappointed. Below, we have included a list of our favourite treat ideas, including non-edible options. Sweets Sweets are the highlight of Halloween for many kids, but they can be expensive. Rather than buying sweets individually, buy multi-packs like these Mars Fun Size Party Mix and these Haribo Star Mix, as this works out much cheaper. If you buy large packets of sweets, make sure they are wrapped individually! For something extra spooky, try these pumpkin-shaped chocolates or these eyeball lollipops. Toys Everyone knows kids love stickers. A spooky set of stickers, like these, are perfect for a low-cost treat and will make kids smile. Likewise, temporary tattoos are also a favourite. Eyeball bouncy balls will make kids laugh, too. If you want to buy a range of toys at a low price, this Halloween toy assortment is ideal.

8) Fill Up

For parents, kids that are full of E numbers can be one of the scariest sights on Halloween! Prevent a sugar overdose by feeding your kids a filling dinner before trick or treating begins. We have found some ideas for meals that keep the spooky spirit going. Spider Pizzas This recipe by BBC Good Food is perfect for kids on Halloween. Making pizzas keeps them busy and entertained before they dress up. These ones have a spooky feel, with the tomato sauce looking like blood and the creepy spiders made out of vegetables! Hot Dog Mummies Wrap hot dogs with long strips of pastry to create these hot dog mummies (recipe by Yummy Healthy Easy). These tasty treats make a healthier alternative to sausage rolls and are much more fun for kids. Pair these with some classic tomato soup for a bloody twist. Go on and treat them, it's the only time of year we encourage kids to play with their food! Spooky Smileys Most kids are a fan of classic potato smileys. Add a Halloween twist by making them out of sweet potato. They look just like tiny pumpkins and are super healthy and delicious. This recipe by Live Eat Learn also has potato ghosts and beetroot witch hats.

9) Sweet Safety

When your child comes home with a basket full of sweets, give them an inspection before letting them scoff their faces! Having dodgy treats is rare, but does happen. Check for holes in wrappers or discolouration, and throw out anything that isn’t wrapped. If your child has any common allergies, double-check the ingredients of shop-bought treats and skip homemade ones. Finally, if you have young children, remove food that could be a choking hazard (such as boiled sweets and lollies).

10) Road Safety

Make sure you inform your kids all about road safety before they go. Children can become very excited and want to run around, which can be dangerous if you live near busy roads. Make sure your children keep their torches on at all times and they look both ways before crossing any roads. If your kids are under 12, it is best to either go with them or send a responsible older sibling or friend. It is also important as an adult to remember to drive carefully and slowly, as a child could run out into the road at any time. Remember that although you can see them, they might not see you!

Looking for your perfect Halloween party theme? We take a look at three of our favourite themes that will help you host a frighteningly fun party this year!

Haunted Halloween House

A haunted house is a great theme that lets you get creative. It's a big favourite for all ages, too! Featured Design: 'Haunted House - Halloween Party Invitation' Use creepy decorations to turn your house into a spooky manor with surprises around every corner. Start with gravestones in the garden to set the tone. Inside, decide how many rooms the guests will visit and decorate them. You might use a variety of props, or theme each room separately. For example, make the dining room a gruesome kitchen with snacks like eyeball cake-pops and slime punch... ...While hosting games in a deadly dungeon-themed living room, with skeletons and chains. Add some music and sound effects for an unforgettable party night!

Gothic Elegance

Want a refined adults-only party? This theme is perfect for an Autumn evening occasion. Decorate with dark silky tablecloths, mysterious wilted roses, and intricate vintage lace. Skulls and cobweb-covered Gothic candlesticks add to the creepy atmosphere! Focus on elegance and macabre Victorian style to pull this theme together. Have a devilish dinner party with dark twists at every turn. These toffee apples make the ideal dessert, while a posh pumpkin dish could provide the perfect main course. And who could resist these striking blood-red cocktails?

Zombie Outbreak

This terrifying theme is very trendy, but it's not for the faint of heart! Featured Design: 'Zombie - Ready to Write Halloween Party Invitation' Decorate your venue with quarantine signs, some fake blood splatters (for older party-goers), and zombie cutouts. Why not close off rooms in the house with some warning tape for a fun touch? We love these simple DIY zombie barricades - they're cheap and easy to make, but look so effective! And guests will love how unique they look. There's also no shortage of ghoulish food ideas. If you want something to gross out your guests, try a melon brain. But, if you want something a bit tamer, these creepy undead cupcakes have just the right amount of spook-factor! Add a few biohazard signs to your buffet to really set the tone! You can also get creative with party favours. Give guests 'survival kits' filled with sweets labelled 'antidote' and novelty IV bags.

Your turn to host the Halloween party for the kids? Under pressure to produce something at least as good as super-mum next door’s event last year? Not got hours to spend baking like Mary Berry and handcrafting like Kirstie Allsopp? Then you’ll love these handy tips for time-pressed parents!

Halloween Party Invitations

Find some spooktacular invitations! Kids will love bright Halloween colours and cartoon monsters. Add the time and location, along with a fun reminder for the guests to dress in their best costumes. Featured Designs: 'Kids Halloween Party Invitation' and 'Spooky Ghosts Party Invitation'

Decorations

Make cheap supermarket decorations look good by sticking to one theme and playing it to the max. Whether it’s graveyard and ghosts or pumpkins and monsters, carry the theme through the whole party. One of the easiest party themes to create is a spider’s lair. Just drape cobweb around the room and add plastic spiders. Not for the squeamish, but very effective, especially when combined with spooky lights.

Entertainment

The internet is awash with ideas for Halloween party games - most of which seem to require a week’s preparation, outstanding crafting skills, and materials only found after hours of searching online. Fortunately, some old favourites will come to your rescue. Bobbing for apples is very easy to set up, and by carving Jack O' Lantern faces in the fruit, you can add a seasonal twist. Just make sure you have plenty of towels handy! And it’s easy to convert popular party games for Halloween. Turn 'pin the tail on the donkey' into 'pin the hat on the witch' for a quick and fun game. Use a Halloween-themed playlist for musical statues or musical chairs. Instead of a treasure hunt, have a Spider Hunt – hide plastic spiders all around the room and send the kids to hunt them down. You can do this in teams or individually. Alternatively, use Halloween sweets, like these jelly spiders! And lastly, finish up with a fancy dress competition with sweet prizes for the winners.

Food

If you want to create home-cooked food without spending a week in the kitchen, check out these ghoulish treats! Older kids will love the sheer yuk-factor of these severed finger hot dogs. Or how about a frighteningly delicious pizza? Creative toppings transform a simple pizza into an eye-catching Halloween snack. What's a party without a cake? Get some creepy cake toppers for a quick and easy bake. You can also use them on individual cupcakes. If you want to have a go at baking your own devilish dessert, this stunning ghost cake is surprisingly simple to make!