How to Get Your Porch Ready for Trick-or-Treaters

Halloween night brings a steady stream of small visitors up your walk, many of them in long costumes and masks, carrying candy buckets and looking anywhere but their feet. A little preparation in the days before makes the porch safer for them and easier for you. Here is a simple plan.

Start with the path

Walk from the sidewalk to your door the way a child would and look for anything they could trip on. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends removing tripping hazards from your porch and yard, such as garden hoses, toys and bikes. It also suggests sweeping wet leaves off sidewalks and steps, since wet leaves are slippery. Ohio State University's agricultural safety program gives a similar reminder for fall decorating: do not block pathways or stairs with pumpkins or cornstalks.

If your steps are full of pumpkins, slide them toward the outside edges and leave a wide, clear lane down the middle. Our post on how to arrange pumpkins on porch steps shows how to keep a full look while leaving room to walk.

Turn the lights on

A lit porch is the signal that trick-or-treaters are welcome. The American Academy of Pediatrics tells families to visit only homes with a porch light on and, ideally, a well-lit path, and it suggests checking outdoor lights and replacing burned-out bulbs ahead of time. Test your porch light and any path lights a day or two before Halloween so you are not hunting for bulbs at dusk.

Light pumpkins without a flame

Jack-o-lanterns are part of the fun, but a candle inside one is an open flame at costume height. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a battery-operated flameless candle, flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle, and it says not to place candlelit pumpkins on a porch or any path where visitors may pass close by. The National Fire Protection Association gives the same advice for jack-o-lanterns and reminds families to teach children to stay away from open flames.

If you are still carving, our post on pumpkin carving basics covers tools and safety.

Watch the cords and decorations

Inflatables, light strings and animated decorations often mean extension cords across the yard. The National Fire Protection Association points out that a yard full of cords can become a tripping hazard. Run cords along the edges of the walk instead of across it, and keep decorations away from light bulbs and other heat sources. The NFPA also says to keep exits clear of decorations, so do not let a display block your front door.

A quick checklist for the afternoon of Halloween

• Clear hoses, toys, bikes and loose rugs from the path

• Sweep leaves off the steps and walk

• Move pumpkins to the outer edges of the steps

• Test the porch light and path lights

• Put battery lights in every jack-o-lantern

• Tuck cords along the edges, away from the walkway

• Set the candy bowl where you can reach it without stepping outside

Think about your pets

A doorbell that rings every few minutes can be a lot for a dog or cat. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests restraining pets so they do not jump on or bite a trick-or-treater. Many pet owners keep the dog in a quiet back room for the evening, which also keeps it from slipping out an open door.

Think about the candy, too

Some children cannot have certain treats. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests considering non-edible goodies, such as small toys or stickers, for trick-or-treaters. Keeping a small bowl of those next to the candy is an easy way to make sure every visitor leaves with something.

After the last knock

When the porch light goes off, switch off the battery lights, unplug the cords and bring the candy bowl inside. Take one last look at the steps so nothing is left where someone could trip on it in the morning. Your whole pumpkins can stay right where they are, since an uncarved pumpkin can keep looking good for weeks.

Questions about your pumpkins?

If you have a pumpkin question we did not cover here, we would be glad to help. Call or text us at (513) 409-0005, or send a message through our contact page. We are a family-run business right here in the Springboro, Dayton and Cincinnati area, and we are always happy to talk pumpkins.