Halloween is fast approaching and kids across the country are gearing up for the big thrill of trick-or-treating. Here are some simple safety tips to help ensure your children have a safe and fun Halloween.



When selecting a costume, it's important to choose one that allows your child to see clearly. Instead of a mask, use face paint. It's also a good idea to pick out a bright-colored costume if your child will be trick-or-treating at night. This helps maximize visibility to motorists.

Encourage your child to walk on sidewalks and driveways and only visit houses where the lights are on. Younger children should always be accompanied by an adult and it's best to take the little goblins out earlier in the evening before the streets get too hectic.

If you feel your child is old enough to trick-or-treat without an adult, make sure you remind your child to stay with the group and set an agreed-upon time to be home. Instruct them to stick to familiar neighborhoods, avoid cutting across dark yards and never enter a stranger's home. It's a good idea to equip your child with a flashlight and a cell phone.

Now you may be wondering, how old is too old for trick-or-treating? Let's be frank here. Trick-or-treating adults are just plain creepy. Once you hit your late teens to early 20s, you'll probably start getting some strange looks, so it's best to enjoy the Halloween spirit in a different way. Instead of trick-or-treating, throw a costume party for you and your friends or check out a haunted house.

Planning to bring Fido along trick-or-treating? There are a few important safety tips for dogs as well. Bark Busters, the world's largest dog training company, says Halloween can be spooky and startling not just for you, but for your pup, too. In fact, Bark Busters trainers agree that they hear about more dogs dying or straying during Halloween than any other holiday.

If you do plan to take your dog trick-or-treating, be sure your dog's identification tags are secure and keep a firm grip on the leash. Also keep in mind that your dog may regard family members as strangers when dressed in costumes, so allow your dog to sniff the costumes before kids put them on.

Halloween candy can also pose a serious threat to your furry friend. Many candies, including those made with chocolate or the the artificial sweetener xylitol, are toxic to dogs. Children may try to share candy with the dog, so be sure they are informed of the dangers and told not to do so.

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Wondering where to take your little ghosts and goblins for a Halloween haunt? There are lots of great things to do with the kids this month, from Boos at Zoos to festivals and corn mazes. Theme parks, including Disney World and Hersheypark, are also getting spooky for Halloween.



Here's a look at some of the best kid-friendly Halloween events happening across the country:

Halloween Mansion at The Children's Museum of Houston
Houston, Tex.
October 20 - 31, 2009
For two weeks, The Children's Museum of Houston morphs into a spooky haunted house full of Halloween goodies and trinkets for the kids. Create spider hats, make wiggly worms and even bring Dr. Frankenstein to life. Don't forget your costume!

CoCoWeen at CoCo Key Water Resorts
Locations Nationwide
October 23 - November 1, 2009
CoCo Key Water Resort, with locations across the country, gets decked out for Halloween with trick or treating throughout the resort, craft projects, coloring contests and more. The special Trick or Treat package includes an overnight stay for a family of four, two days of water park access, including all CoCoWeen activities, plus much more.

No-So-Scary Halloween at Betty Brinn Children's Museum
Milwaukee, Wis.
October 29 - 31, 2009
Enjoy no scary tricks and lots of fun treats at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum. Get your tickets to the Little Monster Bash on October 30 where little ones can show off their Halloween costumes in a fun, safe environment.

The National Zoo's Boo at the Zoo
Washington, D.C.
October 23 - 25, 2009
Take a walk on the wild side at The National Zoo's eleventh annual Halloween extravaganza. Dress up your youngsters and let them trick-or-treat through animal kingdom. There are more than 40 treat stations, plus animal encounters, keeper talks and festive decorations.

Great Zoo Halloween at Fort Wayne Children's Zoo
Fort Wayne, Ind.
October 16 - 31, 2009
Thousands of decorated pumpkins line the zoo pathways for Great Zoo Halloween, Fort Wayne's #1 trick-or-treat adventure. Meet Broomhilda the Witch, explore the Mystery Maze, go pumpkin bowling, ride the Eerie Express Train, see real bats and much, much more.

Fall Festival at Cox Farms
Centreville, Va.
September 19 - November 8, 2009
The Fall Festival at Cox Farms, a family-owned and operated business, is fun for the whole family. Take the kids on a hay ride, go down a giant slide, pick out a pumpkin, visit with barnyard animals and more. On November 7 and 8, bring back your used jack o' lantern and 'recycle' it at the grand finale Pumpkin Madness Days. Used pumpkins are dropped from the high drop, hurled with a catapult, squished with the squisher and smashed with the smasher.

Franken Plaza at Daley Plaza
Chicago, Ill.
October 23 - 31, 2009
As part of Chicagoween 2009, Daley Plaza turns into a Halloween adventure with mask making demonstrations, a circus, pyrotechnics, arts and crafts, and more.

Boo at the Zoo "Spooktacular" at The Bronx Zoo
Bronx, N.Y.
Weekends in October from October 10 to November 1, 2009
Visit with bats, cats and creepy critters at this New York Halloween tradition. Enjoy wildlife magic shows, pumpkin carving demonstrations, a hay maze and more. This year, the zoo is debuting its Haunted Safari Adventure, where families will journey through a bat cave, a rainforest swamp and even the belly of a snake.

Universal CityWalk Halloween Carnival for Kids
Universal City, Calif.
October 31, 2009
Universal CityWalk and L.A. Parent Magazine host this annual carnival featuring trick-or-treating, costume contests and live entertainment. You may even catch a glimpse of Frankenstein and the Mummy.

Corn Maze at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield
Denver, Colo.
September 4 - October 31, 2009
Your kids will go batty for Chatfield's amazing Corn Maze, one of the most attended mazes in the country. Let the younger kids explore The McDonald's Mini-Maze and Dino Discovery Area, and don't miss the Pumpkin Festival on October 10 and 11.

Don't forget to check your local zoo and kids' museums to find family-friendly Halloween events happening near you!

Five Family-Friendly Halloween Flicks
- It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
- Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie
- Hocus Pocus
- Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
- Casper

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If you haven't gotten your pumpkin yet, it's time to go picking. If you want to have the biggest, baddest pumpkin on the block, you've got to shop early for the best selection. Plus, going to the pumpkin patch is a great fall activity the whole family will enjoy.



If you're lucky enough to live near one of the following pumpkin patches, get there and get there fast because these are among the best in the country. Not only do these patches have the greatest pumpkins, but there are plenty of other activities to take part in, too.

Petaluma Pumpkin Patch - Petaluma, Calif.
The main draw at this Sonoma County pumpkin patch is the Amazing Corn Maze, but the pumpkins are awesome too. They've got over 50 different varieties of pumpkins and gourds ranging in size from 1/4 lb. to 125 lbs. You can find the perfect pumpkin for any use including cooking, carving, painting and decorating.

PaPa's Pumpkin Patch - Bismarck, North Dakota
Welcome the harvest and celebrate fall at this premier pumpkin patch. There are 14 different varieties and about 20,000 pumpkins to choose from this year. This season, PaPa's Pumpkin Patch is debuting a new variety, called the knucklehead, which looks like a pumpkin covered in warts.

Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm - Homer Glen, Ill.
Voted "Best Pumpkin Farm in Chicago" last year by the audience of Fox News Chicago, Bengtson's hosts a pumpkin festival you don't want to miss. There are tens of thousands of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes. There's also an extensive Halloween shop filled with candy, spooky decorations, pumpkin decorating tools and patters and all kinds of wonderful gifts.

The Great Pumpkin Farm - Clarence, N.Y.
The region's largest fall family event, The Great Pumpkin Farm offers a haymaze, petting zoo and a handcrafted General Store where you'll find hundreds of Halloween decorations and handmade crafts. There are loads and loads of pumpkins in the patch, so there's sure to be something for everyone.

Kathy's Pumpkin Patch - Donnellson, Iowa
You're sure to find exactly what you're looking for at Kathy's Pumpkin Patch. The farm has over 175 different varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds. You can even take a ride on the wagon to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch. And if you want something really, really big, just ask. Kathy's sells three different varieties of pumpkins that frequently weigh 100-200 lbs.

Walters' Pumpkin Patch - Burns, Kan.
There's so much fun to be had at Walters' Pumpkin Patch, you'll want to spend the whole day there. Pick your own pumpkin, get lost in the corn maze, ride the Barrel Train and enjoy delicious foods such as pumpkin salsa, pumpkin chili and pumpkin juice.

The Great Pumpkin Patch - Arthur, Ill.
Known as the Midwest's grandest u-pick pumpkin patch, this farm has a huge selection of the healthiest and most diverse pumpkins. Local radio and TV stations often visit The Great Pumpkin Patch because it is far more than just a pumpkin patch. The Broomcorn Maze is new for 2009, plus you can enjoy squash tastings, the Two-Mile Sweet Shop, The Creamery ice cream stand, The Pumpkin Eatery and lots of great live entertainment.

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