en
Along with the traditional ghost tales, there are a glut of modern-day horror stories circulating around child safety on Halloween. For many children, the night provides a rare opportunity to experience an unsupervised time out with friends. For parents and guardians, the 31st of October can raise a dilemma – it’s part of the ongoing parental tightrope act between granting a child their independence and supervising their personal safety.
The advent of mobile phones eased many of these concerns, allowing a point of contact when needed while still enabling children to head out on their own. The Apple Watch takes this concept further. Cellular smartwatches make it easier than ever for kids to stay in touch while enjoying the freedom of Halloween night in 2024.
Is Halloween Unsafe for Children?
Trick-or-treating is a growing Halloween tradition and rite of passage for kids the world over. With some basic precautions, Halloween 2024 can be a safe, enjoyable night for adults and children alike.
The evening does naturally raise some concerns - in the US, three times as many child fatalities occur on the 31st of October as on any other day of the year. The danger here is traffic - the majority of these incidents are car-related. Halloween sees a greater number of children outside near roads at night, often in areas that are poorly designed for pedestrians. While that’s an alarming statistic, it’s important to bear in mind that the chances of this occurring are around 1 in 14 million.
Nevertheless, there are concrete, common-sense steps that can and should be taken to provide a heightened level of traffic safety on Halloween. Drivers should always take extra precautions in built-up areas and check their speed constantly. Trick-or-treaters can also take steps to improve their personal safety during Halloween 2024.
Using an Apple Watch to Stay Connected While Trick-or-Treating
When the Apple Watch was first launched in 2015, not many people predicted just how popular it would become among family units and younger children. The lack of distractions and simple interface has made it an increasingly common sight on school buses and playgrounds.
Apple Watch For Your Kids, formerly known as Family Setup, is a service by Apple that explicitly targets this growing demographic. It allows parents or caregivers to set up a cellular Apple watch with a plan from a trusted mobile network provider and give it to a child. The wearer will then be able to call home, text, FaceTime and use internet-reliant services like apps, maps and more on their Apple Watch, all without the need for a nearby iPhone.
Of course, an Apple Watch is not a survival tool or life-saving device – it's a great way to keep in contact with minimal parental interference, but should not be relied on as a sole point of contact. Apple Watches can and do get lost, stolen, damaged or run out of battery. They can, however, provide an extra layer of protection and peace of mind for all when used correctly.
Four Apple Watch Safety Features to Use on Halloween 2024
- 1
Calls and texts
The most obvious and immediate benefit of Apple Watch For Your Kids is the ability to text or call home without needing a phone. As it’s literally strapped to their wrist, an Apple Watch is always at hand and harder to lose than an iPhone, while cellular connectivity means Apple Watches users can also use internet messaging services like WhatsApp to keep in touch.
- 2
Find My
A less hands-on, but perhaps more intrusive feature is the Apple Watch Find My app. This feature lets parents or caregivers see the precise location of each connected Apple Watch on their iPhone or Mac screen. The feature even supports multiple Apple Watches, providing live location data for several users at once. If all members of the family are happy with having their location tracked, this is one of the simplest ways to keep tabs on each other throughout the evening.
- 3
Navigation apps
A cellular Apple Watch can also use navigation services like the pre-installed Apple Maps or external apps like Google Maps or CityMapper. A wrist-mounted map is an intuitive way to stay oriented whilst trick-or-treating and lessens the risk of getting lost. These apps also work with Siri, making it simple to request directions and receive voice prompts when out and about.
- 4
Compass Backtrack
Backtrack is a feature of the Apple Watch Compass app, introduced in WatchOS 10 and compatible with the Apple Watch SE, Ultra and Series 6 and later. This simple but effective concept allows users to record their route if they’re walking in an unfamiliar area. Then, if they get lost or take a wrong turn, they can simply activate the Backtrack function to retrace their steps and be guided back to where they started. As Backtrack is based on GPS coordinates, it will also work without an internet connection or on non-cellular Watch models.
Points to consider: Apple Watches are not an ideal or economical solution for everyone. An iPhone is a prerequisite for setting up a watch in Apple Watch For Your Kids mode, and even the cheapest cellular Apple Watch model, the SE, retails for $399. If an Apple Watch isn’t an option, an entry-level mobile phone a prepaid SIM card will ensure a reliable point of contact while trick-or-treating, with the added benefit of a more durable casing and longer battery life.
Does the Apple Watch Have a Flashlight?
Yes and no. The Apple Watch has a ‘Flashlight’ function which displays a bright white square on the watch screen. This can also be adjusted to display a pulsing white or red screen. While this can be useful for illuminating very nearby objects, it has little use as a wayfinding tool or even a way of being seen at night. While better than nothing, the Apple Watch Flashlight function is no substitute for the real thing. Packing a simple LED torch is an effective way to see and be seen while trick-or-treating.
Simple tips on staying safe during Halloween 2024
Allergies
Halloween can be a particularly frustrating time for kids with food allergies - mitigate the risk of any accidents by making sure they know to always check wrappers for allergen information. If in doubt, only accept sweets with this information clearly displayed and avoid anything unwrapped.
Illumination
It gets dark early in late October. Even on well-lit streets, children should carry a flashlight. Small clip-on LEDs popular with runners and cyclists are an inexpensive and effective way to be seen on the streets at night. With a little imagination, they can also be incorporated into a costume.
Impaired vision
Hand-in-hand with the need to remain visible is the ability to see clearly during Halloween 2024. Masks, costumes and elaborate headpieces can all interfere with vision and be a distraction when crossing the street. As well as the aforementioned torch and LEDs, it's important to ensure a clear line of sight when in costume.
Keeping in touch
While mobile phones are great for granting kids independence whilst providing support when needed, they can be distracting. They may also be inconvenient to carry around all night, depending on the Halloween costume. An Apple Watch eSIM, together with Apple Watch for Your Kids is an effective way to stay connected on Halloween 2024. The wrist-mounted calling and messaging features, coupled with navigation apps and pinpoint location services provide an extra degree of security.
