Safe and Fun ~ All In One: DIY Halloween Safety Necklace

Halloween Safety Necklaces
by RCMom at Got Kiddos?

When I was a teacher, I focussed a lot on Halloween safety at this time of the year.  Here is a "Halloween Safety Necklace" that I came up with a while back.  It reflects *and* glows so that no matter if the child is walking (with an adult) where there is light, or in a dark area (with an adult) the necklace can do its job!

The reflecting part of the necklace can be reused each year if you replace the glow stick.

This project is SO simple to make!  Here's how you do it!

[SAFETY NOTE: DO NOT RELY ON THIS NECKLACE TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE!  WALK WITH THEM AND HOLD THEIR HAND WHEN TRICK-OR-TREATING.
ALSO: NECKLACES CAN BE STRANGULATION HAZARDS.  PLEASE WATCH YOUR CHILD WHEN THEY HAVE THIS NECKLACE ON.]

I thought up this idea so please credit "RCMom at GotKiddos" if you decide to link to this project. Thanks Very Much for Sharing!  

Below you will find the necessary materials and directions...

Supplies Needed (I bought most of the supplies at our local hardware store):

"amber" mailbox reflectors with nail holes
search with the word "amber" not "orange"

blue mailbox reflectors with nail holes

peel and stick craft foam
in black and white only

glow stick with hook
Make sure the hook will fit through
 the hole on the reflector.

Lastly you will need a pencil/pen/black marker, a pair of scissors and a string to make it into a necklace.  Some glow sticks come with a necklace string so you may not actually need to get the string.  If you want to make it safer for your child you can buy a necklace clasp that has a breakaway feature - something like this.  If you use a wide string or ribbon, you can sew Velcro on as a clasp to make it "breakaway" if it's pulled on too hard.

Directions:

1. Take the self stick foam (with the backing still on it) and flip it over so you are looking at the white backing.  Draw your design for a ghost (use white foam), or Jack-o-lantern (use black foam) on the backing of the self stick foam.  You can have your child do this part if they want to.
2. Cut out the design that you drew.
3. Place the reflector (blue for ghost or orange for Jack-o-lantern) in front of you (reflector facing up) with the nail holes at the top and bottom.
4. Peel and stick your design to the reflector.  I also added a face drawn with black marker to the ghost.

 5.  Take the glow stick out of the package and hook it to the bottom hole of the reflector.  If you want it to be more secure, run string through the bottom reflector hole and the hole below the hook on the glow stick and tie it. **Please follow all SAFETY INFO on the glow stick packaging!  Do not let your child chew on them!**
note: Make sure you do not bend/start the glow stick until Halloween night when you start trick-or-treating.  Glow sticks have a limited amount of time that they glow for and only work once.  The good thing is that you can replace the glow stick and use the necklace year after year.

 6.  Put the necklace string of your choice through the top hole and tie it or add a clasp.

There you have it!

[SAFETY NOTE: DO NOT RELY ON THIS NECKLACE TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE!  WALK WITH THEM AND HOLD THEIR HAND WHEN TRICK-OR-TREATING.
ALSO: NECKLACES CAN BE STRANGULATION HAZARDS.  PLEASE WATCH YOUR CHILD WHEN THEY HAVE THIS NECKLACE ON.]

Have a safe and happy Halloween!!!

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