If you're planning a Halloween outing with your kids, you probably don't want to spoil their fun by following their every move -- but you also want peace of mind. How can you let your little ghouls off the leash while still keeping an eye on them? Fortunately, today's tracking technology can help parents find the perfect middle ground.
Our experts have gathered the best (and easiest) tracking options for kids of all ages so you can stay in touch or know where they are. Take a look.
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Apple's AirTags have many useful straps.
1. Strap an affordable tracker to their costume
If your kid is too small to carry devices around or wants to keep their hands free, you can put a simple tracker on their costume or in their pocket. You can check their location at any time, even when you're sure they're still right behind you.
While AirTags aren't perfect trackers for every situation, we're big fans of using them for this purpose. AirTags are under $30, come with add-ons like straps and ping off other Apple devices so they'll work well in nearly every neighborhood.
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A family tracking or SOS app is an ideal option for older kids on Halloween.
2. Use a track-and-alert app like Life360
If your kids, tweens or teens are old enough to carry their own phones, it may be time to upgrade to a tracking app (and not just for Halloween). These lightweight apps avoid being invasive but still give kids a way to share their location -- or press a quick emergency alert button to contact parents and responders.
One of our favorite apps for these purposes is Life360, which comes with a free tier that includes place sharing with unlimited alerts and an SOS button. A simpler option without location tracking is the Red Panic Button app, which does exactly what it sounds like.
If your kid isn't quite ready for a full-featured smartphone yet, there are options like this $200 Gabb Phone 4 Pro, a minimalistic phone with built-in parental controls over, well, everything.
A kid-friendly smartwatch or phone is a great stepping stone for growing kids that still lets them stay in touch.
3. Get a kid-ready GPS smartwatch
If your kid is somewhere between planting a tracker on them and giving them their own phone, it may be time for a GPS smartwatch, like this JrTrack 3 model for $130. It comes with many of the features we've already discussed, including an SOS button, plus support for family voice chats, alarms, texts, voice recording, step counting and plenty of other tricks.
Smartwatches like these are kid safe (you can't download any apps or third-party software onto them, for example) and give parents plenty of options for contact or tracking depending on what their kids need. Just keep in mind you'll need to pay for a plan to unlock all features (usually around $15), but you can get prepaid cards for times like these.
The Reminders app appeared on iOS 13.
4. Set reminders for quick check-ins
For trick-or-treaters who value their independence, you can set them loose with phone reminders that will chime to let them know they need to check in with parents. Almost all reminder apps and voice assistants support audio functions like this. Set check-in times every 30 to 60 minutes or whatever makes both sides feel comfortable. You can ask for a text, a quick call, a snapped pic or another message depending on your tracking needs.
A pocket flashlight, especially one with a clip, can be an excellent safety accessory for kids.
5. Equip them with a bright pocket light
Sure, phones and smartwatches come with lights of their own, but they aren't always easy to turn on quickly, especially if kids are already using these devices for other things. And kids without phones need a light source, too. They can light their way, see where they are and be seen more easily in the dark.
For a budget option, you'll find the palm-sized ThruNite 405-lumen flashlight for $20 or less. If you want to splurge on an excellent LED light your kids can use for years, this 1,300-lumen Olight model ($100) is the best in class for pocket flashlights and super easy to use.
Bonus tip: Masks are out, face paint is in
When your kids are suiting up for Halloween festivities, consider getting some under-$20 face paint and getting creative instead of using a mask. Good face paint is nontoxic and can mimic the look of most masks -- more importantly, kids will be able to keep all their visibility and sense of location more easily. Plus, masks have a habit of getting taken off and lost sometime in the evening anyway.
For more on family safety, check out how to protect your children from identity theft, the latest on kids and social media, and how to enable parental controls on your router.