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For little ghosts, witches, Kpop demon hunters, and superheroes, Halloween is one of the most exciting nights of the year. But it’s also one of the busiest times for parents as they try to keep track of their trick-or-treaters, hand out candy, and monitor their homes.
Luckily, there are some tech tricks that can help families stay safe this Halloween, and also have a little more fun.
keep an eye on your kids
If your children are equipped Apple or Google-branded smartphones or watches or tracking tags, you can use Find My or Family Add Apps to keep track of them as they begin their candy journey. But don’t consider these apps basic. Because branded peripheral devices – like the Apple Air Tag or Pixel smartwatch – are built to be used with Apple and Google platforms, their tracking platforms may be more reliable than some third-party services.
One trick I discovered last Halloween is that I can set up a geofence with Find My. This gave my kids a little more freedom to navigate a designated trick-or-treating area, while I struggled to keep up with them. If anyone breaks up the group and leaves the specified area, I will get a notification. Here’s how to set it up:
Go to the Find My app on your iPhone. Scroll to and tap the name of the person or device you want to be notified about. Below Notifications, tap “Add,” then tap “Notify Me.” Continue through the menu options until you find a Location option. Select “New Location” and you will be given the option to set the location radius. You will then be asked how often you want to be notified if the tracked person leaves the area.
Next is an important step if you want to set up a recurring notification. Unless it’s an Air Tag, your child will need to provide one-time authorization for the request. They will receive an alert for approval when they first arrive or leave the location you selected.
Google users have a similar geofencing option. First, you need to set up a new family location in the Family Link app. Then select your child in the app’s main menu and tap Family Location, add the location you just created and choose how often you’d like to be notified when they enter or exit the area.
scary doorbells
If you have a smart doorbell installed on your front door, you can have a little extra fun by adding scary messages and special chimes to trick-or-treaters.
For Ring Doorbell users, go to your app and go to Menu-Devices. Choose your doorbell. Then tap Smart Response-Quick Reply-Quick Reply Message. You may need to turn on quick replies if you haven’t done so before, but you’ll see a list of Halloween-themed replies. Our set was “I’ll be there to eat… I mean hello to you!”
For those with a Eufy doorbell, go to your app and select your doorbell. The voice response list should include selectable Halloween-themed effects and chimes. You can also take advantage of the message recording function in recent doorbell models to create your own, hopefully scary, response.
nest And Google Home users should be able to select the Halloween setting under Doorbell Themes using its app (Google was updating Nest in October so your menu may differ from mine).
An unrelated tip for smart doorbell users, you might want to turn down your motion sensitivity just for Halloween. If your device isn’t hardwired, the extra speed of trick-or-treaters can drain your doorbell’s battery quickly (as I found). If you do this you can also avoid the flood of information.
don’t forget the light
Smart phones do have flashlights, but they aren’t the brightest, nor are they the best choice if you’re carrying jackets, candy baskets, water bottles, or costume parts. Instead, give yourself or your kids a more portable lumen so they can see (and be seen) more easily in the dark.
There are plenty of options for all budget ranges, but I favor lights that you can clip onto a jacket or dress to keep your hands free.