NEW YORK (AP) — 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 for parents as they try to keep track of their trick-or-treaters, give out candy and watch over their homes.
Fortunately, there are some tech tricks out there that can help families stay safe this Halloween, and have a little more fun too.
Keeping tabs on your kids
If your children are outfitted with Apple or Google-branded smart phones or watches or tracking tags, you can use the Find My or Family Link apps to keep tabs on them as they embark on their candy journeys. But don’t think of these apps as basic. Because branded peripherals — like Apple Air Tags or Pixel smartwatches — are built to be used with Apple and Google platforms, their tracking platforms can 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 set trick-or-treating area while I struggled to keep up with them. If anyone broke from the pack and left the designated area, I would get a notification. Here’s how to set it up:
Go to the Find My app on your iPhone. Scroll and tap on the name of the person or device you want to be notified about. Below notifications, tap “Add,” then “Notify me.” Continue through the menu options until you get to a location option. Choose “New Location” and you will be given the option to set a location radius. Then you will be asked how often you wish to be notified if the tracked individual leaves the area.
Next is a critical step if you wish to set a recurring notification. Unless it’s an air tag, your child must give a one-time authorization to the request. They will receive an alert asking for approval when they arrive at or leave the location you chose for the first time.
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 main menu of the app and tap Family Locations, add the place you just created and select how often you’d like to be notified when they enter or exit the area.
Spookier doorbells
If you have a smart doorbell installed on your front door, you can have a little extra fun with visiting trick-or-treaters by adding spooky messages and specialized chimes.
For Ring doorbell users, head to your app and go to Menu-Devices. Select your doorbell. Then tap Smart Responses-Quick Replies-Quick Reply Message. You may need to toggle on Quick Replies if you hadn’t before, but you will see a list of Halloween-themed replies. Ours is set to “I’ll be right there to eat… I mean greet you!”
For those with Eufy Doorbells, navigate to your app and select your doorbell. A Voice Response list should include selectable Halloween-themed effects and chimes. You can also take advantage of a message recording function in more recent doorbell models to create your own, hopefully scary, response.
Nest and Google home users should be able to use their app to select a Halloween setting under Doorbell Themes (Google was updating Nest in October so your menu may be different from mine).
One unrelated tip for smart doorbell users, you may want to lower your motion sensitivity just for Halloween. If your device isn’t hardwired, the extra motion from trick-or-treaters could drain your doorbell’s batteries quickly (as I discovered). You can also avoid a flood of notifications if you do so.
Don’t forget the lights
Smart phones have flashlights, sure, but they’re not the brightest nor are they the best option if you’re carrying jackets, candy baskets, water bottles or costume parts. Instead, give yourself or your children more portable lumens so they can see (and be seen) easily in the dark.
There are plenty of options for all budget ranges, but I’m partial to lights that you can clip onto jackets or costumes to keep your hands free.