Monday, October 17, 2016

Halloween Handouts... of the Non-Sugary Variety

teal-pumpkin

Halloween is coming! If your kids are anything like mine, they have been dreaming about their costumes for weeks already! I am very fortunate to live in a large neighborhood that is FANTASTIC for trick-or-treaters. Therefore, I have around 200 little pumpkins and goblins knocking on my door each year happy to receive my Halloween handouts. I love Halloween, but I am not a fan of all of the candy that is consumed. PLUS, so many children have allergies to peanuts, gluten, milk, red dye, etc., that it is really too much to keep up. There is even the “Teal Pumpkin Project” to raise awareness of food allergies and to help encourage non-food treats! 

Every year, for over a decade, I have handed out a mixture of food and non-food treats so that both the chocolate-lovers, and the candy-avoiders can be accommodated. My husband always cringes and says that our house will get “egged” with handing out trinkets instead of treats, but I am always surprised that the kids seem to really like the novelty of receiving a non-food item. SO, this year, I am going all in, and I will NOT buy any candy to pass out. However, I am scouring the stores and the internet to find the coolest, most cost-effective trinkets for my cauldron. Here is what I have found:  
  • Glow sticks/bracelets/necklaces:  I handed out glow bracelets last year, and these are #1 on my list this year. The kiddos LOVED them, and I also like that they keep the little monsters highly visible to any passing cars. Wal-mart, Target, and Oriental Trading Company have glow bracelets for under 20 cents a piece if you buy in bulk. I actually bought mine at Wal-mart and got 100 bracelets for $10. And, they are so cool, that I have never had a child complain at just receiving one.  
  • Glow-in-the-dark items:  Its Halloween, its dark, and glow-in-the-dark items are fantastically spooky. Oriental Trading Company, as well as Amazon, have a variety of glow-in-the-dark items for only pennies a piece. I picked up glow-in-the-dark bouncy balls and glow-in-the-dark bugs for my hand out basket!
  • Pencils/erasers:  Helllloooo! I'm an OT! I work on handwriting! I am always shocked when the kids actually say “cool, a pencil,” but they really do say it! Again, these can be found in stores or online for under a dime a piece, and yes, of course, pencils will be in my hand out basket this year!  
  • Bouncy Balls:  I can't stand these things, but my children love them. They bounce all over the house and knock things over, and make a mess. But they are not staying at MY house, are they? I am causing headaches for other parents! These can be found at stores or online for a few cents a piece.  
  • Stickers:  I always give out stickers, and they will be in my shopping cart again this year. They are perfect for the toddlers who might choke on candy but love the immediate gratification of getting a sticker on their hand when they come to my door.  
  • Mardi Gras beads:  Talk about cheap! You can get dozens of these things for only a few dollars. Halloween is a time to dress up in crazy costumes! More is better! Help your guests add some pizzazz to their costumes! 
  • Crazy straws:  I got this idea from a fellow OT and loved it! The kids can use the straws right away, as they hopefully drink something semi-healthy with all of that candy. AND… As you will remember from past blogs, oral input (including sucking & blowing) is calming. Way to help out your fellow parents by calming down the wild little monsters and goblins!
  • Mini bottles of water:  OK… maybe a little bit lame, but practical. Halloween costumes tend to be geared toward cooler weather. But, the past few Halloweens here in Arkansas have been quite warm. The costume-laden kiddos who have knocked on my door have been dripping with sweat! Yes, bottled water is a bit boring. However, it does allow for continued trick-or-treating fun without taking a break to find refreshment.  
Also… Recycle, recycle, recycle! I am not a total Scrooge - I love chocolate as much or more than the next person, but there is simply WAY too much candy at Halloween. Don’t throw it away; put it to good use:
  • Re-gift:  After your own children take a trip around the block, have them pick out a few of their favorite pieces of candy. Then dump the non-preferred candy items in your own hand out bucket, and re-gift that candy to the neighborhood kids. Again, I get around 200 trick-or-treaters at our house, and it definitely cuts down on the amount of candy I buy.
  • Buy-back programs:  Many doctors’ and dentists’ offices will buy back your child’s candy. Your child gets a couple of bucks, and the candy is sent to soldiers overseas. Get more details in the resources section below.  
We still have a couple of weeks until the big day, when I will have 200 monsters knocking on my door! Please share any additional non-food treat ideas you may have!

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