Halloween is upon us. It seems like I was just writing about the holiday yesterday. The ghoulish goblins, scary witches, and, in our house, Chase from Paw Patrol. Halloween can be a ton of fun for kids of all ages and means for most of us, endless amounts of candy that seem to last until Easter arrives the following year. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. Give me all the almond joy and peanut M&M’s, but for the sake of my kid’s teeth and my waistline, maybe we should all consider some non-candy options on October 31st. Here are a few suggestions!
Anything That Lights up for Halloween
I love this idea, especially for safety reasons, but who doesn’t love a good glow stick or necklace. Kids seem to geek out over these all the time, so why not at Halloween. This year, I am planning to order some of these fun glow in the dark rings. You can order them in bulk, and they are way cheaper than the full-size candy bar they are hawking up here in our neighborhood.
Halloween Snack Bags
So it’s still edible but won’t rot your teeth. Snack manufacturers have great Halloween themed bags for goldfish, pretzels, animal crackers, and even popcorn. All are great alternatives for trick or treaters. I get it if you want to stay away from the semi-healthy stuff, though. We always skipped the house that handed out apples when I was young, sorry mom!
Think like a Kid
Last year I decided to offer a couple treats for kids with allergies, and they ended up being a hot ticket item. I purchased some bath bombs and Play-doh, and it went before the candy! The girls loved the idea of pampering like an adult and some of the younger kids went right for the playdoh.
Let Them Be Creative
When we go out to dinner, we are always pulling out sticker books and stamps to occupy our son. I, for one, can never have enough, so why not give out these items to trick or treaters Halloween too. Bonus: You can usually buy these in multi-packs with several pages of stickers and a package of several different stamps. (Oriental Trading is a parent’s best friend, trust me!)
When in Doubt, Bubbles
You can never go wrong with bubbles, right? Sure they are sticky, but they are often a one-time use by the time your kid spills half the bottle. So, having a couple freebies never hurt anyone. I saw decent sized bubbles at Market District today for 35 cents. That is definitely less than that candy bar, and I’m thinking I might make it through the night without my house getting egged.
What are some of your ideas, Indy parents? Be safe and have a great Halloween!
