All the best ideas come to me in the shower.
Halloween is just a few days away! One of my favorites because for a few weeks at least, I can get away with dressing up like Sailor Moon, Mary Poppins, dress like a cowgirl… ;) Maybe not that crazy but I can be a bit more creative. And of course, in addition to costumes, there are also things like trick or treat and all that fun Halloween candy! I was thinking (while in the shower, of course!) about how growing up, I’d always get a LOT of candy, and how sometimes a lot of it would end up in the trash just because we got sooo much. I was also thinking about how Halloween opens the door to the holiday season. After Halloween comes Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the things that come with that special time of year: family, happiness, cheer, and a whole lot of food. Christmas cookies, all those Thanksgiving pies. Couple that with a lot of Halloween candy, wow. That’s a lot in three months! Then, of course, I got to thinking about this thing that’s been going around Facebook, reminding people to be kind during trick or treat, with reminders that some children may look disappointed because your bowl has something they’re allergic too, or one child might grab more because they’re hungry or reach in and search because of a sensory thing. It got the wheels turning in my head that there are valid reasons why it would be cool to think of something other than candy that can be given out at Trick or Treat.
1. A clay charm. I’m very artsy, if you don’t know. When I was 9 years old, I asked for a pottery wheel for Christmas. I got it! ;) I’ve always been very into sculpting and clay and one of my favorite things to do is to make fun little charms out of polymer clay. it’s pretty simple to sculpt out some little ghosties that are in the top left of the collage. It's white polymer clay rolled out and flattened and then cut out with a small cookie cutter. If you don’t feel like buying polymer clay, you can make your own clay.
2. While on the subject of clay; you can just give a little bit of clay! You can buy polymer clay at your local craft stores, or you can make a big batch out of simple ingredients you probably already have! I used to make the water, flour, and salt version and keep it made up when I was babysitting full time. A small amount is still enough for a lot of fun for kids and a fun alternative to candy! Put an eighth or a fourth of a cup in a small baggie. The issue with this is that parents might be a bit afraid of it because it’s a bit messy. There are a lot of clay recipes at this link!
3. Another thing I thought of, mostly because I love scrapbooking, is to make little bookmarks. Halloween themed, of course! Cut out ghosts, witches, frankensteins, and so on with cardstock and paste them on another piece of cardstock that’s the size of a bookmark. On the other side, you can write an encouraging message. “You are worth it!” “You can do anything!” “You are a treasure!” Sometimes kids need to be reminded of their worth. You never know, maybe a child will flip it over and it'll give them a much needed smile or a sense of hope! You can take clear contact paper to protect the bookmark further.
Sure, they’re not quite as fun as a candy bar. But I’m sure there will be others! And it’s not as boring as something like a rock. (Poor Charlie Brown!)
Can you think of any trick or treat alternatives besides candy?
Thanks for reading!
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