Inside: Halloween candy alternatives for kids that they’ll be just as excited to get as candy. Well…almost.
I’m a Halloween newbie. Well, if you go by the fact that I’m almost 40, and my kids have only been dressing up for Halloween and trick or treating for a few years.
There is exactly one picture of me and my brother dressing up for Halloween. He was a pumpkin and I was a crayon…or maybe I was the pumpkin and he was the crayon?
Either way, I was too young to remember that day. And after that my parents discovered evangelical Christianity and heard that Halloween is the devil’s holiday. Halloween was toast, and it never occurred to me to raise my kids any differently.
Also around that time, there was the nasty rumor (conspiracy theory?) about evil people putting razor blades in Halloween candy which understandably scared the crap out of me. Was I going to play Russian roulette with my kids’ lives over a bucket of Halloween candy and some costumes? Hell no!
Do you know how awkward it is to go out with your kids in the month of October when every single adult asks them, ‘What are you going to be for Halloween?” And they look down and awkwardly mumble, “Um, we don’t celebrate Halloween…”
So.awkward. I used to dread October every single year.
Thank goodness for deconstruction because October is now back on my good side! I’m making up for lost time and giving my kids – and myself – the joy of Halloween.
The dressing up and the parades and the trick or treating in our adorable little town and the trunk or treat and the candy. All.the.Halloween.things.
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11 Halloween Candy Alternatives That Don’t Suck
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Trick or treating is so stinking fun! A community-building event like no other. What other night is everyone out in the neighborhood, smiling and saying hello to each other?
It’s honestly one of my favorite nights of the year.
As much as I now love Halloween, between all the different Halloween events, sometimes the candy can get to be a bit much. Yes, even by my very lax, “give kids food autonomy” standards.
So I appreciate when people offer non-candy Halloween alternatives…most of the time. It’s that intense tug of war between minimalist “I hate clutter” mom and responsible “wouldn’t it be nice if there were trick or treating alternatives to candy” mom.
In the service of helping people choose Halloween candy alternatives that don’t suck, I dove deep into the world of tiny little goodie bag fillers and chose ones that kids will love and moms won’t hate (or won’t hate quite as much).
Happy Halloweeeeen!
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1. Mini Cars
You know those little mini cars that you pull backwards on the floor and they zoom forward? So freaking fun.
We actually still have one, even though my kids have mostly outgrown them. It survived every decluttering purge, and if you knew me back in my extreme decluttering days, you know exactly how miraculous that is.
2. Halloween-Themed Stickers
THESE Halloween stickers are adorable!
Stickers are so fun – my almost 16-year-old still loves them! Especially if you have a dedicated place for your kids to put them, like a sticker notebook.
Not their metal IKEA bunkbeds that you hope to resell one day and aren’t looking forward to destickering a decade from now. #askmehowIknow
3. Planes
My kids used to adore these planes and trade in all their arcade tickets to score new ones.
Do they wear out and get stuck in trees? Yes. But are they super fun before that? Also, yes.
4. Halloween Duckies
Duckies are one of the few bath toys we kept besides one small bath toy set. We used to collect them from arcades and Duck Donuts and a few other random places.
These Halloween duckies are so stinking cute!
Also super random, but we’ve seen so many cars lately with duckies lined up on the dashboard, so apparently adults love them, too?
5. Watercolor Pages
Something artsy that keeps kids busy with just water and a piece of paper? Yes, please!
Help parents skip the messy paint trays for at least a little while and keep their kids quietly occupied with these watercolor pages.
6. Play Doh (or Chalk, If You Live in a Warmer Climate)
Play-doh will always be awesome, but I think these mini Halloween play-dohs are even better because they don’t come in the traditional plastic containers – just wrappers.
If you live in the South, you could swap it out for chalk for a truly consumable and more earth-friendly Halloween goodie.
7. Glow in the Dark Tattoos
So stinking fun! These glow in the dark tattoos will be a hit long after Halloween is over.
I highly recommend giving out at least two per kid so they can enjoy them long after Halloween is over.
8. LED Glow Sticks
These LED glow sticks are super fun for the night of trick or treating – or just dark fall/winter nights in general.
They also have replaceable batteries, so they can be used long-term! Always a win.
9. Punch Balloons
Punch balloons are the funnest thing ever for kids seven and under! If you’ve never seen one, they are fantastic, and they last a long time.
These Halloween-themed ones are the perfect Halloween candy alternative.
10. Slap Bracelets
The first time I saw a slap bracelet come out of a party favor bag, I was immediately transported back to my childhood. I knew these Halloween slap bracelets had to go on this list.
For whatever reason, they’re super nostalgic for me! Right up there with pogs (please tell me someone else remembers pogs??).
11. Bubbles
Bubbles will be a hit with kids until the end of time.
Just when I think my youngest almost 7-year-old has grown out of them, a parent brings bubbles to the park and BAM, she loves them all over again.
THESE mini Halloween bubbles will be a hit.
Do you have any non-candy Halloween ideas that have been a hit in the past? Share in the comments!
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