Some Alternatives to Candy This Halloween

There is nothing a child would like better than a surprise. It is so adorable to see them excited about things we consider small. Small is good when it comes to the gifts in their Halloween bags. This is a new year, so it would be a pleasant surprise to try something different. This is when the idea of a trick comes in. One way to trick children is to pre-plan what you will do this Halloween season. For example, it would be a nice to arrange all the prepackaged treats into separate bags. This will eliminate the problem of running out of candy when some children grabs a hand full.

Arrange a certain number of candies and treats in each bag according to the amount of children that come to your area. Next, you can slip in a small toy that will not break apart or cause a child to choke. If you live in a well- to-do neighborhood, it would be great to put in a dollar bill of whatever amount you wish. Imagine being a kid today and checking your bag. Imagine finding toys, snacks, candy and money altogether in one bag. The money could teach them to save, and the toy can last longer than the candy. I believe it will be a fun idea. The trick is to make sure the bag is not see through. The only way the children can know is when they go home, or if they peek inside. It has been suggested to choose candies and treats that are not very sugary. However, moderation is the key to all things in life. You can give them fewer sugary sweets, and include healthy snacks in the bag. I am sure that the children will find it exciting to discover what you've given them. You can try these ideas depending on the age group:

#1 The Tricks: Play Money, Card Game, Rubber Ducky, Music , Stuffed Animal, Book, Journal and Pen, Small Etch A Sketch, Bazooka, Whistle, Watch, Calculator, Pencils, Erasers, Gift Certificates, Key Chains with a Flashlight, Crossword/ Word Search Book and actual Dollar Bills. The Dollar Store or Family Dollar Store has an array of low cost items.

#2 Healthy Snacks: Trail Mix, Pretzels, Dried Fruit, Wheat Crackers, Teddy Grahams, Granola Bars, Rice Snacks, or Health Candy found in health food stores. Foreign Treats are less sweet than American candies.

#3 The Treats: Twizzlers, Nerds, Now & Laters, Tootsie Rolls, Smarties, Laffy Taffy, Charleston Chews, Swedish Fish, Werthers , Caramels, Skittles, Sugar Babies, Pay Day, Corn Candy Taffy, Mary Janes, Jelly Bellies, Caramel Cremes, Blow Pops, Dum Dums, Bit -O Honey, Milk Duds, Dots, Lemon Heads, Boston Bake Beans, Junior Mints, Andies Candies, Gummy Body Parts, Krabby Patties, Marshmallow Pumpkins, Peep Ghosts, Chico Sticks, Yorks Peppermint Patties, Butterfinger, Mounds, Almond Joy, M&M Peanut, M&M Dark Chocolate, Hershey Miniatures, Crunch Bars, Whoppers, Reeses Pieces, Twix, Hershey Kisses, 3 Musketeers, Kit Kat, Baby Ruth, Snickers, Milky Way, Zagnut and Fruit Snacks.