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Best Non-Candy Items To Give Trick Or Treaters

For many kids, Halloween is a holiday all about the candy. However, you can still enjoy the spooks and goblins of the day without adding a few hundred extra calories to the mix. There are a few things you can pass out to the trick-or-treaters that won't contribute to their growing cavities.

Just make sure to hand out some treats that kids will really love—you don't want to pass out raisins or toothbrushes only to wake up the next day to find your home has been lovingly covered in toilet paper by the neighborhood kids. If you're trying to come up with a healthier alternative this Halloween, here are a few options that the kids will actually like.

Halloween Slime

Happy Halloween
Photo Credit Thinkstock

Kids love things that are gross, so why not offer up mini jars filled with gooey slime? It's easy to make, totally non-toxic and you can make it in any color you want. Just be sure to label the jars so it's very clear that this slime is not edible.

Ingredients

  • White school glue
  • Borax
  • Water
  • Two Bowls
  • Food Coloring

Directions

  1. Mix ½ cup glue with ½ cup water.
  2. Add in any color food coloring you like and mix until you reach your desired color.
  3. In the second bowl, mix one teaspoon of Borax with one cup water until the Borax is totally dissolved.
  4. Add the glue and water mixture while you stir slowly.
  5. The slime will start to form quickly, pour out any remaining water.
  6. Portion out the slime into small balls and place in mini jars and label clearly.

 

Glow Sticks

Glow Sticks
Photo credit LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

The kids will be running around at night, and they'll love adorning their costumes with cool glow sticks. You can pick up a variety of inexpensive glow sticks at your local dollar store, then simply break them up into packages of two or three per child. Wrap them with orange and black ribbon to keep them properly festive for the big holiday and you've got a great treat for kids of all ages. If you have younger kids that come to your door, take one out and show them how to crack the glow sticks to make them work, and remind them that this is a non-edible treat, just to be on the safe side.

School Supplies

Trick or treating children
Photo Credit Thinkstock

This doesn't mean you should stock up on a bunch of boring No. 2 pencils. Instead, pick up some fun Halloween-themed pencils and erasers. You can even make little bags with a great holiday-inspired pencil, eraser, a small ruler and a few stickers. Just be sure to find really fun school items that the kids will want to take to school with them the next day. If you aren't sure, bring your own kids along and them help you pick out items that they know their friends will enjoy. And have fun picking out crayons, notepads, stamps, markers, bookmarks, pencil toppers and more.

Dress Up Items

Kids Trick Or Treating
Photo credit YURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

What kid doesn't love to play pretend? Younger kids enjoy the magic of make believe while even older kids think it's funny to wear a silly mustache in their latest selfie. Have some fun with the trend and all the kids will love showing off their score from your house. Try handing out silly fake mustaches to all the kids, or go for temporary tattoos. Kids of all ages will have fun wearing the treats, plus these items last a lot longer. You can even find bulk bags of novelty eyeglasses, which would also make for a great Halloween treat.

Bottled Water

Jack O Lantern Halloween
Photo Credit Thinkstock

You'll be surprised what a big hit this can be. As the kids are out walking door to door, they're going to get thirsty, and your house can be a quick, refreshing pick-me-up along their route. If you want to make them a little more special, you can pull the labels off and decorate the bottles with a little orange and black ribbon. You can also print a bunch of Halloween-themed jokes onto sticker paper and add a quick laugh to each bottle. The parents will love you for this one, too, even if you just have some water on hand for the parents when they come by. This one will go a long way to keeping everyone happy.

Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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