Stumped as to what to give to those trick-or-treating neighborhood kids seeking Halloween handouts?
How about trying something different by skipping the candy and giving out little toys instead?
Indeed, many kids find toys just as appetizing or tantalizing as sugary candies, according to a Yale University study examining our children’s choices during our trick-or-treat holiday.
That’s right. Half of 284 three-to-14-year-olds picked toys like glow-in-the-dark insects, stretch pumpkin men, or Halloween-themed stickers and pencils over such sugary candies as lollipops and fruit-flavored chews.
So, use some imagination and creativity when giving out goodies this Halloween. Remember that you don’t have to give out something sugary to eat. You can hand out fun things to play with.
“As a society, we’ve gotten into the mindset that the only way to celebrate special occasions with children is by serving something sweet,” says Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D., principal investigator for the research paper, which was published in 2003 in the Journal of Nutrition, Education and Behavior.
“This study can reassure parents that children will respond favorably to non-candy treats,” adds Dr. Schwartz, co-director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders.
When giving out non-candy "treats," you can choose from a number of party favors, according to several toy stores, including Toys R Us, Children’s General Store in New York City and Kay-Bee Toys.
Just ask the staff for Halloween party favors. For example, you could give:
- Mini boxes of Play-Doh from Hasbro (20 for $3.99). "A Halloween treat doesn’t have to be sweet," Leigh Anne Cappello, vice president of marketing, told USA Today. By the way, if a kid mistakes the Play-Doh for candy, it’s made from natural ingredients and is non-toxic.
- Halloween slinkies with a pumpkin face on it (75 cents)
- Plastic spider ring (25 cents)
- Glow-in-the dark insects and stickers
- Colored pencils
- Mighty Beans (6 for $1)
Interestingly, it sems to me that most toy companies could take much better advantage of this holiday to package some inexpensive Halloween presents. Why pass on this great marketing opportunity?