Non-candy Halloween treats for trick-or-treaters

Not every child who knocks on the door can eat what is in the bowl. Food allergies, celiac disease and other dietary needs mean some children can’t eat much of what they collect. A second bowl with a few non-food treats gives them something to take home, and a glow bracelet can be more fun than one more piece of candy for any child.

Ideas for the non-food bowl

• Glow bracelets and necklaces. They are fun in the dark, though they don’t replace a flashlight or reflective tape.
• Stickers. Cut large sheets into strips so they go further.
• Temporary tattoos. Flat, light and easy to hand out.
• Halloween pencils and erasers. Useful at school the next morning.
• Mini bubble wands. Better for older children who won’t spill them in the bag.
• Spider rings and plastic fangs. Part of the costume for the rest of the night.
• Bouncy balls. Not for children under three. Check the age on the pack.
• Small notebooks. A good match with a pencil.
• Stampers. Self-inking ones are less messy.
• Finger puppets.

Multipacks made for party favors cover most of these, and one or two kinds are enough.

Keep it safe for the smallest visitors

Toddlers go trick-or-treating too. Keep bouncy balls, rings, erasers, fangs, bracelet connectors and anything else small enough to fit in a mouth away from children under three, and let the adult with a toddler choose for them. Skip light-up toys that run on button batteries. Glow sticks should not be chewed, because the liquid inside can irritate the mouth and eyes if a stick breaks open. If it gets on skin or in the eyes, rinse with water. Leave latex balloons out altogether. They are a choking risk, and some children are allergic to latex.

Two bowls and a sign

Put candy in one bowl and non-food treats in the other, and let children choose. A short sign such as “Non-food treats here too” helps shy children ask. In the US and Canada, and increasingly elsewhere, a teal-colored pumpkin on the doorstep signals that non-food treats are available, so if you have a spare pumpkin and some paint, that works as well.

Keep the two bowls separate, so that the non-food treats don’t come into contact with the candy.

For class parties and party favors

Schools often restrict candy and homemade food, which makes non-food treats the easy option for a class party. A small paper bag with a pencil, a sticker strip and a glow bracelet is plenty. A printed tag with a joke on it finishes the bag.

How many to buy

Start with enough non-food treats for a handful of visitors and adjust next year. Leftovers keep. Stickers, pencils and erasers can go into an advent calendar, party favors or next October’s bowl. Glow bracelets have a limited shelf life, so buy those fresh each year.

If you run out

Keep a pad of sticky notes and a marker by the door. A hand-drawn ghost with “IOU one high five” is better than an empty bowl.