Candy Control: Make a Plan for Halloween

By Skila Brown 

Kids are counting down the days. Dentists are refilling the ink in their printers for all those upcoming bills. Parents are bracing themselves for serious sugar highs, followed by crashes and bellyaches. It’s no secret that Halloween candy isn’t good for your little one, but as a parent, how can you limit your household’s candy intake without spoiling the fun? Read on for our best tips on how to set sweet limits in creative, festive ways this October 31st.

Invite the Halloween Fairy to your house on October 31st to magically turn leftover candy into a new toy or book! Have your child pile all the candy she hasn't gobbled onto the floor before she goes to bed. Not only will this magical visitor prevent cavities, but your child will also actually be excited to get rid of her haul of treats. Win-win!

Use the candy, wrappers and all, to make some cute crafts with your child. Use wrappers or leftover candy corn for an adorable collage, or save them to bake turkey cupcakes during Thanksgiving. Stash other mini sweets away for making gingerbread houses at Christmastime!

Turn this holiday into teaching moment that focuses on giving to the less fortunate. Drop candy off at the local food bank or children’s hospital as a family. Praise your kid for sharing her treats, explaining how her gift will bring a smile to someone's face. She’ll love the warm fuzzy feeling she gets by being generous instead of the typical post-Halloween tummy ache.

Setting limits on hard-earned Halloween loot may be a hard sell for candy-loving kids, but inspiring your child to get creative with her sweets in a cavity-free way isn’t impossible. Let her choose from a few of these candy solutions, and she’ll have so much hands-on fun that she won’t mind parting with her goodies.

Looking for some wickedly fun crafts? Check out our Halloween activities for all ages!