Happy, Healthy Halloween Ideas for Kids
Love it or loathe it, New Zealanders are slowly adopting a more favorable view of Halloween. My opinion is simply that dressing up is super-fun for kids so let them have it whilst they’re still young enough to enjoy a special, spooky night out in their neighborhood.
I’m not one to get on the sugar bandwagon either, but there’s no denying it’s definitely the time of year when littles can go crazy on excess amounts of Trick or Treat candy. Moderation is a wonderful thing but I don’t know anyone under the age of 12 – or 45? – who can resist delving into their Halloween loot a little more often than they should.
We all know that sugar and lollies are bad for kids teeth and oral health so I’ve teamed up with Philips Sonicare and come up with some ideas to help you and the kids focus on getting into the ‘theme’ of Halloween, rather than just dressing up and celebrating for the haul of Trick or Treat lollies at the end of the night!
When I watch my kids brush their teeth I swear I can count each brush stroke with ease as the boys seem to move in slow motion! They’ve realised that spending the correct amount of time brushing their teeth *might* be halfway to fooling Mum and Dad that they’ve actually done a great job! Ethan’s new Philips Sonicare toothbrush uses a dynamic side-to-side cleaning action, rather than a rotating action and has over 31,000 brush strokes per minute which helps remove more plaque than a manual toothbrush, and (I’m sure!) is hugely more effective than the snail’s pace with which he was brushing his teeth before.
5 Ways you can cut the sugar and ramp up the fun this Halloween
- Host your own Halloween Party instead of Trick or Treating
We used to do this all the time when Ethan was little and walking the streets was just too much for him. This is also a great idea if you live semi-rurally or your neighborhood isn’t conducive to Trick or Treating. A party can remove the lollie element entirely and allow you to serve healthy, SPOOKY snacks the kids will love! Remember a kids party doesn’t have to be elaborate, they’ll be having tonnes of fun in dress-ups with their friends, but, if you want some party inspo, you can check out my Pinterest Halloween Party board here
- Stay at home and offer healthier Trick or Treat snacks
Your kids will have just as much fun playing host to the neighborhood ghosts and ghouls as they would Trick or Treating themselves! Pop a orange or black balloon on the mailbox to show your house is Halloween-friendly and serve healthy, fun themed treats to whomever comes knocking! I’ve pinned loads of Healthy Halloween Treat ideas here
- Offer non-food alternatives for Trick or Treaters
Who said Trick or Treating has to be all about food? Think outside the box and head to your local dollar store for some spooky bargains. Think pencils, mini spiders or other creepy-crawlies, stamps, stickers, glow-sticks or erasers. Most of these can be found in multi-packs which makes them really inexpensive and a great surprise for the kids! Or, make a batch of homemade orange play-doh, divide it up and wrap small balls in clear cellophane and tie with a green ribbon – super cute for littles!
- Head out to a Halloween Event instead of Trick or Treating
Image from original blog post by Frugal Momeh
Many cities host amazing Halloween events where kids and adults can dress up enjoy the entertainment and forget about Trick or Treating altogether! Check out Halloween in the Village if you are in Auckland.
- Host a Halloween Craft Station in your front yard
Give Trick or Treaters something to take away that’s NOT filled with sugar! A simple craft or activity station can be a welcome respite for littlies (or parents with weary feet!). Some easy ideas can be found on my Halloween Craft board but I’m loving the Apple Pumpkin Stamps pictured by Frugal Momeh.
Fun ideas right? I hope you’re feeling excited and looking forward to a Halloween with a little less sugar this year! Philips have done a great job inspiring me to get this post out of my head and onto the blog as well as inspiring Ethan to be a little more diligent when it comes to brushing his teeth!
The toothbrush E’s using below is the New Philips Sonicare for kids. It’s totally removed my urge to monitor how long he spends brushing his teeth as it has a built-in KidTimer that lets him know when it’s time to switch to a new spot and (crucially!) when he has finished brushing his teeth. He’s also been able to customise it with fun, interchangeable stickers that have got little Nixon seething about his big brother’s new fancy toothbrush! Suitable for ages 4+ Nix will have his own soon enough. A bathroom used by two young boys can get super messy, I’m loving the anti-roll feature of the Philips Sonicare which helps keep the bathroom at least a little bit cleaner!
You can win a Philips Sonicare for Kids toothbrush RRP $99.95 right here!
To enter, comment below with a sugary treat that you’d find hard to give up and I’ll choose a winner at random 17/11/16! NZ residents only.
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Anyway, I freaking LOVE this movie, it’s a stop-motion masterpiece and thank goodness it’s on 
I used dressmaking pins but you could also affix the flowers with craft glue.
Happy Halloween!
It’s about this time every year that Ye Ole debate starts, you know, the one that starts with this gem; “ugh, I HATE Halloween, it’s so American humpfff”.
