Think about your own kids when choosing Halloween treats to pass out.
Is this the type of treat you would feel safe giving them? If this treat was in your kids bag of goodies, would you let them keep it? If the answer is no, chances are this treat won't pass another parents inspection either. Quite often, parental instinct will give you the answer to this safety dilemma.
Offer entertainment instead of treats.
Trick or treaters might enjoy a free homemade haunted house tour or other activity. Set up a table with activities like painting miniature pumpkins or making masks. Feathers, fake jewels and mask forms are available at most craft stores. Use your imagination to come up with other Halloween themed activities for trick or treaters.
Give out small toys as a substitute for Halloween candy.
Think rubber snakes, flutes, whistles or other party favors. Be sure to give age appropriate toys to each child. Trick or treating toddlers or babies should never be given toys with potential choking safety hazards. Unsafe toys will never pass parent inspection. Try to choose quality inexpensive toys as treats.
It may be tempting to make delicious homemade goodies for Halloween.
This only works for kids of friends and relatives. Even then, Halloween treats should be labeled with your name, phone and address. Avoid giving homemade treats to kids you don't know. Homemade trick or treat items always end up failing parent inspection due to possible safety risks.
Gift certificates are a welcome treat.
Many fast food venues offer coupons for individual items. Passing safety inspection is not a concern with these trick or treat offerings. Parents can take their kids out for a free treat without concern. Kids love getting these treats because it gives them a second day of fun to experience.
If you do give candy, keep this in mind:
Parents look for things like wrappers that can be opened and re-wrapped. Another safety alert goes off when packaging appears tampered with or open. Small holes in packaging could be needle insertion or injection sites. Buy Halloween candy that is securely wrapped and difficult to tamper with.
