Halloween is right around the corner and that means tricks and treats for little ones. For those with food allergies it can be a scary time and not in a 'fun spooky' way. Now if you are not already familiar with the 'Teal Pumpkin Project' it is a growing movement to help promote safe trick-or-treating for everyone including those with food allergies. Houses that participate in the project hand out non-food items so that everyone can have fun.
I recently went camping with some friends and there was some safe social distancing trick-or-treating going on. We had a great time and were able to find some candy that was peanut and tree-nut free but there were so many that were extremely dangerous to my child. Out of probably 50 or so treat stations there was only one camper who actually had a sign for Teal Pumpkin and non-food items for the kids.
Ultimately it is not everyone else's problem to deal with and handle food allergies but if you want to be more inclusive and provide safe options so that all children can enjoy the holiday then you should really think about participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project. I cannot begin to tell you how excited my daughter and I were when we came up to that one treat station that had Teal Pumpkin alternatives. It was awesome watching my daughter grab whatever she wanted without having to worry about having any issues.
Now these non-food treats don't have to be super expensive and you can find a lot of options at your local dollar store or you can order items in bulk from places online like Oriental Trading Company. If you do decide to do Teal Pumpkin you should either put a sign up on your door/ window or put an actual teal pumpkin on your porch so children can see it and are aware.
If you're not sure where to start check out this list of 20 ideas for doing Teal Pumpkin this year.
Stickers
Silly Play Glasses
Pencils
Bouncy Balls
Coloring Pages
Glow Sticks
Vampire Fangs
Crayons
Toy Jewelry (rings, necklaces)
Creepy Toy Bugs
Small Activity Books
Bubbles
Small Crafts
Whistles or noisemakers
Stamps
Play Coins (Pirate ones work well)
Small Action Figures or Army Men
Mini Notebooks
Finger Puppets
Playdough
If you are interested in participating but want to cut down on the cost then I highly recommend stocking up after the end of the year. As long as you don't mind storing a few bags for the following year this is a great way to save some money. Check out your local department store right after Halloween is over and grab a bunch of items for a fraction of the price. I have done this for the last two years now and have a giant bin full in my basement
Knowing that my daughter has an allergy I will participate every year so it's a no-brainer for me to stock up while I can. I hope even if your child doesn't have a food allergy that you consider doing Teal Pumpkin. It's a great way to ensure all children have a fun and safe holiday and I hope this post gave you some ideas on where to start.