1. I don’t want to get “egged”
Did your house get egged as a kid because your mom gave out uncool treats on Halloween? You might be surprised to find out that there’s lots of cool toys and party favors that kids like and you can always have candy as an available option.
2. I want to give out candy
No problem! Hand out your usual candy to trick or treaters, but have a second bowl of food free treats available and place your teal pumpkin prominently so kids looking for food free treats know you have them available.
3. It’s too hard to find food free treats
Any party favor will do… it doesn’t have to be Halloween themed. Stop by the greeting card aisle next time you’re at Walmart (or even the grocery store) and pick up a package of stickers or other party favors. If you’re looking for more of a variety, look for party favors at the dollar store or your local party store.
4. It costs too much money for toys
Toys don’t have to be big. You can find Halloween themed rings for as little as 2 cents each at the Dollar store but there are several exciting party favor options available at most any party store for less than 20 cents a piece. Even a 2 cent ring is more valuable and exciting for a kid who sees a candy bar that he can’t touch.
5. I don’t have time to shop for something “extra”
You probably don’t have to go shopping. Just pull out those leftover party favors from your own kid’s last birthday party or order your toys and candy online from Amazon or Oriental Trading Company.
6. I don’t know where to find teal paint
Teal paint is easier to find than you think. You can use spray paint (from the hardware section) or an acrylic paint (in the craft section, typically used for wood or ceramics). Other words used to describe a teal-like color are “lagoon” or “jade”. Don’t mistake turquoise or aqua for teal, however. These colors are lighter and more blue than teal, which is darker and has more green. You can also find Teal colored duct tape and ribbon pretty easily in the craft section.
7. I’m allergic to pumpkins
Your pumpkin doesn’t have to be real! We’ve seen many plastic and ceramic teal pumpkins on Instagram already and the benefit to using a fake pumpkin is that you can save it for next year, too!
8. I don’t have time to paint a pumpkin
Then don’t. The important part about this project is that you have options available for special needs children. At the very least, print out the official #tealpumpkinproject poster and place it in a highly visible location so those looking for food free treats will see it.
9. I think it’s dumb we have to change everything we do for the minority
Nobody is making you do this. It is completely by choice. 1 in 13 children have a food allergy and the numbers are rising (by 50% in the last decade alone). But in addition to benefiting kids with food allergies, you’re also helping other special needs children that can’t eat the candy for other reasons and getting a lot of thumbs up from moms who don’t want their kids on a permanent sugar high.
10. I won’t be home on Halloween night
No problem! You can get involved by spreading the word on social media and telling your friends about the #tealpumpkinproject!
We can’t find a single reason NOT to participate in this project, so come join in the fun and let’s include everyone!
Like this article? Stick around and browse some more of our recent articles then subscribe to our site and join our social network so you don’t miss anything new!
