Hello friends of the Omschool! I'm so excited! As much as I'm sad to see summer go, Back to school is one of my favorite times of the year! It deserves a celebration all it's own. But I'm also cognizant of the fact that everything costs more and back-to-school shopping is no exception. As mom to a large family and now Omi to a much larger crew, I'm all about saving money. So back to school sales are a great way to cut costs not only on BTS items but also gift giving occasions. Repurpose school supplies for Halloween Trick-or-Treat giveaways, Christmas stocking stuffers, party prizes, birthday presents and more. As for Trick-or-Treat, it's high time to start thinking outside the candy wrapper anyway. Here are 70 Halloween candy alternatives you can pick up cheap as you do your back-to-school shopping. Non-candy treats are perfect for kids on special diets. Teal Pumpkin Project participants, use this list of treats for diabetic candy-free alternatives for kids with food allergies and ADHD.
All or these items can be found for $1-$2 per dozen or less. Shop for back-to-school at Walmart, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Target, Dollar General, Aldi and Meijer. Check Oriental Trading catalog. Shop bulk and clearance bins and shelves at party supply stores for inexpensive birthday prizes. Look for tax free days and free shipping on BTS purchases at Amazon and other online vendors.
Give school supplies as Halloween candy alternatives. Give pencils, rulers, drawing compasses, markers, scissors, mini-markers, mini stampers, crayons, glue sticks, scissors, pencil sharpeners, tape, mini staplers, notebooks, books and folders. Give craft supplies instead of Halloween candy. Kids love cheap craft sets, activity booklets, mini paint sets, decorated pens, scented pens, gel pens, play dough, goop, putty and colored pencils.
Give birthday party prizes for Trick or Treat. Children's favorites are: adjustable rings, navigational compass, key chains, fake fangs (very popular), slide flutes, Chinese handcuffs, tops, mini kazoos, party poppers, noisemakers, yo-yos, glow bracelets, slide puzzles, mini games, finger puppets, fake fingers, finger gliders, mini puzzles, ring toss games, squishy eyeballs, glow-in-the-dark insects, plastic toy animals, toy soldiers, toy cars, ball and jacks sets, snap bracelets, prisms, bracelets, necklaces, puzzles, squirt guns, squirt rings, whistles, kaleidoscopes, sticky hands, harmonicas, paratrooper toys (with plastic parachutes attached) and growing creatures in capsules (these look like pill capsules and when put in water, expand).
Need super cheap Halloween giveaways for large crowds of kids? Give out balloons, stickers, Band Aids (seriously crazy popular), temporary tattoos, spider rings, friendship rings, bouncy balls, bat rings, jumping spiders, Comparison shop and you'll find cheap prizes cost about the same as candy.
And when choosing Halloween candy alternatives or any toy prize giveaways, think more educational and less cheap landfill fodder. School supplies are perfect to this end. So are prisms, musical instruments like kazoos and harmonicas, kaleidoscopes, gyroscopes, plastic animals and insects. The little paratrooper toys, Chinese handcuffs and expanding pill capsule creatures help demonstrate physics principles to simple object lessons too.
Love to you all and best wishes as we head back to school for another adventure filled year!
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