Fun Ways to Limit Halloween Candy
As we get closer to Halloween, kids are more excited than ever to go trick or treating with friends to collect some tasty candy. They look forward to enjoying their treats and eating all the candy they have collected. Unfortunately, candy contains a high concentration of sugar that helps bacteria produce acid which rots teeth and creates cavities. Lets find out some fun ways to limit Halloween candy and practice cavity prevention.
Fun Project
One great way to protect your kids oral hygiene is to build a fun project with some of the candy collected. Have your kids use some of the candy to decorate a parts of a gingerbread house or build fun shapes. Not only will this be a fun learning experience for the kids, it will also help reduce the amount of candy they eat.
Share
Another way to limit your kids intake of Halloween candy is to donate the candy to those in need. There are a ton of charities across the US that accept candy donations. Operation gratitude has a website with information on donating candy to US troops. Ronald McDonald charities also accepts candy donations once Halloween is over. Other places where candy can be donated include food pantries, nursing homes, and hospitals. Have your kids follow the proper instructions and help them send some of the candy they collected to the needy. This can be a lesson in sharing as well as a great way to reduce visits to your kids dentist.
Offer an Exchange
Another exciting way to help your kids with cavity prevention during the Halloween season is to offer a fun gift like a popular toy or book in exchange for the candy collected. Not only will you reduce their candy intake, you will also let them have fun. You can either donate the candy you collected to charity, share it with friends, or bring into the office.
Schedule Playtime
To burn all those calories from the candy that your kids eat, they need to get some exercise. Make sure to keep the candy in a place where only you can access it. Promise your kids candy after they do a fun activity outside like hide and seek or playing sports with friends. Only give them candy if they play or do a physical activity for a certain amount of time during the day.
Combine with Another Treat
Another way to limit the candy your children eat is to offer them a make a fun snack with the candy they collected. If they agree to save the candy for later, promise them a fun snack like baked cake or ice cream treat that uses the candy collected. This will make the kids more eager to wait instead of finishing the candy all at once and help your kids with cavity prevention.
Conclusion
Halloween season should not ruin your kids oral hygiene. Naturally, kids want to enjoy and eat all the candy they collect. If you don't place limits, then you will be visiting your kids dentist more often than you want to. Make sure to place limits in a fun manner outlined here so you keep your kids motivated and help with cavity prevention. Your kids should enjoy the candy they collected but not ruin their teeth with treats!
