The costumes are put away, the trick-or-treating is over, and somehow your kitchen now looks like a candy store. Here are a few ways to turn some of those extra treats into a chance to practice giving together.
Your children don’t have to eat all of it. You don’t have to eat all of it. And you certainly don’t have to keep it around until next Halloween!
That overflowing candy bowl can become something wonderful: an opportunity to teach your children about the power of giving after they’ve experienced the joy of receiving.
Before you scoop up the candy and announce that it’s going away, invite your children into the conversation.
“You had so much fun collecting these treats! Would you like to share some with someone who didn’t get to go trick-or-treating?”
Let them sort through their candy, choose their favorites to keep, and decide what they’d like to give.
The goal is to help them experience what it feels like to give willingly. Even a small handful can be a meaningful beginning.
Soldiers’ Angels collects extra Halloween candy to share with service members and veterans. Families can use the organization’s Candy Map to find participating collection sites nearby.
Find a Treats for Troops collection site ↗Check the location’s collection dates and hours before heading over.
Operation Shoebox accepts candy year-round for military care packages. This is an option for families who would like to mail their extra treats.
The organization asks donors to separate candy by type, such as chocolate, gummies, and hard candy, when possible.
Get Operation Shoebox’s mailing instructions ↗
Troopathon accepts unopened Halloween candy for care packages sent to deployed service members. Your family can include a kind note along with the treats.
Find Troopathon’s candy donation instructions ↗Check the current shipping instructions and collection timeline before sending your package.
Some dental offices host Halloween Candy Buyback events. Children may receive a small reward in exchange for candy, which the office then donates through a military-support organization.
Learn about Halloween Candy Buyback ↗Call your dentist to ask whether they’re participating this year. Dates, rewards, and donation limits vary by office.
Giving becomes more meaningful when children take part in the process.
They can sort the treats, decorate a card, help pack a box, or come along to drop off the donation. Younger children might draw a picture; older children and teens can help research the organization or write a thank-you note.
Ask: “How do you think someone might feel when they open our package?”
You don’t need to turn it into a long lesson. Let the conversation grow from what you’re doing together.
Choose unopened, individually wrapped candy and check your selected program’s current requirements. Confirm collection dates before dropping anything off. If you’re mailing a donation, plan to cover postage.
Halloween gives children the excitement of knocking on a door and receiving something special.
Afterward, we can offer them another experience: choosing to bring a little happiness to someone else.
Keep some favorites. Share some sweetness. Let your children discover that giving can feel good, too.
