Too Much Halloween Candy? Introduce the Switch Witch!

After a fun night of costume wearing, trick-or-treating, and sugar highs (on a school night, nonetheless), you might find yourself wondering what in the world are you supposed to do with all that candy without your kids endlessly devouring it each day?

If you haven’t heard of the Switch Witch, she might be your new favorite post-Halloween tradition.

The Switch Witch is a good witch that visits your home on Halloween night, usually while the children sleep, and exchanges their Halloween candy for a fun surprise gift in its place.

If you want to give the Switch Witch a try this year, here’s what you can do:

  • Give a backstory on who the Switch Witch is. Check out the Switch Witch website for a story idea!
  • Have your child decide ahead of time how much candy he/she is willing to give to the Switch Witch.
  • Have your child write a note to the Switch Witch asking for the toy(s) she wants.
  • After the trick-or-treating is over, help your child prepare the candy for the Switch Witch.
  • After your child goes to sleep, exchange the candy for the toy(s) and throw it out immediately so your child doesn’t find it.

What to offer in exchange for candy:

You can do a basket (think Easter bunny style), filled with things like coloring books, stickers, play dough, bubbles, a small car of figurine, craft supplies, etc.

Or you can do one big toy.

You can even gift experiences such as a one-on-one date with a parent, passes to the zoo, a day at the aquarium, a fun dinner out, etc.

Tips and other options:

  • Some parents prefer to let their child have a few pieces of candy the night of Halloween to enjoy the fun. You may even allow your child to keep the candy they like and give the ones they don’t to the Switch Witch. This is totally up to you!
  • If you want to go full out with this, you can get the Switch Witch book and witch doll set but there are also plenty of poems and printables to do your own way, too.
  • This idea tends to work best with kids ages 3 and up–think Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus stage on how long it might last.
  • In future years, consider taking your child to just a handful of houses to trick-or-treat, this way they still get to participate in the fun without overloading on candy that you’ll just throw away.