To put sweets in a bucket....

[Sokmonsta]

.... Of jelly/custard for the trick or treaters? Im thinking packets like buttons so the sweets aren't ruined. Would a soggy-handed child annoy you? I want to do something a little different but harmless for the visiting littlies. Most people here seem to want to scare them stupid.

Nice idea but I wouldn't thank you for trails of jelly and custard all over my kids new costumes, tbh.

My 2 would love that!

How about using spaghetti instead? Less messy.

Bucket of sawdust with plastic critters in?

i would do.it with jelly it wont make such a mess? and no yanbu its a grear idea, its halloween and kids can roll their sleeves up. maybe have some wet wipes ir kichen roll handy for those that want to clean up?

A soggy hand wouldn't bother me - it's the fact they'd then wipe it all over their costumes I wouldn't be chuffed to have everything covered in jelly & custard if I'm being perfectly honest, but I appreciate you are trying to do something fun & nice for them :)

Love it 😬

I'd be peed off about the clothing and so would both my DDs. Unless you warn them of course and suggest sleeve rolling up.

Even then it's gross really. Loads of kids will have had their hands in it and the sweets will be soggy unless you wrap them in cellophane!

Right. So I'm thinking half and half - give the responsible adult littlies the choice to slime or not and a towel on hand for wiping up?

Ooh fakebook spaghetti as in cooked but no sauce ( was originally thinking canned stuff and being messy). Hmmm. That's a less messy and fun possibility. Not sure I've got spaghetti in but huge bag of pasta.

Can't get hold of sawdust unfortunately.

Have got to post a sensible note anyway as looks like Ds is going down with the pox. I know most of his preschooler friends have had it, but there's others in the village who are an unknown.

Oh my kids would love that!

Just keep an old towel by the door.

We had a party for mum's fostered kids today and put treats in a washing basket full of plastic balls and made them 'bob' for them (little ones were allowed to use their hands!). They loved it, and not messy (lots of them have sensory issues).

Sokmonster, cook the pasta until the water goes down and it becomes starchy. Add a little more water to make it more gloopy, or if you want it sticky (call it pigs ears!) just take out the water.

Here are some idea's for you.
familycrafts.about.com/cs/halloweengames/a/blhfeelbox.htm

How boring, worrying about the costumes. Um, wash them if they're that important!

I know!

I second spaghetti or noodles.

Spaghetti and pasta might work, or even gry lentils or cornflakes.

Anything wet would just ruin the rest of their sweets when yours were added to their bag, though.

Worried about their costumes? Heaven forbid that they get dirty whilst having fun.

Go with a choice of buckets of jelly, cooked spaghetti and air for the boring ones

Many thanks for all your help and comments. We had lots of little visitors last night. It was lovely to see the effort they all went to and our two eldest dc's enjoyed seeing all their friends at the door.

In the end I went for the suggestion of cooked pasta. Was certainly fun from my end, clean and only puzzled a few children who thought they should take a handful of pasta .

I bagged up a few sweets in those clear poly bags so everyone not only got a fair share but also didn't ruin the packs either.

Seems I've set myself a challenge for next year though as the comments from parents included me being "organised", "being different" and "a nice change from the usual just grabbing"

Anyone who knows me knows organisation in 'mum things' is not my strong point so I've made notes from this thread in my diary for next year.

Hope everyone else had the Halloween they wanted - peaceful/full of visitors/clean