Have you ever heard of the Switch Witch?
The Switch Witch is a great way to make Halloween even more exciting for your kids!
How did the Switch Witch get started?
In 2012, a Colorado mom and business executive, Audrey Kinsman, realized on Halloween night that her young son couldn’t eat the majority of his Halloween candy due to a severe milk protein allergy.
As she watched his well up with tears, she shared with Woman’s Day, “”I said, honey don’t cry because the Switch Witch is coming and she’ll replace the candy [you can’t have] with a book or a toy.'”
Her older son was intrigued, and although he didn’t have the same food allergy, he wanted the Switch Witch to take his candy and leave a small gift for him too!
Since that time, the Switch Witch has become increasingly popular with parents whose kids have food allergies – and rightly so!
Even if you don’t have any severe food allergies in our home, there are still lots of reasons to LOVE this fun Halloween tradition!
Keep reading to find out why she’s so great and how to introduce her to your kids.
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The Switch Witch
So, who is the Switch Witch?
Basically, she’s the Halloween version of the Tooth Fairy.
After enjoying a few pieces of their candy on Halloween night, kids can leave their candy bags out on the kitchen table.
Then the good witch visits your house while the kids are sleeping and switches their candy for a small gift, such as a book, toy, or cold-weather clothes!
Benefits of the Switch Witch
There are so many great benefits of this fun Halloween tradition!
1. Promote healthier eating
While it’s important not to label different foods as bad or good, it IS important to teach kids the effects of eating different types of foods.
In fact, we believe that having less sugar in the house is one of the best reasons to begin the Switch Witch tradition!
Some of the benefits of having less sugar in the pantry are:
- Less tooth decay – there’s no doubt that eating a lot of sugar can cause cavities.
- An increased likelihood that your kids will eat more nutrient-rich foods.
- You’ll have to deal with fewer sugar-induced behavior spikes. (While the jury is out about whether this is a scientific fact, many parents and health organizations do feel there’s a connection between hyperactivity and sugar consumption.)
- There will be less temptation for mom and dad to eat the candy on the sly (or for breakfast. ha!)!
2. Extra anticipation for Halloween
Your kids will probably get incredibly excited for the Switch Witch to visit!
Being able to anticipate her visit weeks in advance makes Halloween all the more exciting!
And of course, they’ll love waking up on November 1st with something exciting waiting for them.
This simple tradition doesn’t have to re-create Christmas by any means. Just one small, thoughtful gift is definitely enough!
3. Promote inclusion for kids with food allergies
In this day and age, the more opportunities we have to teach our kids about kindness and inclusion, the better!
While it’s unlikely that every family will stop buying, passing out, and eating Halloween candy, there is something to be said about teaching our kids that not every child can participate in Halloween the same way.
Raising awareness regarding food allergies can also be a great time to introduce your kids to The Teal Pumpkin Project as well!
Related article: 19 Easy Pumpkin Carving Alternatives You Need to Try with Your Kids
4. Create a way to give back to the community
Another great thing about the Switch Witch is that she creates an opportunity for your kids to do something good with their Halloween candy.
You can tell your kids that she will send their candy to military servicemen and women all over the world!
To find out more about how to participate in the Treats for Troops program sponsored by Soldier’s Angels, click here!
How to get started with the Switch Witch
1. Ask your kids if they’d be interested
It’s a good idea to start by asking your kids if they’ve heard of the Switch Witch and whether or not they’d be interested in having her come to their house.
You can explain how this is a new thing to help kids with food allergies enjoy Halloween more, and she’s also willing to come to anyone else who wants to give their candy to a worthwhile cause or eat a little healthier!
2. Read The Switch Witch book
If your kids love stories, this cute storybook by Charity O’Neill-O’Kane will be a treat for sure!
3. Purchase a small gift for each child
Remember, the Switch Witch isn’t meant to be Santa Claus!
One simple gift, like a book or a toy, will be perfect.
4. Decide where you’ll send the candy
Whether you send the Halloween candy to troops overseas or share them with your co-workers is entirely up to you!
But make sure you know in advance where you’ll be taking the candy so it doesn’t end up in the back of your car or in your closet where your kids might find it!
Related article: 75 Awesome Halloween Would You Rather Questions to Ask Your Kids
Final thoughts on the Switch Witch
The Switch Witch has brought a ton of joy to our kids and many kids we know!
If you love incorporating new Halloween traditions into your home or you want to help your kids become more inclusive, this could be a really great option for your family!
Related articles about Halloween activities for kids:
–The 21 Best Family Halloween Costumes this Year
-11 Awesome Halloween Minute to Win It Games for Your Family
–What to Do With All of That Halloween Candy
Are you thinking about having the Switch Witch visit your house on Halloween night?
18 thoughts on “The Switch Witch: Why We Love Her (How She Makes Halloween More Fun!)”
These are such fun ideas for Halloween! I haven’t heard of the Switch Witch before, but the teachers used to “Boo” each other at the preschool I used to work at.
What a great idea! I’ll have to try the Switch Witch this year!
These are super cute ideas for Halloween. I haven’t heard of the Switch Witch before!
These are some really great ideas for Halloween. I have been stressing that it won’t be fun for my little boy this year but these are easy ideas that I can incorporate to make this year special. Thank you!
These are great ideas. Halloween is going to look really different this year, at least for out family. These are great alternatives.
The switch witch is sooo clever! Kids wont miss out on the candy fun, and you get to avoid all that extra sugar! I love the idea of getting kids to buy-in with the simple switch witch form. Great idea!
Great idea especially for those who celebrate halloween. Thanks for sharing! I’m sure the kids will appreciate doing something fun especially during this (very weird) time!
This is a brilliant idea. There’ll definitely be a switch witch in our home this year! Thanks! x
Halloween is the perfect season to be as creative as you want. Loves these ideas.
Great ideas. I know Halloween will be a little different this year.
This is such an interesting idea! Have any of your kids turned down the switch witch and would have rather kept their candy?! Super interesting!
As a food allergy mom, the switch witch has been huge. It is an easy way to trade out allergens for something that kids can use.
I absolutely love the switch witch idea!
I absolutely love these ideas! The Switch Witch is such a fun name and sounds like a great alternative to eating sooo much candy. I also love the idea of doing an online costume contest. Dressing up is what makes Halloween so fun to me so I’d love to be able to show off my costume and see everyone else’s!
There are some great ideas here. We’re actually going camping for Halloween.
Excellent idea! I foresee more and more families getting with this as time goes on.
Cute ideas. I haven’t heard of the switch witch before.
we do something similar, there’s just no fanfare about it. we let the kids enjoy their candy for a while, then we put it away and i pull it out only every now and then. then one day i just get rid of it, and they never notice!