Classroom Birthday Treats Without Candy

Updated on January 28, 2013
K.J. asks from Lehi, UT
27 answers

I need some help coming up with ideas for birthday "treats" for my son's 1st grade class. I'm ok with a cupcake now and then, but I'm not big on overloading kids with sugar. His birthday also happens to fall in between 3 other celebrations they'll be having in the classroom, so I know they're going to have plenty of treats. I want to find something fun and creative that the kids will enjoy, but without everyone being disappointed that they're not getting cupcakes. Any suggestions?

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M.M.

answers from Denver on

Any combination of 2/3 fruits on skewers. Orange chunk, watermelon, pineapple, grapes. You can also order little animal or star wars etc tooth picks and rings from several Asian online stores that sell beneto boxes. . Don't over think it. Anything different is fun. Go to a dollar store and buy fun napkins and plates for $1 for 20 and keep the food simple.

Wish my son's school would ban sugar treats! most of the 'treats' are smothered in scary frosting 1inch thick.

3 moms found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from New York on

Good for you!!!!! Kids don't need these so called "treats", which is why one of the reasons why so many schools have banned them. I've always hated when other parents took it upon themselves to give my kids junk food.

Suggestions - coloring books, crayons or markers, stickers, a gift for the classroom that all the kids can share.

2 moms found this helpful
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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

We are not allowed to send food for ANYTHING. (Not even with a valentine.) Suggestions for alternatives have been a board game or other classroom game or item for all to share, stickers, erasers, books, etc. Think along those lines and nobody will miss the cupcake.

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

A.C.

answers from Huntington on

K., I see you are in Utah and a lot of Utah schools do not allow anything homemade or unpackaged to be brought in. Is that the case with your school? If so, you could do packaged pretzels, crackers, those "handisnacks" with the faux cheese spread, fruit roll ups, small packs of raisins, or get a bag of clementines.

3 moms found this helpful
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L.E.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Wow. Our school does not allow any kind of food treat, ever. It's kind of sad but I can understand why they do it with all the allergies and other issues. We usually hit up Target for ideas - colorful bouncy balls, pencils, packs of colored pencils that write in multiple colors at once, pencil toppers, erasers, stickers, mini craft kits, etc. Their $1 aisle sometimes has some cute items as well (Batman rulers were a hit with the boys). Definitely not as fun as treats but the kids seem ok with it.

3 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

life goes on without cupcakes!

any allergy alerts for the classroom....that's always been my starting point.

you could do ice cream sundaes, rice krispie treats, big cookies.....anything you can think of! Hit Pinterest for ideas.....

oh, & don't forget vegies & dip are popular....especially when served in little cups with the vegies sticking out of them!

2 moms found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

It may seem lame, but what about a small "treat" bag with one of those small bottles of water (the 8 oz ones), a pencil, and a mini-jar of playdough that you can buy in the large 16 container packages or whatever? Inexpensive, easy, and the kids will like it. No parent can complain about water. And the teacher might even like that. :)

Or, you could do something similar with the prepackaged jello pudding cups, a plastic spoon, a napkin and a water. Make them up, drop them in a cooler with ice until you are ready to deliver them. Easy, no mess, less sugar.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.F.

answers from Boston on

I once made fruit cups for all the kids at my sons party! I little fat free whipped cream and I was a hit! They love oranges and apple , watermelon , pineapple and blueberries, strawberries!

2 moms found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

I fyou want to do food then maybe apples and caramel dip? Otherwise we always get pencils and stuff like that. balloons are fun too...1 for each kid.

2 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My kids LOVE veggies and dip. I often see this is a HUGE hit in classroom when we bring it in for other parties.

Popcorn.

Fruit skewers.

Those are on the top of my mind right now. I always let me kids pick their treat. My youngest picked donut holes last year. It was super easy and quick for both me and his teachers, huge hit. It's sugar, but it's okay sometimes.

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

We're not allowed to hand out food at school for birthday celebrations (too many food allergies). We've given pencils with notebooks, bouncy balls, and stickers. One girl handed out those water bottles that go flat when not filled. Everyone loved those!

I'm sure whatever you end up doing will be great.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.A.

answers from Seattle on

Stickers? Little toys from oriental trading?

1 mom found this helpful
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H.W.

answers from Portland on

I like the idea of popcorn, personally. Most kids love popcorn and the crumbs are easily swept when done-- no massive cleanup for the teachers or janitors.

1 mom found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

Rice Krispie Squares.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from Missoula on

You could do sliced apples with caramel dip, or this:
http://www.theyummylife.com/recipes/27/Caramel+Cream+Chee...

Or you could make jello jiggler-type shapes out of fruit juice and gelatin. Or popcorn.

Or skip the food and do stickers, fun pencils, or some other non-edible treat.

1 mom found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

Our school allows for it, but our classroom has made some adjustments partly because they are only there for 2.5hrs ,the other part is because sugar and kids are not always the best mix for learning. Yes, sugar happens, however have you seen a classroom full of kids hyped up on sugar? Even if only one or two kids get hyped the other kids feed off of that chaos and the classroom, even with the best of teachers, can go into a tailspin. So, my son's teacher's adjustment has been that the ONLY cupcakes/treats allowed are MINI versions so, mini cupcakes, cookies etc. In addition they take them on their way out the door. They sing "Happy Birthday" during morning meeting and have whatever treat it may be after coats are on. I appreciate this as the mom who has that kid that does get hyped up on sugar, I can choose if he has it, how much of it he has etc.

I simply suggest you celebrate at home and leave school for learning OR go with the fruit skewers or use cookie cutters on melons (if you can bring from home). Even then, leave strawberries off the list that is a fruit allergen many do not know about.

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

As a mom of a child with food sensitivites, I hate when outside food is brought in. I'd go with something like a toy or game.

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D.K.

answers from Cincinnati on

You could always make a little gift bag including an assortment of items. A colored pencil, a bookmark, a package of cute little post-it notes, a shaped crayon, a bouncy ball, a few stickers, a shaped eraser, along with a pre-packaged healthier snack. Or instead of putting them all in a little bag, you could put them all in little origami boxes. You could even let the kids make their own origami boxes, or other easy to make origami.

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M.H.

answers from Chicago on

Food: Fozen Fruit popsicles? Get a little viatimin in there?

If you are allowed to bake, you can make grahm crackers, maybe write his name in them. weather you do standard square or fun shapes.

Our school only allows store bought food, which is rough, but both of my kids have summer birthdays. My son is Gluten Free, chcolate free and Dye free.. so the frozen fuit popsicles are the best..

Good luck

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C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Pretzels, golffish, chips and dip?

At my daughter's school the food must be unopened and store bought.

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M.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

The Dollar store has stuffed animals for $1 a piece-they are actually pretty cute too. These are a huge hit in my kid's classes. You could tie the birthday wish from your son around its neck with a ribbon.

C.V.

answers from Columbia on

My boys love the soft frosted sugar cookies you can get in the bakery section of Walmart. We've also done donuts. I get those alone with the Capri Sun "Roaring Waters" (because they have SIGNIFICANTLY less sugar than any of the other juices out there and taste good).

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B.B.

answers from San Antonio on

Muffins for the morning are always popular at my son's school.

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

i have made a so called trail mix....cereal, popcorn w/o the hulls, goldfish crackers....etc. and serve it in a cup...kids love this kind of snack!!!

M.M.

answers from Chicago on

I was going to suggest fruit and maybe a marshmallow dip, if you want to treat them.

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

depending on how much money you want to spend think party favors. my kids both like those plastic rings. you could make t-shirt capes, buy plastic drinking cups with characters on them.

we went to a joint birthday party and the party favor bags were awesome. she had in a clear favor bag, drinking cup, stcker pack, pencil, braceltes, small squishy ball (like those bouncy balls) plastic ring, it was around halloween so alot of those things were themed. but you might find orential trading to be great finds.

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