Many schools are looking for alternative ways to celebrate birthday parties without food. Schools are interested in this not only for food-allergy management but also for new efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, reduce obesity, and reduce the risks of other health issues such as early onset diabetes.

The following ideas have been suggested by Reading parents and teachers and have been put in practice by many classrooms:

Food-alternatives for home and school birthday parties

Many schools are looking for alternative ways to celebrate birthday parties without food. Schools are interested in this not only for food-allergy management but also for new efforts to reduce obesity, promote healthier living, and provide better pest control management in classrooms. 

• Individualized Bookmark : On a child's birthday, the teacher or principal would present that child with an individualized school birthday bookmark. Bookmarks for summer birthdays would be given during the last week of school.
  

• Book Donations : Instead of bringing food, a parent could donate a book to the library, media center, or child’s classroom on the child's birthday. This concept can be applied to occasions other than birthdays. For example, books of the appropriate holiday theme could be donated at holiday parties. The donated book could have a nameplate with the child's name and the date of the gift. This is a wonderful way to contribute books to the library and to help children feel a greater sense of responsibility for their library. A "wish list" of books could be posted on the library or classroom door in helping families make selections.
  

• Birthday Bag : Celebrate each child's birthday in the classroom by taking a look in the "Birthday Bag" which may contain birthday stories, birthday hats, and index cards describing facts related to that day in history, including famous people with the same birthday. The birthday bag could also contain a birthday box with special pencils or other supplies to choose from. Alternatively, the bag could contain a small gift for the child purchased with donations from the class for a "birthday fund".

• Birthday Poster : The class could celebrate each child's birthday by creating a special poster for the birthday child, allowing each classmate to draw a picture on the poster.

• Supply Donations : Instead of donating books, supplies for the classroom could be donated; for example: craft supplies, pencils for the children, construction paper, etc.. Similarly, educational materials suggested by the classroom's teacher would always be appreciated.

• Novelties : The Oriental Trading Company (call 1-800-875-8480 for a catalog) carries a large variety of low-cost novelties (such as a 50 piece bag of fun stamps, 50 piece mind teaser games, a 100 piece toy assortment) that are ideal alternatives to food at party time.

Halloween! Put the Trick back in Trick-or-Treat!

One way to make Halloween safer for children with food allergies is to put the trick back in trick-or-treat! When a child comes to your door at Halloween, simply offer tricks instead of treats. Or you could accommodate both tricks and treats, allowing children with food allergies to take a trick instead of a treat.

For example, The Oriental Trading Company carries a large variety of low-cost novelties (such as a 50 piece bag of fun stamps, 50 piece mind teaser games, a 100 piece toy assortment) that are ideal alternatives to candy at Halloween time.