Simple but Spooktacular Halloween Party Ideas for Kids

It is almost that spooky time of year again. Witches, goblins and monsters of all kinds will soon be about. If your child wants to host a Halloween party this year, don't be freaked out....go ahead and plan a spooktacular event! Decide early in the planning if you will have special themed costumes ( monsters only, i.e. ), time of party ( night or daytime ), kids only or parents too, and what type of food you'd like to serve ( snacks only, or a meal with snacks, cake, candy, etc...). You can keep the Halloween Party simple but fun, with some of the ideas I've included below.

Invitations

These should be delivered about two weeks before the party. You can find lots of invitation ideas on the web, or just let your child's imagination take over and create your own with construction paper, glitter and glue. They have quite cute ones at the stores as well. No matter what type you decide on, don't forget to include the pick-up time for after the party, and rsvp information. Also note on the invitation if children should come dressed in a Halloween costume or not . I think kids love to wear their Halloween costumes every chance they get, so a good bet would be to have them come in costumes!

DECORATIONS

Go as crazy as you want here, or keep it simple. Crepe paper ( orange and black, of course), spider webs and balloons make great and easy decorations. You can also tape up butcher paper on the walls, and paint scary Halloween scenes, skeletons, monsters, etc... Use Glow-in-the-dark paint for the most effect. Play scary Halloween music in the background to help set the mood. Parents shouldn't forget to dress up as well in a costume....the kids love it! Use colored lightbulbs in lamps for spooky lighting, place ghoulish -looking pumpkins around, and ominous looking signs with messages such as "GO BACK NOW, WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"

FOOD

You can find all kinds of halloween recipes on the internet and in magazines. Pick a couple of fun and interesting ones, and then back these creations up with all the normal party goodies, i.e. potato chips, popcorn ( remember popcorn is a choking hazard for kids under 3 ), and the like. I've included a couple of Halloween recipes here that are easy and fun to make, and kids will love.

Eyeball Eggs

As many hardboiled eggs as you like, peeled

Green olives with pimentos

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Slice eggs in half and take out the yolks.

Mix yolks, mayonnaise, and mustard until it is like a paste

Spoon the mixture back into the eggs, and add one olive to the center of the mixture.

Another fun Halloween Recipe is:

Spidery Cupcakes

You need is:

Cupcakes

Frosting ( try vanilla and add yellow and orange food coloring )

Gumdrops

Licorice strings ( red and black)

Frost the cupcakes

Put a gumdrop in the center of the frosting

Add licorice to form 8 legs

Games

.Keeping the Ghouls and Goblins happy and busy should be relatively easy. Here are a couple of game ideas:

mummy-maker

divide the kids into teams of at least two, but can be more.

Handout the toilet paper.

Decide, or let the kids decide, who will be the "mummy", and who will be the "wrapper" .

This game can be based on time....quickest mummy wrapped, or on the best mummy wrapping job.

You could also choose not to have a winner, but have a "parade of mummys" for all to enjoy.

monster freeze dance

This is a fun game, and any music can be used, but I think using the song "Monster Mash" works great.

Have the kids all dance like monsters.

Turn off the music, and kids stop dancing and freeze.

1^st to move is out ( becoming the next person in charge of turning off the music in the next round ? )

Some more easy but good old favorites to play are:

Bobbing for apples
Guess the pumpkin's weight
Guess the candycorn in the jar ( or any other candy/item you choose. Jar goes home with the winner ).
unscramble halloween words ( can be done individually or in teams ).
tell spooky stories ( one child starts, child sitting next contiues the story, and so on).

Happy Halloween!

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