Kids Halloween Party Ideas

What is cuter than a bunch of kids dressed up for Halloween? Not much. Whether you host a Halloween party in addition to Trick-or-Treating, or instead of, here are a few Halloween party ideas to get you started.

Atmosphere

Setting the scene is half the fun. Halloween decorations are easy to find. Party decorations can be as simple as making some old sheet ghosts, but if you want to go all out, things could get expensive. However, if Halloween is something you love to celebrate, the good news is that most things can be used over again from year to year. Start a collection and add on as you go.

Easy Stuff:

• Switch out regular light bulbs with orange or purple and hang some strings of Halloween lights for instant mood.

• Dry ice is inexpensive and impressive.

• A CD of Halloween music or sound effects is a must!

• Think about your guests when you're planning the Halloween party decorations. You can have plenty of spooky fun without scaring little ones.

• Make sure you take lots of pictures and share with your guests!

• How about a Halloween balloon arch?

Food

First you'll need to decide what type of food you're serving. Do you want the party food to be a meal or just a snack? A light supper could be as simple as chili or a hearty squash soup. No party is complete without at least a few festive Halloween recipes. If you want to have fun Halloween food, consider doing a potluck to spread the work around. You could even have a contest for scariest and silliest food contribution. If you are including a lot of neighbors, why not go a step further and make it a progressive meal, where you travel from house to house for snacks or courses?

Most kids are going to get plenty of candy throughout the month of October. You may want to steer clear of sugary treats at your party.

Games

Bobbing for apples is the traditional Halloween game, but who wants to have a bunch of wet-headed kids running around? Not to mention all the germs in that tub! Instead, tie strings around apple stems suspend from a tree branch. Blindfold kids and let them air bob for the apples.

You can play Mummy Wrap, where kids compete in teams by wrapping up one kid in a roll of toilet paper. First one done wins.

Pin the Wart on the Witch is a fun variation on a classic. Just draw a witch complete with a wart on poster board and give kids a piece of gum to chew. Blindfold the kids and have them stick their gum to the witch's face. Closest to the wart wins.

Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep older kids busy. You can hide treats and candy or just have them search for natural items like different colored leaves, twigs, pine cones - whatever you've got lying around the neighborhood.

Print off some free Halloween printables and coloring pages for young kids and choose an impartial grown-up or older child to judge a coloring contest.

If you plan to carve jack-o-lanterns, make sure you learn how to roast the perfect pumpkin seeds!

More Halloween Party Ideas

Hershey's has a great website for Halloween fun.

More printables at Kaboose.

Blackdog has good ideas too!