This Halloween, why not throw an epic party for your kids and their besties? You don’t have to break the bank to put together a clever and creative party either – for example, choose the DIY route and raid your craft closet or purchase supplies from your local dollar store. Round up your crew and make the decorations. Think outside the box when picking a theme, or try out one listed below.
\n \nFavorite Halloween Show. Model your party after a favorite show. Some suggestions for younger kids include Casper, Room on the Broom, The Addams Family, or the Hotel Transylvania series. For older kids, consider Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, Haunted Mansion, or Hocus Pocus. This is also the perfect time to host the ultimate Harry Potter event no witch or wizard will soon forget.
\nMonster Mash Ball. Let the iconic Monster Mash song inspire you. Invite all the monsters you know. Put together a spooky playlist with other classic Halloween hits such as Thriller and let the kids dance the night away or play musical chairs, freeze dance, and pass-the-Halloween-candy-parcel. If your partiers are older, they might also have a blast singing karaoke. Set out cupcakes with one eye, monster teeth (aka candy corn), or chocolate-covered strawberry monsters, and be sure to mix up a monstrous green punch.
\nColor Theme. Ask your kids to choose a festive color combination. Let’s say they chose black and orange. Encourage attendees to dress in said color scheme. Hang black and orange balloons, fringe curtains, tassel garlands, and streamers, and lay out black and orange tableware. Create a black and orange charcuterie board: turn mandarins into jack-o’-lanterns with a Sharpie, cut cheddar cheese into ghosts, and bake chocolate cookies with orange Smarties. Divide guests into teams, hand out orange crepe paper, set a timer, and see who can wrap a guest into a pumpkin first. Don’t forget to include tape, googly eyes, and a nose and mouth to be attached at the end. An orange and purple or black and white bash could also be a colorful success!
\nGhostly Night Out. Keep in mind that your shindig doesn’t have to be overly ghoulish to be sensational. In fact, you can easily throw a cute version that won’t frighten guests. Turn powdered donuts into spirits, make Boo cake pops, or serve Peeps Marshmallow Ghosts. Hang garlands of cut-out ghosts, copious amounts of white balloons, and place battery-operated tea lights in white paper bags with ghost faces. Organize a ghost scavenger hunt, or play ghost bowling – stack toilet paper rolls with googly eyes and knock them over with a toy ball. As people leave, gift white Tic Tacs – also known as ‘ghost poop’ (wink, wink).
\nGlow-in-the-Dark Dance. First, include dresscode instructions in your invitation for partygoers to wear outfits that will glow in the dark, or take it up a notch and deliver your invite with an attached glow-in-the-dark skeleton costume kit (often available in dollar stores). Second, set up black lights, ideally in your basement. Dangle glow-in-the-dark balloons and ghosts from the ceiling, stretch glow-in-the-dark spider webs over anything and everything, and find a seat for a life-sized glow-in-the-dark skeleton. In one corner, arrange a glowing crystal ball on a table – is there anyone in your family who could volunteer to tell fortunes? Finally, step back and watch a room full of glowing skeletons dance their hearts out! Tip: Purple glows especially well under black light.
\nMad Scientist. Visit a dollar store or Michaels to find test tubes, flasks, or beakers and fill them with candy like M&M’s, gummy worms or eyeballs. Make mad scientist ice cream floats, body part treats, and brain cupcakes, or spoon jello into petri dishes with orange sprinkles. As guests have entered the chaos of a mad laboratory, display an array of white mice, black rats, frog skeletons, potions in glass jars, and spiders in gauzy webs. Set up a mystery specimen table and, if they dare, have guests play a ‘touch and guess’ game. If there’s a willing mad scientist in your family, ask them to conduct a live experiment – anything involving dry ice is sure to thrill the crowd.
\nHalloween Candyland. Recreate the classic board game in your home with a Halloween twist by making life-sized decorative elements like mini chocolate bars, candy corn, and lollipops. Play Halloween candy bingo or dice games, smash a candy piñata, or challenge players with a candy taste test. If you want to go all out, turn your basement into the real thing – tape colorful construction paper to your floor, make a stack of matching colored game cards, and follow the rules of the original game. See who makes it to the end first! Assemble a candy smorgasbord to snack from, but then hand out toothbrushes as departing gifts. Remember, it’s all fun and games until it’s time to visit the dentist after Halloween!
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Born in the prairies, Stephanie is a mother, cancer-survivor, cat lover, and avid traveler. Stephanie is also the creator of the family travel blog, Next Family Getaway, nextfamilygetaway.com, where she shares trip ideas and travel advice for those traveling with kids.
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