Many families are opting for Halloween parties in lieu of the more traditional trick-or-treating. As with any other party, the planning that goes into it can become a bit of a challenge – especially when it involves entertainment. Children, of course, love to play games and no party is complete without them. If you’re out of creative ideas for your Halloween bash, consider including some of these children’s games to your party list.
FEED THE BATS
Put some clean, new mousetraps on the floor with small stuffed mice on them. Tape a picture of a bat on a fishing pole and hand it to the children, one at a time. When it’s their turn to use the pole, children must try to snag the mice with them without setting the trap. Any child whose “bat” can catch a mouse gets a small prize. For children who are able to get more than one, the prizes should become larger as the number of captured mice increases.
GRAVEYARD TAG
One child is elected the ghoul and the other children are the victims. Each of the victims is handed a small flashlight and the room is darkened. The ghoul hides and the victims wander around through the “graveyard”. When a victim gets too close to the hiding ghoul, it jumps out and tags the child, who is then captured and has to go into hiding with him or her. The other victims have to try their best to find the missing child without getting caught. The last child remaining is the winner of the game.
PUMPKIN TALES
Prior to the party, cut small strips of paper and write a word that’s related to Halloween on each piece. Place them all in a small plastic pumpkin and, when it’s time for the game, pass the pumpkin to one of the children. The first child must read the word to create the beginning of a Halloween story. After approximately one minute, the second child takes the pumpkin and extracts a strip of paper. He or she must continue the story using the word on the new paper. This continues until all of the children have had a turn.
PUMPKIN PATCH
Spread some fake vines around one area of the floor and place plastic pumpkins through them in a random pattern. Inside of each pumpkin is a prize and a strip of paper with a task written on it. Taking turns, the children go to the pumpkin of their choice and remove the slip of paper. If they can successfully perform the task, they’re entitled to the prize inside of the pumpkin. If not, the child sits down, the slip is exchanged for another one and the prize remains in the pumpkin. As each prize is awarded, the pumpkin is removed from the patch. Tasks can be things such as singing a well-known song all the way through without making mistakes, reciting a short poem that’s familiar to children or doing a funny dance. Use your imagination to create other fun tasks for the kids to complete.
WITCH HUNT
Prior to the party, purchase some Halloween party bags that are suitable for favors. Be sure to choose a style that includes a picture of a witch on the front. Fill each bag about half full of candy and tie it off with a black ribbon. Hide the bags in various places around the party room (be creative!) before the guests arrive. When you’re ready to play the game, give each child a flashlight and darken the room. Children must find the witch bags full of candy – the one who finds the most gets a special prize.
PUMPKIN BOWLING
Using a few small pumpkins and either children’s plastic bowling pins or empty 2 liter soda bottles (plastic) which have been wrapped in either orange or black tissue paper, create a fun Halloween bowling game. Children will take turns rolling a small pumpkin in an attempt to knock down as many pins as they can. If a child gets a strike, they get another turn. Children who throw two strikes in a row receive a special prize.
Some of the classic children’s games can be adapted to fit a Halloween theme, if you use your imagination. For more great party ideas, check with your local party store consultant.
