Halloween is one of those holidays kids start talking about before the chill is completely in the air. The topic of conversation is always the same, too: What they’re going to be for Halloween. Not all kiddos enjoy walking the neighborhood and knocking on strange doors to ask for candy. Then, there are the children who have birthdays on October 31. They always take second to trick-or-treating.
Well, if you’ve always thought about throwing a Halloween party for your kids — what’s stopping you? Sure, the thought can be pretty scary. Kids get very hyped up for Halloween. Hosting a Halloween party isn’t as difficult as you think, though. It can be a fun way to make October 31 even more special, especially with these Halloween party ideas for kids.
Easy Halloween party ideas for kids
Having a Halloween party can be a thrilling way to extend the holiday on October 31 or put it on the calendar early to jumpstart the excitement. It’s really up to you. If you happen to have a kiddo with a Halloween birthday, then you can dive in and combine the two if that’s what your child wants. Having a Halloween party is also a great option for kids who don’t enjoy trick-or-treating. So, let’s get those witch hats, brooms, and black kitties because we’re going to have a cool Halloween party, and here’s how.
Decide on a theme
Sure, when you host a Halloween party you have a built-in theme. It’s Halloween. Remember, though, there is cute Halloween and scary Halloween. You’ll need to pick which way you’re going to go. For parties with little kids, always go with cute and sweet. Many younger children are frightened of those spooky Halloween decorations. For older kids and tweens, go scary.
End time
Since party times can be fluid, make sure you’re specific. With small kids, an hour or 90 minutes of party fun is generally enough, especially on Halloween. Don’t let older kids talk you into a Halloween sleepover. They do like to do that. Always include an end time on the invites.
Dress in costume
It is a Halloween costume party, so, on the invitation, remind everyone to come dressed in costume. Parents, too, if it’s for young kids.
Decorations
It’s up to you how crazy you want to get, but think about it. Your house is probably already decked out for Halloween anyway. Use what you have to give your home that Halloween party feel with orange and black streamers and balloons. Add in some cuddly pumpkins and cute black cats. Top it off by making some simple Halloween crafts the week before to give the decorations a boost if need be.
For a more horror-inspired Halloween, you can balance between homemade decorations the kids will get into creating with some of those store-bought ones that creep everyone out. Skip the pop-up Halloween shops for scary decorations. Instead, check out dollar stores and superstores. Since the Halloween stuff has been out since August, you may get lucky and snag some bargains the closer you get to October 31.
Food
When it comes to the treats, keep it simple and go with kid faves. For older kids and tweens, stick with pizza, chips, and popcorn with Halloween cupcakes for dessert. Put fruit punch in a cauldron or go with this recipe from Delish for Frankenpunch.
With little kids, still don’t go overboard. Instead, go whimsy. Use a pumpkin cookie cutter to make sandwiches. You could even have kids make their own pumpkin-shaped pizzas with premade dough. Cut the pumpkin shapes ahead of time. Then, let the kids spread the sauce and sprinkle the cheese. Kids can turn sugar cookies into jack-o’-lanterns with orange icing and M&Ms.
Since there will be the inevitable sugar spike on Halloween, offer up a few non-sweet treats, too. Ghost bananas and clementine pumpkins are simple to make. Don’t stress about the plates and table covering, either. Head to local dollar stores for plates, napkins, cups, and disposable tablecloths.
Music
To add to some ambiance, make a Halloween playlist of fun tunes like Monster Mash, Witch Doctor, and Ghostbusters from Spotify.
Games and crafts
The key to any kids’ party is keeping the guests entertained. Halloween isn’t any different. Little kids will enjoy making some Halloween crafts. So, set up a couple, but not ones that will get the costumes dirty. Young children especially will get upset when that happens.
Make a Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin game using poster board and construction paper. Play Halloween freeze dance and have a pumpkin toss — stuffed ones of course. If you’re hosting for tweens, you might want to think about a Halloween movie marathon, along with having the guests make their own pizzas and desserts in lieu of crafts.
Photo booth
It is Halloween, so, there must be photos. Set up somewhere parents can take photos with pumpkins and cute decorations. Older kids and tweens may want a scarier background.
Make it a block party
If you’re still not convinced with these easy Halloween party ideas for kids, then talk to the neighbors and turn it into a block party. Have each family sign up to bring food, desserts, drinks, decorations, and games. Your driveway can be party central or set up different things at each participating house. Start off the block party with trick-or-treating. Then, as kids tire of trick-or-treating, they can come back to the house and enjoy the party. Older kids who don’t want to trick-or-treat have something to do and a place to hang out.
Halloween is such a fun holiday. It’s also an easy one to plan a party around since you already have a theme. With these simple Halloween party ideas for kids, you can throw a boo-tacular get-together on October 31 or the weekend before. Costumes are a must, though. It is, after all, Halloween.
