Children's Halloween Party Tips
Throwing a children’s Halloween party can be a ton of spooky fun. As with any kid’s party, planning is important, from the first invitation to the last goody bag. Here are some simple children’s Halloween party tips to help make your monster mash a smash!
Kids Scare Easily
Adults and older kids understand Halloween is just fun and make-believe, but younger kids aren’t so sure. It’s easy for a young child to get scared by spooky noises or realistic decorations.
Case in point. One of the Picture Keeper blog writers once made Witches’ Fingers for a kids’ Halloween party. They were cookies shaped into bony fingers, with an almond “fingernail” at one end painted with red food coloring. They were delicious, and seemed to be obviously fake. Not one kid touched them, because they looked too scary.
The takeaway from this story is simple: always consider things from the kids’ point of view, especially at Halloween.
Send Invitations in Advance
Halloween is a busy time for kids. To be sure you get a good turnout of costumed party-goers, send out invitations well in advance, so parents can prepare. Don’t throw your party on Halloween itself either, or you’ll be competing with trick-or-treating.
Know when to End the Party
One of the best children’s Halloween party tips we can give is this: limit the fun to a set period of time. Older kids might be okay having the party roll over into a spooky sleepover, but for young kids, set a limit of a couple of hours for the event, so no-one gets overtired or overstimulated.
Age-Appropriate Decorations
What’s a Halloween party without decorations? Local Craft and dollar stores are great hunting grounds from kid-friendly decorations. Happy scarecrows, funny jack-o-lanterns, and goofy-looking witches are what you want here, perhaps with some real pumpkins and black and orange streamers. Leave the bubbling dry ice cauldrons and realistic skeletons for the older kids.
Dress Up Yourself
You’re hosting the party, so you might as well dress up too. Again, don’t go for the scary (or the sexy) outfits. Chose costumes kids will like—seeing their friend’s mom or dad in a silly costume can help nervous partygoers relax.
Music and Sound Effects
No party’s complete without music. It’s easy to find silly Halloween music CDs, or you can tune into a streaming music service’s “Halloween for kids” playlists. Bouncy, fun music is best—especially if you’re planning on a costume party dance.
Keep it Simple
Hosting a children’s Halloween party is fun, but also exhausting. Make sure cleanup is as easy as possible by using seasonally-themed disposable plates and cups.
Activities
What’s a Halloween party without some spooky fun? Have a “Monster Mash” dance or a costume fashion show. Play “Pin the Boo on the Ghost” or “Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin.”
Instead of bobbing for apples, try “chomping for donuts.” Thread donuts on long strings of yarn and have the kids eat the donuts with their hands behind their backs. Use plain donuts without sugar or glazing to make sure the donut chompers’ costumes don’t get stained.
Mummy Wrap is an old party favorite, where kids turn a willing participant into a mummy by wrapping them in bathroom paper. If none of the kids are willing to volunteer, they’ll get a real kick out of wrapping an adult.
Take Photos and Make Memories
Whether you use these children’s Halloween party tips or not, be sure to take plenty of photos to capture all the fun of your party. If you get a good shot of your little ghost or goblin in costume, use it to enter our October #minimonstergiveaway contest. Two lucky winners will receive a 32 GB Picture Keeper Connect and custom photo album!
Giveaway entries are accepted from October 1st, 2017 – November 3rd, 2017.