If you are throwing a Halloween party for kids you will want to plan carefully in order to keep things flowing smoothly. With all of the excitement and sugar of Halloween (along with the sanctioned naughtiness of the holiday) things can get quickly out of hand. Yet by following a few party guidelines you can help the kids in your life celebrate Halloween safely and with lots of fun. Here are some Halloween party tips for kid’s party-
- Have an appropriate party theme It is important to consider the ages of the kids since one child’s thrilling haunted house is another’s chilling nightmare. Keep in mind that if you will be hosting a mix of ages, you will want to set up the scariest events out of sight of the main party. For example: a mad scientist’s lab can be set up in a spare room so that younger kids can pass on the pleasure of watching others touch “brains” (cold spaghetti). And most of all remember that Halloween does not have to all about being scared. Old fashioned ideas like bobbing for apples or pin the hat on the witch can often be a big hit with kids.
- Activities It is crucial to plan more events than you think you need (and plan for bad weather, too). In addition to major games such as Zombie Tag and Slime Pit, you should prepare easy backups: painting glow-in-the-dark murals, or marching in a costume parade. This way if things go faster then you planned or an activity is not a big hit you can quickly switch to keep the party moving. In addition you may want to consider having a Halloween craft ready for the kids to do. Just make sure that if you need adult supervision (anything that involves cutting or heat) you have plenty of other adults on hand to help. Also make sure that your Halloween craft is age appropriate. For younger kids a simple craft works best since if it is to complicated they will become frustrated and bored (and you will be left finishing everyone’s) for older kids the opposite is true if the craft is to simple they will become bored quickly.
- Menu If your party will be in lieu of trick-or-treating, you can be more liberal with the sweets, but you still want to get something in your guests’ stomachs besides candy. Scary-face pizza, (make it easy and use bagels as the pizza crust) sandwiches (worms on a bun) and tomato soup (with goop) are all easy and irresistible and are standouts. Be sure to check with parent beforehand to determine if allergies are an issue since food allergies have become much more common. Also it is important to remember that most of the kids will be really excited so much in fact that they may not eat much.
- Decorations When throwing a kid’s Halloween party you do not need to go overboard on the decorations. Mood lighting, creepy music and a few well-placed, homemade decorations (clothespin bats, spiders and webs) will amply set the scene. It is crucial to pass on anything with a flame and keep in critical to keep in mind that kids are clumsy in their costumes (anything fragile or sharp should be well out of the way).
- Consider the adults While there are certainly grown-up parties at Halloween most parents find themselves trailing their little ones on this holiday. If you have adults who will be attending the party even in bystander mode you may want to have a few treats for them. Some grown up Halloween fare (appetizers and drinks that appeal to a grown up palate) can help pass the evening. A scary movie in another room and grown up treat bag for them to take home can pass along the Halloween spirit as well.
