Halloween is just around the corner and it’s the perfect time to host a party. From decorating your house to keeping the kids entertained with spooky party games, we’ve got Halloween parties sorted!

Plastic spiders and white cob web can be very effective when draped over a Halloween themed table setting.

Party food

The key is to try and make everything in advance so you too can enjoy the party.

For kids our mummy pizzas, pumpkin veggie tray and cheesy witch’s fingers are ideal. Keep things easy to eat and use familiar ingredients in fun ways.

When it comes to drinks think Orange, blackcurrant or a ruby red cranberry juice!

If you are having a more grown up party Chilli, Tagine or another warming sharing dish is great as it can be prepared in advance then served with salads, bread, rice or baked potatoes.

Sweet treats could include a Jelly Brain with sweets inside or Cupcakes decorated with sweets and Halloween characters.

Halloween Party games

Piñata

Why not fill a Halloween piñata with your favour sweet treats and a selection of small magic tricks, then let everyone take turns hitting it with a stick until the prizes fall out?

Pin the Wart on the Witch

Using black felt material or black cardboard (or even a black bin liner glued over cardboard), cut out a witch’s outline. It doesn’t have to be perfect as most kids won’t mind but don’t forget to include the pointy hat and nose!

Stick the cut out up on the wall or on a large peg board. Decorate the witch with plastic spiders and fake web.

Then cut out large shaped warts (yuck) from a green felt material and some blue tack to the back or some strong tape for younger children. Use a plain dark coloured scarf as a blind fold and let the children take turns sticking the wart on the witch’s nose. Older children should be spun around first to make it more difficult!

Bobbing for Apples

Make this traditional game a little more scary by filling the bobbing tub with milk and adding red food colouring. Add enough colouring until the milk resembles bright red blood….

Then add the apples and let the kids take turns bobbing for apples. You could also use a large plastic “cauldron” rather than a bucket or tub.

This game can get messy so it’s best played outside if possible. If you must play indoors, put down plenty of newspaper first. You should also consider protecting the children’s clothes!

The doughnut game

An alternative is to thread mini doughnuts onto a string and hold above head height while kids take it in turn to try and eat a mini doughnut without using hands, its trickier than it looks!

Mummy Wrap

Buy some cheap rolls of toilet paper and perhaps some crepe paper streamers in Halloween colours. Split the kids up into teams of two. One child will be the “mummy” and the other is in charge of wrapping up the child like a mummy…

When you start playing the music the teams can start wrapping up the mummy. Try to play some fun Halloween songs like “Monster Mash”. When you turn the music off the kids need to stop.

The team whose mummy is more mummified (or wrapped) wins. Older kids can have even more fun if you turn the lights right down when you turn the music on – it makes it much harder and they will get the giggles!

Pick their Brains – Mystery bowl

Cook different shaped pasta such as spirals or macaroni. Drain and cool completely. Place cooled pasta in a large coloured plastic bowl and add a few olives. Then add some wrapped sweets such as Refreshers and Fizzers.

Cover the bowl with material or use a scary cloth or rubber mask that you don’t mind cutting. Once the bowl is covered, cut a slit which is just large enough for the children to put their hands through, no larger: they should not be able to see the contents of the bowl.

Sit the kids in a circle and let them take turns digging into the bowl to find the candies. They won’t be able to see into the bowl and the texture of the pasta along with the olives will feel like brains!

Bone Hunter

Create and cut-out 15-20 bones and 15-20 pumpkins out of coloured paper (or on the computer) and hide the paper bones and pumpkins throughout the party area, Divide the guests into two teams. See which team can find the most pumpkins or bones within an allotted time limit. That team wins. If this seems to easy for the age of your party guests, make it harder by turning out the lights and give each team one flashlight. Then, have the guests search for their items using only the light of that flashlight.

Pumpkin Racing

Divide your guests into two teams and ensure they are lined up. The winning team is the first to pass the pumpkin along the line of their team without using any hands.