How to Throw a Halloween Party

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Throwing a Halloween Party

Halloween Channel Get in the Halloween spirit with our collection of spooky articles, and find out how to make your favorite Halloween treats at our special Halloween Channel.

Whether your ghouls and goblins like super-scary or scream-free parties, you'll find a cauldron full of Halloween party ideas in this article. Their hearts will race and their funny bones will bounce with these Halloween themes.

With step-by-step instructions, we'll show you how to throw a Halloween party for adults, kids, and even younger kids.

We'll give you Halloween decorations, crafts, and game ideas to make each party so fun it's scary.

Carving a Pumpkin

One of the first steps to every Halloween party is a carved pumpkin. We'll teach you how to choose the right pumpkin for the design you want to create. Learn safety tips for carving a pumpkin into a Jack-O'-Lantern. If you're tired of the regular Halloween pumpkin designs, use our downloadable pumpkin-carving templates to create the most unique Jack-O'-Lantern on the block.
"Get Into the Spirit" Halloween Party

This informal Halloween party is a great way to liven up the house for your family. Pick a time that's best and begin decorating with the little monsters you love the most. In addition to Halloween recipes, we'll walk you through different Halloween craft ideas that are fun for the whole family. Your kids will love the Shrunken Heads that you place around the house.
"Who's Afraid of the Dark?" Halloween Party

This informal party is a good way to jump into Halloween without a lot of planning. This Halloween party theme centers on the play of light and darkness -- it's a good excuse to make sure your witch or warlock is ready to conquer the night with safe and fun flashlights and trick-or-treat bags. Learn how to create this party and make a Halloween lampshade that's sure to be the light of your eye.
"Horrifyin" Halloween Party

This spooky Halloween party is fun for kids of all ages. Send out creepy invites with a (rubber) rat inside a box to set the mood for your Halloween party. Invite guests to play eyeball checkers or have them find the eyes from a bucket of unraveled brains. In this section, we'll show you how to set the table for ewww and create a truly horrifying Halloween party.
"Magic Brew" Halloween Party

This party is perfect for would-be witches. Themed with classic Halloween decorations such as black bats, black spiders, black cats, and broomsticks, it's a fun night for the imagination. Send invites in a charm pouch, send kids on a witch hunt, and create ghastly bat crafts that your kids are sure to love. We'll teach you how to throw a "Magic Brew" Halloween party in this section.
"Spellbound" Halloween Party

Another variation on the magic theme is that of spells. This is a great Halloween party for slightly-older kids. Guests can create their own spell books and show off their magic tricks at this party. We'll teach you how to conjure spells that will keep the kids amazed, decorate the party room, and send out creative witch hat invitations in this section.
"Historical Halloween" Party

This is a Halloween party that is simple and beautiful. While your kids will certainly enjoy the games, adults will enjoy the old-fashioned celebration of the fall. Learn how to create a gorgeous Halloween invitation from a simple craft basket. Enjoy the traditions of the past by serving Apple Cider Cake and caramel apples. Decorate with tasteful elements of the season. We'll show you how to create this serene and fun Halloween party.
Pirate Halloween Party

WIth all the blockbuster movies, pirates have come back with a bang. Your little ones may demand a pirate-themed party or make you walk the plank. You won't be lost at sea with our instructions on how to throw a pirate Halloween party. We'll show you how to transform the party room into a pirate ship, create a message-in-a-bottle invitation, and give you some great ghost stories for your pirates and maidens to tell.
"Good, Bad, Ugly" Halloween Party

Sometimes you can't be sure if your little ones (and their friends) are angels, devils, monsters, or all three. You don't have to decide with this party. Mix all three themes for heavenly fun. Guests can create their own angel and devil headbands and monster masks as a fun Halloween craft to keep them busy. Games like Angel Toss and Monster Moat are great ways to entertain. Send guests home with sugar, spice, and not-so-nice Halloween goodie bags. Learn how to do it all in this section.
Halloween Parties for Younger Kids

Halloween can be very scary for younger kids. These Halloween themes are designed so even your youngest pumpkin can have a good time. The Haunted Garden Halloween party centers around things that grow. Kids can craft their own seed pots and won't stop giggling from the "Killer Plant" decorations you place in your house plants. In the "Harvest Halloween" party, little ones can romp and play with scarecrows and velcro darts. Learn how to throw both of these parties in this section.

There are a lot of parties to get your Halloween off on the right foot. Let's jump right in by carving a pumpkin in the next section.

Carving a Pumpkin

Bored out of your gourd carving the same old jack-o'-lantern year after year? If you dare, take a look into the eerie eyes and wicked grins of the pumpkin faces in this section. We'll show you how to carve a pumpkin from start to finish.

Try It!Here are some Halloween recipes from our collection:

Choosing a Pumpkin

Choosing the perfect pumpkin will depend on the design you wish to carve, but there are several things to look for. Make sure the pumpkin is fresh. It should be firm, not soft, and free of rot, mold, and bruises.

If you have your heart set on a particular pumpkin but there is a scratch or imperfection, position the design so you cut away the damaged part.

The front of the pumpkin should be as smooth as possible to make it easy to transfer the carving pattern to the pumpkin.

Preparation

Wash the pumpkin in soap and water to remove any soil.

Decide whether you want to cut a lid on top or a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin.

When cutting a lid, don't cut a circle; it will be nearly impossible to line up the lid when you want to replace it. Instead, cut a pentagon (5 sides) or hexagon (6 sides).

Using a saw or knife with a serrated blade, cut at an angle (point the knife to the middle of the pumpkin) so the lid does not fall into the pumpkin.

An adult should always cut the pumpkin; it is too dangerous for children.

Cut a pentagon into the lid so it doesn't fall through the pumpkin.

Cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin is a great way to straighten a crooked pumpkin. Set the pumpkin on top of an empty coffee can or cooking pot (depending on pumpkin size).

Set the pumpkin on a cooking pot before cutting the bottom of a crooked pumpkin.

Position the pumpkin so it sits the way you want it to, then use a pen or marker to trace the top of the can or pot on the bottom of the pumpkin. Cut along the line with the saw or knife, and discard the bottom.

It's time to dig in and get messy! Reach in and comb through the "strings" with your fingers, removing the seeds. Set them aside for roasting later. When you've removed all the seeds, scrape the bottom and sides of the pumpkin with a large spoon or pumpkin scraper. Scrape the inside front of the pumpkin (where the design will be) until the wall is 1 inch thick or less.

Designs and Patterns

The design you carve into your jack-o'-lantern can be simple or fancy, but it will be easier if you first work out the design on paper. Use the enlargement guide to figure out how big to make the pattern.

Trim the excess paper from the pattern. Dry the pumpkin, then position the pattern with masking or painter's tape. Use a pushpin, nail, or ballpoint pen to trace the outline of the pattern by poking small holes through the paper and the pumpkin skin. The closer the holes, the finer the detail you can achieve.

Trace the outline of the pattern by poking small holes into the pumpkin.

When you have finished poking the holes, remove the pattern and set it aside for reference. To better see the design, rub flour into the holes or use a pen or marker to "connect the dots."

Use a pen to connect the dots when carving a pumpkin.

Carving

Never let a child use a knife to carve a pumpkin. Pumpkin-carving tools, which are small saw blades with handles, are inexpensive and available at most drug and discount stores. They are great for kids.

Adults may choose to use knives when carving. Good knife choices include a paring knife and a fish-boning knife. Make sure the knives are sharp; this will give you more control and make cutting easier.

Hold the tool in your hand so you have adequate leverage. Press the tip of the tool straight into the pumpkin at a pattern line. Plunge the tool up and down in a "sewing machine" motion. Let the tool do the work. Be careful as you cut, and take your time.

Carve pumpkin with a sewing machine motion.

Work on the design one section at a time. Carve sections in the center of the design first, and work your way out. To turn sharp corners, don't twist the blade. Pull out the tool, and reinsert it from the other direction. When you have finished a section, leave the scraps in place until you have carved the entire design.

When you are done carving, push the pieces out from the inside with your fingers. Cut large or complicated pieces into smaller pieces so they are easier to remove.

Lighting

The best way to light a jack-o'-lantern is with a candle. This gives the pumpkin a warm color, and the flame's natural flicker gives it the traditional look.

Caution!Real flames cannot be used to light artificial pumpkins. Instead, use battery-powered utility lights, which can be found at drug and discount stores. Never leave a pumpkin with a lit candle unattended, especially around children.

Longevity

If you take care of your jack-o'-lantern, you can increase its life span. Rub petroleum jelly on cut edges to keep them from drying out. When using a candle, cut a small hole in the top of the pumpkin to act as a chimney to vent the heat.

Limit the amount of time you display and light your pumpkin. When not displaying it, place the jack-o'-lantern in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator. To bring a shriveled pumpkin back to life, soak it in a tub of cold water overnight.

Carving Artificial Pumpkins

The techniques for carving an artificial pumpkin are the same as for real pumpkins, but several precautions must be taken:

To prevent the risk of fire, never use candles or high-wattage lightbulbs to light artificial pumpkins.
The extreme differences in wall thickness (from 3/8 to 1-1/4 inches) within a single pumpkin require a great deal of experience and patience to carve intricate designs.
Polyurethane dust is generated by carving artificial pumpkins. Small children and pets should be kept away from the carving area to prevent ingestion.
At ten times the price of natural pumpkins, a mistake can be costly. Natural pumpkins are a good choice for families. But if you want to create a special pumpkin that you can bring out year after year, an artificial pumpkin is just right for you.

Enlargement Guide

Measure the pumpkin's face (where you will place the design), then find the corresponding percentage on the chart below. Key in that percentage when you photocopy the pattern. You may need to adjust the percentage to fit your particular pumpkin.

Pumpkin Size	Enlargement Needed
6-inch	200%
7-inch	233%
8-inch	266%
9-inch	300%
10-inch	333%
11-inch	366%
12-inch	400%
13-inch	433%
14-inch	466%
15-inch	500%

Frightening Fun

Spine-tingling delights are in store for you with these gruesomely ghastly pumpkin carvings. The patterns are hyperlinked PDFs that you can download and print out. The patterns need to be enlarged on a copier to match the size of your pumpkin. Match the size of the pumpkin with the enlargement guide above.

Howlin' Wolf

Carve the nose. If the scrap pieces aren't easy to push out, cut them into smaller pieces to remove.
Carve the mouth, being careful not to cut off the teeth.
Carve the ears, top of the head, and jowls. To simplify, create the features by cutting zigzag lines and leaving scraps in place. The light from the inside will still shine through the cuts.

Glare Scare

Carve the eyes, the eyebrows, and then the nose.
Carve the smaller teeth. Finish by cutting the large fangs.

Eye See You

Drill holes for the center of the eyes (or push a pen or pencil into the pumpkin to create the holes). Carve the rest of the eyes and the bottom lashes.
2 Carve the top eyelashes starting at the center and working out.

Funny Faces

These happy faces are just right for the younger set or for those adults who like to keep things on the light side. The patterns are hyperlinked PDFs that you can download and print out.

Traditional Jack

Carve the nose.
Carve the remaining features. Customize the design by adding or deleting teeth. To simplify, omit the teeth and the irises in the eyes.

Smilin' John

Carve the eyes and nose.
Carve the mouth and chin. Be careful not to make the connection for the tongue too thin.
Carve the eyebrows.

Big Tooth Magee

Carve the eyes and nose.
When carving the teeth, work from the top down. Be careful not to make the connections between the teeth too thin.
Carve the brow.

Baking the Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin-seed baking is one of the joys of Halloween. Any one of these funky flavor twists on a regular pumpkin seed recipe could wake the dead.

Once you've carved the Jack-O'Lantern, use our gourmet pumpkin seeds recipe to bake spicy, sweet, or cheesy pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate the pumpkin seeds from the fibers. Wash, drain, and dry the seeds on paper towels. Coat 1-1/2 cups seeds with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Toss the seeds with salt (or omit salt and toss seeds with any of the suggested seasonings below), and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Deviled Pumpkin Seeds

Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper.

Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Add 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice.

Cheesy Seeds

Add 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

You can carve your pumpkin to fit the theme of your Halloween party. Learn how to throw a spirited informal family gathering in the next section.

'Get Into the Spirit' Halloween Party

It's almost Halloween. You can't think of a meal to make, a decoration to hang, or a game to play that hasn't been a Halloween standard since 1952, but you've promised your little pumpkins a party that'll bring the house down.

Try It!Here are some Halloween recipes from our collection:

Now you're lying awake each night before the big day, envisioning just that -- a half-dozen sugar-charged children, bored out of their gourds, and armed with plastic swords and pitchforks, smashing your home to smithereens.

Scared? Don't sell your soul for a party planner just yet. We've got dozens of fresh ideas for Halloween treats, crafts, and games, so any parent pressed for time can pull off a party with ease.

We'll show you how to keep your goblin guests entertained and how to make your young hosts the hit of the holiday with themed parties that are bound to be fun.

No matter what theme you choose, in costume or out, you'll bear an uncanny resemblance to a bewitching wizard if you keep these simple party tricks up your sleeve:

For maximum fun and minimal chaos, let the age of your child determine the number of guests to be invited. For example, if your goblin is seven, invite seven of his closest ghostly chums. If you have several children, let them each invite a few friends, but make sure you have plenty of adult and teenage helpers. You want to enjoy the party also.
Send out invitations two weeks in advance, and request RSVPs within the week. Like costumes, Halloween parties are far less painful when they are sized to fit: think menu, craft, and game supplies.
Even a small party can overwhelm very young children. Keep them smiling by inviting a parent to accompany each of your young guests. Just remember to make up a "parent platter" so there's enough food for everyone -- and food the adults will find appealing.

©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Block off doors that are off-limits
to keep kids safe.
Nighttime isn't the only time for a Halloween party. Afternoon parties offer the outdoor advantage -- less pre- and post-party cleanup, more activity options, and lots of room for the kids to scream, giggle, and get silly. Be sure to specify warm clothes and/or play clothes in the invitation if the kids will be spending any time outside.
Whether the party is indoors or out, keep kids safe and on the right track by closing doors to rooms and spaces that are off-limits. No door? No problem. Hang crisscrossed streamers, caution tape, or signs that warn, "Beware: Haunted" across no-enter zones. For added security and fun, cut monster footprints from cardboard leading from party room to party room. Don't forget the path to the bathroom.
Keep food, games, and emergency cleanup and craft supplies at the ready to avoid lulls during the party. Organization and preplanning are key to a successful party: You want to keep that energetic group of goblins grinning.

"Get Into the Spirit" Party

If you're spooked at the prospect of scaring up a child's Halloween party all by your lonesome, you should be. Like any other holiday, Halloween is best celebrated when it's shared. So make a party planning date with your little monsters. Over this feast of festive eats and spooky craft treats your family can plan the Halloween party of your dreams.

Serve soup from a scary cauldron to set the mood for a Halloween party.

You don't need a server named Lurch to set a spooky dinner scene. Since it's just your own family, dim the lights and break out a couple of tapered candles or -- if you've got one handy -- a candelabra. Switch on some Halloween tunes, and don a black dress, veil, or cape. Speak like a vampire from Transylvania if you can. Your kids will love the fuss.

Heads on a Platter

Putting your heads together to discuss decorating is fun, but while you're talking, why not get "a head" of the game by making some nasty noggins for the party? These shrunken heads are inexpensive and easy to make, and they can be made up to two weeks before the party.

Preheat your oven to 150°F. Using apples, potatoes, beets, or rutabagas (with the stems and leaves cut off), have your children carve out eye and mouth shapes using a spoon or, with your help, a butter knife. The cuts should go about 1/2 inch wide and deep to ensure the head's "melted" facial appearance. When you're finished carving, set the heads on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and slip them into the oven overnight.

For a creepier effect, place shrunken heads around the house.

These shrunken heads are a perfect centerpiece for your Halloween party.

When the heads have cooled, place them on a platter for a table centerpiece. If you'd like something wackier for your party, screw them on bamboo skewers and place them in houseplants, atop decapitated doll bodies, or even on a scarecrow's neck. To get really creepy, make hovering heads by skipping the bamboo skewers and stringing a needle and fishing line through the center of the head from bottom to top. Cut the line to the desired loop length, make a knot, and hang heads from the ceiling out of reach of your guests.

Keeper of the Days

As the day of the party approaches, it's likely the question "How many more days?" will be a constant refrain. Give your ears a break by creating a haunted house calendar in the weeks before the party.

To make, glue black or gray construction paper (or a brown grocery sack) to the front and back of a leftover cereal box. When the glue has dried, cut down the center of the sides and top and bottom of the box, making sure the front and back of the box have roughly the same depth.

Use a craft knife (adult use only) or scissors to cut a number of different-shaped doors and shuttered windows into the front, sides, and back of the box. You'll need enough windows and doors as the number of days until the party. Glue a sheet of light-colored construction paper to the inside of all the windows and doors. When you're finished, fold each door and shutter open and bring the front and back of the box back together, sliding the boxes together like a gift box. Have your child place Halloween stickers, homemade spooky drawings, or seasonal cutouts from magazines in the spaces.

Seal the box sides with tape or glue. Shut all the doors and shutters, and give each a number corresponding to the party countdown (either the date or the number of days until the party). Decorate the outside of the haunted house.

Haunted Hint!Glue on real sticks, grass (or Easter grass), and pebbles for trees, greenery, and cobblestones. Use empty toilet paper rolls for turrets and towers.

High Spirits

Create a Halloween mobile for your kids to enjoy all month long.

Your little ghoul or boy is certain to have sweet dreams before the big day, but why wait until sleep takes over? Let a ghost mobile lull him or her to la-la land every night. Kids will love molding spooky shapes -- think ghosts, witches, moons, stars, and bats -- from homemade clay.

In a small pot, bring the water to a boil. Remove pan from heat, and stir in salt. In a large heat-proof bowl, mix flours together. Slowly stir in hot saltwater. Knead resulting dough on a flour-covered surface.

When dough is soft and pliable, kids can mold signature shapes or they can use cookie cutters. When finished, use a toothpick to make a small hole just above the center of each dough piece, and then bake the pieces on a cookie sheet at 250°F for 2 to 3 hours. Peek in on the pieces every 30 minutes after the first hour of baking to be sure they're baking evenly. Let shapes cool, and then decorate the pieces with paint, markers, and glitter. A clear acrylic spray finishes the job.

Once dry, string fishing line or string through the pieces and attach them at varying lengths to 2 hooked-together wire coat hangers. Hang the mobile from a hook in the ceiling. Balance the weights, kick up some wind, then kick back with your creative kid to watch the mobile spin.

A second party idea is the "Who's Afraid of the Dark?" themed party. Learn how to throw this informal gathering in the next section.

'Who's Afraid of the Dark?' Halloween Party

When autumn closes in, so too does the night. Days get shorter, the air gets colder, and a warm glow is just what it takes to charge up the kids who light up your life. You don't need to have a full-blown Halloween gathering, just collect some neighborhood kids and adults for an informal Halloween party.

Try It!Here are some Halloween recipes from our collection:

Have the event the night of trick-or-treating or a few nights before. Here are some bright ideas for Halloween crafts, safety tips, games, and goodies everyone will love.

Get Glowing: Using Light

Halloween tradition says nighttime is the best time for nabbing candy. Moms and dads don't always agree, but they can feel a lot better about it if they send their costumed cuties out with trick-or-treat bags that look cool and keep kids safe.

Supply a black, navy blue, or purple pillowcase for each child (or ask the parents to supply one). Have on hand glow-in-the-dark paint (find it at craft stores) and adhesive reflective tape.

Kids can draw their own Halloween designs in paint and then festoon the bag with lightning bolts, stars, dead trees, skeleton bones, or even broomsticks cut from the strips of tape. They'll love their creations, and you'll love knowing they're easily seen crossing the street.

Flashlight Fright

A ghostly flashlight will help your witches stay safe in the dark when trick or treating on Halloween.

Getting children to carry flashlights on Halloween night is about as easy as convincing them to wear coats over their costumes. Give your entreaty a little help by taping colored plastic wrap over the flashlight head.

Make a ghostly glow by tracing around the head of the flashlight on black construction paper. Cut out the circle. Draw a simple ghost in the center of the circle, leaving about 1/4-inch border between the ghost and the circle edges.

Use a craft knife (adult use only!) to cut out the ghost. Discard cut out. Tape the remaining black ghost frame to the flashlight using clear tape. If you want to get really creative, tape 2 black eyes and an O-shaped mouth.

When the flashlight is aimed at a nearby wall in a dark room, the ghost will appear. Encourage the children to shine them at the doors of the homes they visit on Halloween night (but not into other people's eyes).

Dark Halloween Decorations

Party Essentials

If you want to give your guests -- or your own little goblin -- an illuminating thrill this season, replace regular lightbulbs with black lightbulbs in one room of the house. Find them at party and novelty stores. They give eyes, teeth, white clothes, and lint a wild glow.

Night-light

Send the children to bed with Halloween visions of flying witches, ghosts, moons, bats, and cats in their heads by making festive lampshade covers that can be removed after the holiday.

Lay a large sheet of heavy black or navy construction paper on clear adhesive paper. Smooth out any wrinkles. Lay the lampshade on its side at the bottom right corner of a sheet of newspaper or butcher paper to make your template. Use a pencil to make a small mark on the lampshade where it first meets the paper; mark both the top and bottom of the shade.

Slowly roll the lampshade toward the left, and use the pencil to trace the bottom path of the shade as you roll it. Continue rolling the shade until it has made a complete revolution, then roll the shade and add another inch for overlap.

Roll the shade back to its starting point. Slowly roll the shade to the left again, this time using the top of the shade as a guide as you drag a pencil along the paper. If your shade is a cone shape, you will have a wide smile shape on the paper. If it is a cylinder, you will have a large rectangle shape. Cut out this template.

Lay the template on the adhesive-backed paper to trace it. Cut out the shape, and then use a craft knife to carefully cut out Halloween figures you want the light to shine through. Finally, wrap the paper around your lampshade with the construction paper facing out. Use clear tape to secure the seam. For extra fun, glue rickrack along the top and bottom of the shade.

Creepy Candles

Create easy Halloween decorations with these simple, yet stunning, candles. Fill large cans with water, and freeze them. (Soup cans tend to be too small and bend the image or words.) Draw basic outlines of Halloween shapes or exclamations ("Eeek!," "Boo!," and "Yikes!" work well) on sheets of paper. When the water inside the cans is completely frozen, tape your designs to the outside of the cans.

Draw shapes onto the cans to make your own Halloween candles.

Use a hammer and nail to make holes about an 1/8 inch apart along the lines of the designs. (Adult help is needed if children are crafting.) When finished, remove the paper. Run warm water over cans to loosen ice; discard ice. Dry cans, and add painted decorations.

When paint is dry, put sand in can bottoms for extra weight. Place small candles in the sand, set your lanterns out, and have an adult fire them up for a ferociously festive glow.

Hot Tip!Never leave burning candles unattended.

Dark Diversions: Halloween Party Games

Noises in the Night

In this Halloween game, kids guess the howler's identity.

This fun party game needs only a great big box and some howling kids.

You'll need a big box, about the size of a stove. Seal the bottom of the box, and tear off the top flaps. Turn the box over. If you'd like, the children can decorate the box with crayons, markers, or paint -- a haunted house would be ghostly fun. But whatever you do, don't cut any windows or doors. This game requires no peeking.

A child sits inside the haunted house. One at a time, the other children tiptoe to the box and give their best howl. If the child inside can guess the howler's identity, he or she can "escape" the haunted house and the identified howler must enter. Make sure each child has a turn sitting in the haunted house.

Disappearing Acts

Nighttime is the right time to lose your head. Go outside when it's dark, and stand far enough away from someone so that you can see their figure but can't make out the details of their face (about 25 feet, depending on the darkness).

Keep staring at them, and their head will disappear completely! Try it with your child, or if you have an evening party, have the kids stand in a large circle and stare at the person across from them.

Glowing Goodie Bags

Let It Glow

Since this isn't an organized party, goodie bags are optional. But if you'd like to add a bit of glow into the lives of the kids, just add some twinkle to the take-home loot by handing out mini lighted key chains, glow sticks, glow necklaces or bracelets -- there are lots of glow-in-the-dark goodies to choose from.

This glowing goodie bag is a fun take-home for kids.

For a more formal Halloween theme party, try the "Horrifyin' Halloween" party in the next section.

'Horrifyin' Halloween' Party

Kids seeking a haunting holiday sour at the sight of a candy-coated Halloween party. For them, grisly and ghastly is the only way to go. Let those tough types test the strength of their spine with a party that oozes with heart-stopping surprises, cringe-worthy crafts, and a menu into which only the boldest vampires would sink their fangs.

Try It!Here are some Halloween recipes from our collection:

Creepy Invites

You Called?

If you want to create the gross atmosphere right from the beginning, be sure to tie your invitations into the theme. We'd suggest getting a surprise messenger to do your bidding...er, inviting.

Find small jewelry boxes and rubber rats that will fit inside them. On the outside of each box, write "Open up, if you dare!" Then write party invitations on parchment paper, in spooky writing.

Tie black ribbon around the rat's neck and attach the other end to the invitation. Place the rat and the invitation in the box. Cut out a bat from construction paper, and glue it to the front of the box.

The invitation reads:

"My master has sent me to invite you to a Horrifying Halloween Party! Come to 1234 Maple Lane on Saturday, October 26. The haunting will take place from noon to 3:00 p.m.! Call my master to RSVP at 555-1234. Be afraid. Be very afraid!"

Place a fake rat inside the invitation box.

Making a Haunted House

Buy the creepy things you're afraid to touch and place them throughout your house for a Horrifying Halloween Party.

©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Buy the creepy things you're afraid to
touch and place themthroughout your
house to set the horrifying mood.

Slimy snakes, nibbling rats, a slew of spiders, and all the creepy things that haunt your dreams -- that's the stuff nightmares are made of. This Halloween, haul those horrors out of naptime and let them -- OK, rubber imitations of them -- hang about your house for a truly terrifying party.

Party stores keep a monstrous stock of rubber vermin and insects on the shelves at Halloween; buy the ones you can't bare to touch and then plant them in surprising spots around your house. A rat in the sink, a snake in the coat closet, and worms writhing out of the sofa cushions make for revolting surprises. Keep stashes of plastic spiders in your pocket for tossing into the air when guests least expect it.

In the party room, a black light and cobwebs stretched from cotton batting create an eerie glow. Confirm guests' suspicions that the place is haunted by tossing white sheets or canvas tarps over furniture. Not only will your upholstery be protected from partygoers, you'll attain that abandoned house look found in all those old horror movies.

Of course, no house can be haunted without the help of a few ghosts. Hang one in a high corner, from a ceiling fan, or from a doorframe under which guests must pass. Stuff one corner of a large white plastic trash bag with 2 bunched-up trash bags. Twist a neck under the head, then fold the excess plastic skirt over the bulge and twist again, securing the resulting round head with a rubber band or string. Make a fluttering ghost by cutting the bottom of the skirt into long strips. A creepy soundtrack of low moans, wails, and screams played throughout the party will complete the eerie effect.

Table for Ewww...

You may appreciate a cheery dining room, but as endless fright flicks prove, apparitions appreciate an aged place. Date yours by tossing a white sheet over the tabletop and dressing it like an old banquet table. Plastic goblets or wine chalices are a must. Got some tarnished silver? Set it out -- unpolished.

Add some cotton spider-webbing to a candelabra stacked with melted but unlit candles. Pepper the dishes with plastic spiders. And for a true antique finish, fill the centerpiece with rotting food (plastic fruit covered with cobwebs).

Eyeing the Arrivals

As guests arrive, it's good to have a quick game or craft in the works so the kids who've already shown up have something to do. For this party, you can't miss with eyeball checkers. To create this creepy game, glue black and red poms to the checker pieces, and glue wiggle eyes atop the poms.

Supernatural Challenges: Halloween Games

Eyes on the Prize

Something freaky is afoot when you fill a shallow laundry tub with unraveled brains, but kids will think you've really lost your marbles when you invite them to use their bare feet to search among the mess for eyeballs. A true test of toe dexterity, this game is good for endless giggles.

Cook and cool at least three boxes of spaghetti noodles before the party. Place it all in a shallow laundry tub. Add one tablespoon of cooking oil per box to keep the noodles from sticking and to ensure maximum slipperiness for your guests. At the bottom of the noodles, slip in three marbles.

Let the games begin! Set the noodle-filled tub on the kitchen floor, and put a chair on either side of it. On "Go!," two kids must race each other to find the missing eyeballs, using their bare feet only. They must pull the eyeballs out of the tub with their toes and deposit them into a small bowl next to the tub.

Whoever pulls out the majority of eyeballs in two minutes wins. Reward the winners with ped-appropriate gifts such as toenail polish or Halloween-themed socks.

Tip!Keep a bowl filled with soapy water and a few towels nearby so kids don't have to traipse all the way to the bathroom to wash off.

Shot in the Dark

Aiming for a game that will test your guests' skill and not your patience? An easy-to-make, fun-to-play variation on the game of pool can be played on the floor of any room.

For extra fun, use red and black magic markers to turn the tennis balls into eyeballs. Draw a black pupil and the rim of the "iris" with the black marker, and red, spindly veins with the red marker on each ball.

Place half the guests on one side of the room, each holding a dowel and a tennis ball. Place the other half of the guest on the other side, at least 10 feet away, and give each of them a cup. Then make them all lay on the floor across from their partners. Those with the dowels (players A) must lie on their bellies; those with the cups (players B) must lie on their backs, arms extended behind their heads, with the cups in their hands and the openings facing players A. (Player B must keep the back of his or her head against the floo-- no peeking!)

Player A attempts to get the ball into the cup in this Halloween game.

This little vampire (Player B) holds the cup for Player A in this Halloween game.

To play the game, player A uses the dowel as a pool cue and shoots the ball into their partner's cup. Player B cannot see the ball rolling, but player A can shout directions (move left, move right) to their partner in order to move the cup in the ball's path. If the ball gets in the cup, the two hurry to switch places and equipment, starting the process again. If the ball misses, player A must leave his or her dowel, run to get the ball, and start again. The first team to hit its target twice wins.

Tip!Older kids with better motor skills can boost the challenge by playing this game with players A blindfolded, and a third player calling out the directions to both.

Macabre Movie

Film a horror movie as a fun Halloween party game.

Haul out the video camera and film a homemade horror movie. As you already know from watching them through the years, a plot is second fiddle to cool costumes, crazy makeup, and ear-deafening screams.

Use the kids' costumes to inspire the movie script, or you can provide garb by hauling out some old clothes, shoes, and costumes and letting the kids deck themselves out in whatever outfit suits their spooky style. Some old eye shadows and lipsticks are all that's needed to paint on blood, bruises, and some major under-eye circles -- they're all the rage with the walking dead. No doubt, the kids will have the screams covered. Let them spin out a basic script, and start taping.

For best effect, record the movie in small, one- or two-minute scene segments, and alternate between major close-ups, pans (sweeping the camera slowly across a scene), and zooms. The finished product will look less like a home video and more like a real horror flick. Add interest to each scene and build tension in the story by filming at different angles.

An ankle-eye view of a monster's sluggish footsteps; a look into the mouth of a screaming victim; a switch from the victim's eyes to the monster's outstretched hands and back again; a peek at the outside from the vantage point of a vampire sitting in a coffin -- team up with the kids to make the most of your imaginations.

After the filming is complete, hook the video camera up to the television and turn off the lights to enjoy an instant screening.

Halloween Crafts

Bloodbath

And you thought the shower scene in Psycho was scary. Put it to shame by giving kids a craft that's awash in terror: monster mouth soap dispensers.

Kids can draw the head of a monster, vampire, ghost, or otherworldly being on the paper circles. The soap dispenser tip can poke out of the mouth, eye, or, if you've got a real gruesome guest, wound on the head. Help the kids mark the spot of their choice before they began drawing.

These scary soap dispensers are an easy and fun Halloween craft.

When the head design is to the artist's liking, cover the front and back with the clear adhesive paper, then cut out the hole for the dispenser tip. Slide the head on the tip, leaving at least an 1/8 inch of tip poking from the head opening so the soap doesn't drip directly onto it. Secure the head in the back with tape.

For special effects, you can mix a few drops of food coloring in each child's soap, so a blood red, spooky blue, gross green, or even a morbid black mix can ooze out of the opening. The colored soap will not stain skin.

Kids can use any leftover paper or cardstock to create a monster body that can also be covered with the adhesive paper and taped to the soap dispenser.

Ghastly Goodie Bags

Scary Take-homes

When kids leave the party, give them coffins filled with stuff all ghost- and monster-busters need to communicate with the other side: invisible ink markers, spell books (note pads), toy phones, paintbrushes (for dusting ghost prints), a small pocket mirror (because the dead don't have a reflection), and maybe even a monster figure or two.

This ghoulish goodie bag helps guests communicate from beyond the grave.

The "It's Alive" themed Halloween party is another fun way to celebrate the holiday for kids and adults. Learn how to throw this Halloween party in the next section.

'It's Alive' Halloween Party

The touch of a cold corpse, the sound of a howling wind, the taste of your heart in your throat... the senses truly come alive at Halloween. Spine-tingling invites and a mad scientist show that'll slay 'em are sure to set your guests' neurotransmitters on super-shiver mode.

Try It!Here are some Halloween recipes from our collection:

This Halloween theme party is fun for little Frankensteins and Brides of Frankenstein.

Audio Invites

Listen up, moms and dads: Audio invitations are an awesome way to involve your kids and alert your guests to the frightfully good time that awaits. Using a few regular household items, you and your children can relay the party date and time details amidst a cacophony of spooky sounds. All you need are some blank CDs or audiotapes and a little imagination.

You'll need one cd or tape per invited guest. Since you're only going to be recording a few minutes of sound on each, choose the cheapest tapes with the fewest recordable minutes.

Local libraries and music stores often have recordings of eerie music or sound effects available, but you easily can make your own. Crack fresh celery for breaking bones. Have a vaporizer or humidifier gurgling in the background to mimic the sound of a cauldron bubbling or experiments going awry in a mad scientist's lab. You can also find sound effects on the Internet.

A slow wail (created by running your finger along the rim of a wine glass) makes a haunting intro. You can follow with a squeaky door, heavy footsteps that get faster and faster and louder and louder -- then a howl, a bloodcurdling scream, some celery snapping, insane laughter, and, finally, a spooky whisper that asks: "Who's next? You are, if you dare to attend Nathan Alexander's Halloween party on October 26. The terror begins at noon, at 1234 Maple Lane. Survivors -- if there are any -- can escape at 3:00 p.m. Please wear play clothes and arrive hungry. Your last meal will be a good one."

Finish with a haunting melody, more howls and screams, or whatever your imagination desires.

Record the Halloween party invitation on a CD or audio tape, as shown here.

Once you've recorded the invite on a tape, use it as the master to dub the remaining tapes. Remember to rewind each tape to the beginning. You can also record the invitation on CD through your computer. Many programs are available for creating audio and burning CDs.

Finally, create a label for your CD or write "Listen if you dare" on the recorded side of the tape's label and underneath, "RSVP 555-1234." You can package each CD or tape in a festive envelope, box, or even trick-or-treat bag so your child can distribute the tapes with fanfare.

Surgical Scene: Halloween Decorations

Domain of Pain

Cheerful orange streamers and balloons with happy Halloween messages are cute, but they don't exactly fire up the fear factor. Get your guests in a frightful frame of mind by sticking to decorations that inspire gaping mouths, nervous guffaws, and big giggles. How? Outfit the party room like a mad scientist's laboratory.

Start by laying a white sheet over a rectangular table. If the guests are older, stuff a sweatsuit with clothes or newspaper, and set that underneath the sheet with a round pillow or ball (for the head). Then mix a few drops of red food coloring in corn syrup, and drizzle it on the sheet for realistic blood drippings.

Outfit the party room like a mad scientist's laboratory when throwing a Halloween party.

Next, create a scientist's life generator from a large cardboard box covered in aluminum foil or colored with markers and paint. You can add dials and buttons galore by gluing on different colored bottle caps, large buttons, or cardboard dials you've made.

Pick up a few yards of plastic tubing and aluminum foil accordion tubing (like the kind hooked to your clothes dryer) from the hardware store. You can run these tubes from holes made in the box to the body, to various "bubbling" jars filled with soapy water and food coloring (and capped tightly), and to a metal colander, which any brave "victim" can try on.

Want to get really creepy? Drop some cooked spaghetti, a peeled and partially squeezed grapefruit, or doll heads in jars filled with corn syrup. A "Doctor Frankenstein Is In" sign on the front door and a phony medical certificate from "Dismembered University" on the wall will have the kids in stitches.

Halloween Costumes: Hair-Raisin' Fun

This Halloween wig is perfect for your favorite mad scientist when creating a Halloween party.

Setting the scene is fabulous, but why not get into character too? Lab coats and surgical masks are easy-to-find Halloween costume fare and make serving the body part provisions that follow much more fun for the kids. If the kids aren't wearing costumes of their own, invite them to join in on the madness by handing out mad scientist wigs.

To make these crazy coifs, stretch the waist of a pair of nylons over a basketball or soccer ball, knotting the legs near the crotch and cutting off the legs. Place a square chunk of cotton batting over the nylon cap so that a little hangs over the edges.

Baste the batting along the edges of the cap with a needle and thread. Be careful not to puncture the ball. When you've circled the edge, place one hand -- with fingers stretched out -- on the top of the batting to keep from ripping your stitches. With your other hand, pull and stretch the batting between your fingers so it sticks up here and there. Trim away the overhanging corners of batting. Once you've got the wig in a shape you like, remove it from the ball and sew a couple stitches at the crown to secure the top of the wig to the nylon. It's ready to wear.

Screaming Halloween Crafts

Have kids draw wild faces as a fun Halloween craft.

Kids can document the horrors of Halloween by blow-painting a wild scream face -- with their mouths. Provide each child with a sheet of heavy black paper or cardstock and a straw. Set different colors of finger paint -- white and light colors of purple, green, and blue look fantastic against the black paper -- in the center of a covered table.

Place plastic spoons in each paint color. If the paints are thick, add a bit of water, drop by drop. The paint must be a little runny so kids can "drip-draw" the face.

Have each child make a face by spooning little puddles of paint on their paper. Then, while the paint on their paper is still wet, they can use their straws to blow the paint in different directions to create interesting designs. It's a screaming good time.

Operation Entertainment: Halloween Games

It's Curtains for You

A state-of-the-art laboratory looks menacing under the operating room light, but to your gaggle of guests, it'll look positively mental.

Use your lab setup as the stage to entertain your guests with a gruesome shadow play. Just before show time, hang a white sheet between the stage and the audience. You can hang the sheet from the ceiling, or stretch a rope across the room and hang the sheet from it. Turn off all other lights in the room except for a bright lamp behind the stage.

You or your young host can act out a mad scientist sketch for guests using prerecorded and/or live effects. Some suggestions? Pretend to saw off the "patient's" pillow head by playing a saw sound, then lifting off a basketball that is taped to the pillow. Have a bowl of cooked spaghetti noodle brains waiting. The scientist can hold the ball in front of the bowl, thereby hiding it, and pretend to reach into the head and grab handfuls of brains. Then toss each handful -- with a loud splash -- into a bucket on the floor.

Break off carrot stick fingers; unwind wet rope intestines; pluck out and toss raw egg eyes, chalk teeth pieces, and even a peeled grapefruit heart. Operate with enough gusto and it's guaranteed: Your audience will provide the screaming and laugh track.

I Can Monster Run

Make monster shows with empty cans as a fun Halloween game.

Why walk like an Egyptian when you can race like a monster? With the help and height of a pair of overturned cans beneath their feet, kids can do just that in this monster relay race.

Make monster shoes with 4 empty cans that are all the same size. The wider the can, the more stable the kids will be -- you don't want any turned or injured ankles. Large tomato sauce cans work well. You'll also need some twine, a hammer, and a nail. Before the party, use the hammer and nail to puncture 2 holes in the opposite sides of each can -- each hole should be a 1/4 inch from the lidded bottom and equidistant from the other hole. Loop a 4-foot length of twine through each can, and tie the ends of the twine together with a secure knot (place the knot inside the can).

For the race, divide the kids into 2 teams and hand 1 player from each team a pair of monster shoes. The first child on each team puts on the shoes and walks to a point at least 10 feet away, then turns around and walks back to the starting point. Then he or she hands the monster shoes to the next team member, who will do the same until all team members have had a turn. The first team to finish the race wins.

Buried Alive

Use a shoebox and a doll to create a coffin Halloween game.

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the fear of being buried alive led many people to have their coffins outfitted with bells, buzzers, and various other signaling instruments. Modern medicine has taken care of that concern -- doctors today can tell a corpse from a coma, but the lore makes for a great Halloween game.

You'll need a shoe box, string, a doll, and a small bell. Decorate the shoe box for the most gory fun. Cut a small, penny-size hole in the lid of the box, about in the middle of the box. Tie 6 inches of string to 1 arm of the doll. Place the doll inside the box, and pull the string out the hole in the lid. Tie the small bell to the other end of the string, and let it dangle against the side of the box.

Have kids take turns placing the box on their heads and walking through an obstacle course of cardboard gravestones. (You can tape these to your living room floor or tape wooden stakes to the back of each "stone" and stick them in the backyard.)

Use tape or string to mark off a square at the end of the course. This will be the empty grave into which the kids may use their hands to lower the box from their heads and place the coffin. Whoever can "bury" the coffin the fastest -- without ringing the bell -- wins.

Blood Running

Use cinnamon candies in this Halloween relay game.

Pretend cinnamon candies are drops of blood, and get your guests' blood boiling by holding a rousing, hot relay race.

For this game, you'll need at least 2 cups of red cinnamon candies, 2 bowls, 2 empty clear plastic or glass soda bottles, 2 tablespoons, and 2 funnels.

Place the bowls, each with 1 cup of candy in it, on 1 side of the room. On the other side, place the bottles and funnels. Divide the kids into 2 teams. Give each team a tablespoon. On "Go!" have the first member of each team run with a tablespoon from the bottle side, scoop up a spoonful of candy "blood," and run back to the bottle.

They then have to pour the blood through the funnel into the bottle, and then pass the spoon to the next team member. The first team to empty their bowl wins, provided their bottle's blood level is higher than that of the other team's. If it isn't, the team must scramble to pick up and deposit any candies into the bottle that have dropped on the floor during the race.

Goodies From the Great Beyond: Halloween Goodie Bags

Besides the souvenir wig, let guests take home a goodie box or pail.

Fill each with a small pocket mirror to identify the undead (the dead don't have a reflection), a small vial or baggie filled with cinnamon candy blood drops, vampire fangs, a vampire toy, and a pencil (a.k.a. wooden vampire stake).

Vampire fangs, mirrors, and Vampire pails are great Halloween goodie bags.

A less scary and more classic theme is the "Magic Brew" Halloween party. Learn how to throw this party full of black cats, witches, and bats in the next section.

'Magic Brew' Halloween Party

Call off the search for eye of newt. All you need to concoct a Halloween party that bubbles with black magic are these easy-to-find charms: a pinch of enchanted children and a slew of clever games and crafts. Mix well, then stand back and let it cook.

Try It!Here are some Halloween recipes from our collection:

Invitation Incantation: Halloween Invitations

Want to summon your gaggle of guests with invitations so magical no witch or wizard could resist their charms? Send out charm pouches.

To make the pouches, buy enough fabric to provide 43 12-inch rectangles of purple fabric per invited guest and at least 1 yard of ribbon (any color you find bewitching) per pouch. If you don't have a sewing machine and hate sewing by hand, don't worry; fabric glue is strong enough for this job.

Cut out the rectangles. Use pinking shears or scissors with scalloped edges for extra flair. Fold each rectangle in half, and glue or sew the sides, leaving the top open. If using glue, let it dry completely. Measure 1 inch down from the top opening, and cut a small slit on either side of the bag, about 1 inch from each side.

Weave the ribbon in and out of the slits. When the ribbon ends are pulled, the pouch will close. (For fun, glue a spider onto one of the ribbon tails.)

Using a silver or purple pen and parchment or black paper, write: "Charmed, I'm sure! You will be if you don your pointed black hat or wizard's cap and ride your broom to Jamie Welp's house for a magical Halloween party at 123 Maple Lane on Saturday, October 26. The spell will be cast from noon to 3:00 p.m. Give the magic word, and food, games, and crafts will appear! RSVP: 555-1234."

Place invitations into a charm pouch when throwing a Halloween party.

Roll up each scroll and tie with ribbon before tucking it inside a pouch.

Halloween Decorations: Hex House

Dress the house with bats, cats, and spiders to create the magical environment for a Halloween party.

Cast a Spell With Style

Dressing the house to suit a witch's or wizard's fancy is a cinch.
Start by hanging a black umbrella from a short length of fishing line strung from a ceiling hook or turned-off light fixture. Cut out black bats from paper or fun foam. Glue on wiggle eyes, and add some dimensional paint. Dangle the bats at different lengths from fishing line attached to the tips of the umbrella's rods. These look fantastic when given a whirl.

If you don't have an umbrella handy, don't opt out of the black bats. You can still string them from the ceiling using fishing line and strong clear tape. Silver balloons filled with half air and half helium will hover hauntingly in the air.

If you're confident in your abilities to keep an eye on the kids while keeping the party moving, consider getting some dry ice. When mixed with a little hot water, the dry ice vaporizes and froths like a real witch's cauldron. This looks great set in an empty fireplace or kitchen corner. You can often purchase the ice from party stores. Just be sure to keep a close eye on curious fingers.

Finish the room display with a black light, a black cat cutout in the window, and, of course, one giant stuffed spider. You can make your own simply by stuffing the legs of four pair of black nylons with newspaper or cotton batting and safety pinning the remaining waists to a puffy pillow covered in a black pillowcase or fabric.

For added effect, paint a big foam ball black, glue on big wiggly eyes (find them at a local craft store), add some chenille stem antennae, and make smiling fangs. This spider looks great lounging

Consumer Guide:

How to Throw a Halloween Party