Halloween

I love October, mainly because of Halloween. I’m sure lots of mystery buffs get excited about the holiday, and I’m no exception. Though I’m not buying a ticket to the movie It anytime soon, I will be watching It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with my kids. Recently, we went to the pumpkin patch, and I got to repeat my favorite line from the show: “Nothing but sincerity for as far as the eye can see.” The kids rolled their eyes. They know mom geeks out this time of year.

I might be getting the looks now, but in a few weeks, I’ll be their Halloween hero. We’ll decorate the porch, invest in costumes, and do crafts. Skull notebooks? Bought. Orange and green slime? Made. Cut and paste jack-o-lanterns? Please. We’ve moved on to Mod Podge.

A few years ago, I decided to put my mom skills to the test. I threw a Halloween party. Now I’ve done my share of birthday parties, school parties, and milestone parties, but a party for a non-mandatory occasion? This was uncharted territory.

It ended up being one of my favorite events. Maybe it was the voluntary nature of the gathering, or maybe it was the time of the year. Either way, the kids and I had a lot of fun, so I thought I’d share my ideas.

To those of you who’ve stumbled onto this blog by accident, googling ideas for classroom or Halloween parties, take heed: more is always better. I’ve planned enough of these parties to know that kids can mow through activities in about half the time you plan. Also, food is never a bad idea—no matter if the party’s before lunch, after lunch, or somewhere in between. Kids are always hungry, and food forces them to sit down for ten minutes (okay, five).

Here are my sure-fire activities with pictures. Now who’s ready to party? One, two, three—throw!


Food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To make an “ice hand,” fill a latex glove with water and freeze. To make the mummy cupcakes, use tube frosting to crisscross chocolate cupcakes and M&Ms for the eyes.

Craft

Make these lanterns out of Mason jars wrapped with mesh bandages. Use Mod Podge and wiggly eyes to get the mummy effect. I used white tea lights for a ghostly look. These jars look cool sitting in the window.

Games

Pumpkin Race: Have kids “race” with miniature pumpkins on their heads. This activity was cheap and fun. If you have a big dad to race against, it adds to the spectacle!

Pumpkin Volcano: Carve a miniature pumpkin. Add baking soda and a little dish soap (you can also add a little food coloring). Pour in vinegar until it fizzes. You can use the same pumpkin over and over so that all the kids at your party have a chance to do the experiment.

Mummy Race: Divide your group into two teams. Whichever team makes a mummy out of toilet paper first, wins!

Readers, what do you like to do for Halloween? Please share!

21 Comments

  1. Sharon Engberg on October 9, 2017 at 12:55 pm

    What fun ideas! Making memories.

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 12:13 pm

      Yes, lots of fun memories with this party!

  2. Caitlin on October 10, 2017 at 10:14 am

    Dressing up is my favorite part of Halloween.

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 12:14 pm

      I love dressing up, too, Caitlin! My husband and I went as peanut butter and jelly the year I took this picture.

  3. Anne on October 10, 2017 at 11:05 am

    Delightful, creative and special. Love the photos. best wishes.

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Anne! I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures.

  4. Christi Charles on October 10, 2017 at 11:11 am

    I love to see all the neighborhood kids in their costumes, so much fun!

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 12:18 pm

      Hi Christi! Our neighborhood has lots of kids, so I always stay home and hand out candy because I love to see the costumes, too.

  5. Sharon Guagliardo on October 10, 2017 at 12:39 pm

    Hi. I don’t do anything for Halloween. My son is grown and gone. And we live in a complex and the kids just don’t come. I used to give out candy because I loved looking at the kids in costume, but can’t anymore.

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 1:17 pm

      Thanks for stopping by my blog, Sharon. I love seeing kids’ costumes, too, but it might be nice to settle in with a mystery novel or movie without interruptions!

  6. Charlene Taraskiewicz on October 10, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    The kids don’t come to our neighborhood anymore, either. We still find a way to mark the occasion, though, by giving our grandchildren a special treat: a gift card to a bookstore where they can feed their inherited addictions to books. Better for them than feeding their inherited addictions to chocolate!

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 2:33 pm

      That’s a great idea, Charlene! I love it.

  7. Marla B on October 10, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    I don’t do much for Halloween. The kids don’t trick-or-treat here, but I do see some of them dressed up in their costumes as they go off to parties and such. They always look so cute!

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Marla. I hope you see lots of cute costumes passing by on Halloween!

  8. Samantha Engberg on October 10, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    I love Halloween!!! It’s one of my favorites! These are great ideas and I will be trying a few of them at my children’s upcoming Halloween birthday party. Thanks for the fun read!

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 7:04 pm

      Thanks, Samantha! Let me know how the party goes.

  9. Jayden Lottman on October 10, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    Fall is my favorite time of the year. The leaves change, its colder and of course Halloween is amazing. I love seeing little kids all dressed up and excited to get candy. I like to just stick around at home and watch scary movies while enjoying some yummy popcorn.

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 7:05 pm

      Popcorn–yum. Mix it with a little candy corn, and I’ll be happy all month long!

  10. Mary Preston on October 10, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    Great ideas – loving the lanterns.

    • Mary Angela on October 10, 2017 at 9:07 pm

      Thanks, Mary! I still have them. They hold up really well.

  11. Mary Angela on October 15, 2017 at 2:47 pm

    Congratulations to Sharon Guagliard, this month’s winner! Thanks to all my newsletter subscribers who commented on October’s post. Look for more chances to win coming soon.

Leave a Comment