Best Halloween Party Ever: Budget-Friendly Activities for Kids
The season for fall leaves, lit up jack-o-lanterns, spooky decor, and spiced pumpkin lattes is upon us! This Halloween, gear up for some traditions that your kids will be talking about for years to come.
There are plenty of budget-friendly ideas to fill your next Halloween bash with plenty of tricks and treats:
1. Sprinkle in some magic with hints of spooky decor
Bring in some spooky themes: One way to remember a party is with its theme. Plan something around witches and wizards, your favorite Halloween-themed movies, or a haunted house, to put a fun spin on the celebration.
Wreaths for the door: Greet your guests as they arrive at your door with a spooky DIY wreath that will set the tone for the occasion. Cut out some black fabric or paper bat shapes and glue them on a craft ring to make the perfect entryway decor.
Plan a leafy attack: with October comes endless piles of leaves. Utilize these to make ghosts to guard your entrance. Collect the leaves in white trash bags and add some eyes and mouths. Place them on your porch to warn your guests to enter at their own risk.
Jack-O-Lantern Candle Holders: Set a spooky, yet cozy vibe with jack-o-lantern candle holders. Create your own by painting mason jars orange. Use a black paint pen to add eyes, a nose and a toothy grin. Adding a candle will set a festive mood for your party!
2. Add some fun with some devilish food inspiration
Spooky names: Brainstorm on theme names for your spread and add food labels like “Tarantula Tacos,” “Monster Mac and Cheese,” or “Spooky Sundaes,” to give a Halloween vibe to these delicious dishes.
Pumpkin mandarins: Peel mandarins for some healthy Halloween treats. Cut up some celery sticks into tiny pieces and add them to the top of the mandarins to create a cute pumpkin look.
Lollipop ghosts: using small squares of white fabric, cover some round lollipops and add an elastic to the stick. Draw on some ghost eyes with a permanent marker and tie a black or orange ribbon around the elastic to dress up the tiny ghost. This makes a great party favor!
3. No tricks - just treats! Share the sweetest party games
Witch Hat Pinatas: Make a cone with some black cardboard and fill it with Halloween candy and treats. Cover the open end with a larger black circular disc. Add a string to the pointy end to hang it from a tree or post. You can spruce up the hat by adding some frightful frills to it. These hats can be strung around the yard for added fun as your tiny guests work to break them open.
Found-It!: This card game is a popular choice for indoor games for children. Add this to the Halloween party for kids to make their night more thrilling. We’ve also created a special Halloween-themed free printable. Take a break from the party to take a spooky stroll outside as the children follow prompts to spot objects in your neighborhood’s decor.
Rapid Rumble: In this show of knowledge, the winner is one who shouts out the most answers to the card categories and stacks up the highest number of cards in the set amount of time. Turn this game of Rapid Rumble into a “Halloween Tumble” by asking the kids to name Halloween related things from each category. With a scary race against time, it is one of the most exciting party games for kids.
Mystery Box: Fill small, decorated cardboard board boxes with spaghetti noodles (guts), peeled grapes (eyeballs) and pipecleaners (spider legs). Get creative as you think up what creepy concoction you can add to the boxes. Invite your bravest party guests to reach inside, and guess the true contents of the box.
Together with some DIY tips and Skillmatics treats, you can create a magical party. With the perfect games, food, and decor - your party will create memories for the young guests who are eager to light up the night with joy!