Host an at-home Halloween party

Halloween is likely going to look a lot different this year, so why not make the best of it with an at-home Halloween party? Try these ideas to make it a spooktacular good time:

Pick your theme
Setting a theme for a party always helps to set the stage. You might want to host a costume, pumpkin carving or scary movie party.

Set a date and time
Decide the date and time for your Halloween party. Even if it’s only your immediate family attending, make fun invitations and send them out.

Plan your costume
Around Halloween, it’s easy to find costumes for sale online … or you can shop your home and make your own.

Do decorate!
Take some time to come up with some fun decorating ideas. Cover furniture with white sheets to create a ghostly atmosphere. Replace regular light bulbs with colored ones to add a bit of whimsy and a cool effect. You can also go traditional by stringing cobwebs overhead and creepy crawlies on the floor and up the walls.

Line up some games
You could watch movies, have a make-your-own pizza bar or play games. Consider a few fun game ideas such as these:

Guess the monster parts
Set up a few stations where guests have to reach into a box and guess the monster parts inside. Use cold spaghetti for intestines, large grapes for eyeballs, candy corn for teeth, and dried apricots or prunes for ears. Be sure to have wet wipes on hand to clean up all those sticky fingers … and to sanitize.

Guess the number of pumpkin seeds in the jar
Fill a large jar with dried pumpkin seeds. Place a piece of paper next to the jar and have each child write down their guess (don’t forget to have them write their name too). You can decorate the jar with a Halloween-themed ribbon. For a different twist. you can also use candy corn instead of pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin bowling
Use six empty two-liter soda bottles for the pins. You can have kids cut out Halloween shapes from construction paper and glue them to the bottles for decoration. Purchase several hand-size pumpkins to be used as your bowling balls (be sure to remove the stems). Assign a little helper to assist you with resetting the pins. This game is fun for kids of all ages.

Boo, boo, ghost
This is a Halloween version of duck, duck, goose, which is great fun for younger kids.

Have a fabulously frightful party!