How to Throw an Unforgettable Halloween Party for Kids

Throwing a Halloween party for kids is one of my family’s favorite events of the year! We trick out our house with spooky decorations, make delicious treats, and play thrilling games. A Halloween party is a great way for kids to celebrate the holiday in a safe place with their friends and family.

If you’re planning to host a kid-friendly Halloween party, you’ll want to make sure it's filled with spooktacular fun that both kids and parents will love. Here’s our tips and tricks for throwing a successful Halloween party for kids that’s fun and enjoyable for all!

Pick a Theme for the Party

Halloween is a theme on its own, but to make your party unique and add an extra layer of fun, choose a specific theme for the party. Having a focused theme helps with planning the party decorations, games, and activities.

Here are a few kid-friendly Halloween party themes:

• Classic monsters: Think vampires, werewolves, and mummies!

• Pumpkin patch party: Focus on pumpkins, scarecrows, and harvest decorations.

• Spooky carnival: Set up games like a Halloween carnival with prizes.

• Not-so-scary Halloween: If you're hosting younger kids, aim for cute and fun, with friendly ghosts and smiling pumpkins.

Send Invitations

Make your Halloween party stand out from the start with themed invitations that set the tone for the event. You can either send out digital invites (using services like Evite, Canva, or Facebook) or create DIY paper invitations that match your theme.

Here are some fun ideas for your invites:

• Potion bottle invitations: Cut out potion bottle shapes and add the party details.

• Pumpkin invitations: Cut out orange pumpkin shapes and add fun, spooky writing.

• Mystery scrolls: Roll up the invitation like an old scroll, tie it with a black ribbon, and add a little spider ring for an extra touch.

Be sure to include all of the key party details like the date, time, location, how to R.S.V.P., and whether guests should dress up in a costume.

Set the Scene with Decorations

No Halloween party is complete without the right décor to transform your house into a haunted wonderland!

It’s easy to make your party room look magical with some simple, affordable decorations:

• Halloween balloons: Get black, orange, and purple balloons, or balloons with Halloween designs, and hang them around the party space.

• Spider webs: Fake spider webs are always a highlight with kids. Drape them over furniture, around doorways, or along the walls.

• Jack-o'-lanterns: Carve or paint pumpkins to set a festive mood or use battery-powered LED pumpkins.

• Hanging ghosts: Create simple ghosts by hanging white fabric or tissue paper over a balloon or Styrofoam ball. Add googly eyes for a spooky (but cute) face.

• Spooky lights: Swap out regular lights for orange or purple string lights to give the room an eerie glow.

If you’ll have younger children at the party, focus on fun and silly decorations rather than scary ones.

Plan Fun Halloween Games and Activities for Kids

Keep everyone entertained with a variety of Halloween games and activities for kids.

Here are some fun Halloween games to play at a party:

• Pumpkin bowling: Set up plastic bottles as “pins” and let the kids roll a small ball to knock them down. If you are able to find a small, round pumpkin, you could also use that, but in my experience, they can be hard to find. We decorate the pins with Halloween stickers.

• Halloween scavenger hunt: Hide Halloween word cards around the room and see who can find and write all of the Halloween words.

• Mummy wrap: Split the kids into pairs and give them rolls of toilet paper. One person wraps the other like a mummy as fast as they can. The first fully wrapped “mummy” wins!

• Pin the spider on the web: A Halloween twist on the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Use a blindfold or have kids close their eyes (no peeking!). Then, stick paper spiders with tape or spider stickers on a large poster of a web.

• Pumpkin/candy hunt: Like an Easter egg hunt, but with small plastic pumpkins or black and orange eggs filled with treats. Hide them around the yard or house and let the kids search for them.

• Monster freeze dance: Play some fun Halloween music (like "Monster Mash") and have the kids dance. When the music stops, they have to freeze in place!

• Halloween bingo: Print out Halloween bingo cards and covers and see who can say "bingo" first.

It’s fun to offer small prizes for the game winners like Halloween stickers, pencils, or candy.

Create Spooky and Delicious Halloween Treats

Halloween is all about the treats, so make sure you’ve got plenty of spooky snacks that are as fun to look at as they are to eat. Here are some kid-friendly Halloween treats:

• Witch’s brew punch: Serve up a fun and fizzy green punch using these ingredients:

  • (46. oz.) can of pineapple juice, chilled

  • (2 L) ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, chilled

  • (1/4 C) lime juice

  • (1 qt) lime sherbet

  • Add gummy worms to create a spooky effect

• Mummy hot dogs: Wrap hot dogs in crescent roll dough to look like mummies, leaving a small gap for eyes, and bake them in the oven. Add little dots of mustard or ketchup for eyes.

• Ghost cupcakes: Top chocolate cupcakes with a dollop of white frosting shaped like a ghost and use mini chocolate chips for eyes.

• Candy corn parfaits: Layer yellow, orange, and white pudding or whipped cream in small cups to mimic the look of candy corn.

• Halloween cookies: Make sugar cookies using Halloween cutouts like bats, cats, ghosts, and pumpkins.

If you’re feeling crafty, set up a DIY snack station where kids can decorate their own Halloween cookies or cupcakes with various spooky toppings.

Host a Costume Parade

One of the best parts of Halloween is dressing up, so be sure to give the kids a chance to show off their costumes! Host a costume parade where each child can walk down a “runway” and display their outfit for everyone to see.

You can make the parade even more fun by having a costume contest. Create categories such as “Funniest Costume,” “Scariest Costume,” and “Most Creative Costume” so that everyone has a chance to win a prize.

Remember, when it comes to judging costumes, it’s important to keep things lighthearted and fun for everyone. You can give out small trophies or goodie bags filled with Halloween treats as prizes.

Send Guests Home with Spooky Party Favors

No Halloween party is complete without a fun take-home treat for your guests. You can create goody bags filled with Halloween-themed items like:

• Halloween stickers or temporary tattoos

• Glow sticks or mini flashlights

• Spider rings and vampire teeth

• Candy corn or mini chocolate bars

• Halloween pencils

You could also get creative by decorating mini pumpkins or mason jars and filling them with candy.

Final Tips for Throwing a Fun Halloween Party for Kids

Throwing a Halloween party for kids is all about creating a fun, magical, and slightly spooky experience that they’ll remember for years to come. Remember to:

• Plan for a mix of indoor and outdoor activities: If the weather allows, consider hosting some games outside, like a pumpkin toss or a mini haunted obstacle course.

• Keep it age-appropriate: Tailor the level of spookiness to the age group attending. For younger kids, keep the decorations and games more playful than scary.

• Stay organized: Create a simple timeline to keep the party flowing, alternating between games, snacks, and free time so the kids stay engaged.

• Take photos: Photograph of all of the kids dressed up in their costumes. You could even set up a Halloween photo booth or stand with props like witch hats and Halloween masks. Be sure to capture the memories from the day!

With a little planning, creativity, and plenty of treats, you can host a Halloween party that will leave your guests howling for more!

Happy Halloween!