Easy Halloween Party Ideas

Great Halloween party ideas can make the difference between a ghoulishly fun get together and a deader than a doornail gathering. Incorporating a few easy Halloween party ideas to your celebration can turn your party into something spectacular without having to put forth much effort.

Simple Halloween Party Themes

Most Halloween parties center around children because the holiday is mostly about them. The best time to have your party is right after school and before trick-or-treating begins in your neighborhood. This is a good opportunity to help out some parents that either come home late or have small children and are therefore unable to take their older children trick-or-treating. The adults hosting the party can volunteer to chaperone the children as they travel around the neighborhood trick-or-treating and then drop them off at home.

Movable Feast

A movable feast is a popular way for everyone to be involved, even if they can't leave their home. The idea is that each person will handle one part of the feast. For example, someone has the main course, another the dessert, another the hors d'oeuvres and the last house will host a small party right before the kids head out. This way even moms with small children can enjoy the company of friends and everyone shares in the preparations. Families can decorate their homes any way they wish. The other bonus is that the children will have eaten dinner before they collect all of that candy!

Costume Party

Give out prizes for all types of costumes, making sure each child receives one of the prizes. Be sure to include popular Halloween party games such as bobbing for apples, pin the smile on the pumpkin and spooky cookie or cupcake decorating. In nice weather you could have sack races, three-legged races and relay races where kids have to fill a bag with a pre-determined amount of candy.

Pumpkin Decorating Party

One way to have a Halloween party prior to the big night is to invite children to come to your home and decorate pumpkins. This works best with children ages 8-13 because of the small items used to decorate pumpkins, and the need to work with paints and permanent markers. The object of this particular party is to decorate the outside of the pumpkins while eliminating the mess (and sharp utensils) used in carving them.

First, obtain pumpkins and gourds from a local store or nursery. Then go to the local craft store for items such as craft paint and paintbrushes, Sharpie pens, tacky glue, large wiggly eyes, felt, sequins and even pumpkin decorations, if available. Place all of the items in pie tins or large bowls on tables covered with newspaper and let the kids go crazy with creativity.

Teen Mystery Party

Some teens really enjoy throwing parties, and a mystery party may be just the ticket for a teen that has outgrown childish Halloween parties. Mystery parties involve buying a mystery party kit, which makes throwing this kind of party a snap. The kit usually includes invitations, tips on how to throw the party, details on the mystery for the evening and character cards for the players. This type of party can be as elaborate or as simple as the teens choose. These teen party kits can be found at:

Amazon.com sells titles such as Panic at the Prom, Roswell that Ends Well and Barbecue with the Vampire.
Teen Mystery Games has a variety of party game downloads for teens.
Shot in the Dark Mysteries offers fun mysteries that don't involve murder. These games involve everyone, not just the suspects.
Who Dunnit Mysteries focuses on G-rated mystery games for 10-50 players. These games can be downloaded from the site.

Scavenger Hunt Parties

The all-time perennial favorite, scavenger hunts can be tailored for young children, teens and adults. Depending upon the age of the participants, it can be held during the day, or even in the evening, with flashlights for safety. The following sites offer free scavenger hunt game downloads:

Parents.com: With two different hunts for little kids and big kids, choose from Treasure Hunt or Scavenger Hunt games.
Diva Girl Hunts: Find lots of free ideas for your next party, including a neighborhood door-to-door hunt.
Geo Caching.com: Learn how to create a geo-caching hunt (scavenger hunting using GPS devices). This is a great idea for a fall weekend party that can involve parents in the fun.

Basic Halloween Ideas for Anyone

Every Halloween party should contain basic elements that anyone can enjoy. These include:

Decorations

Decorations can be kept simple. Use black and orange as the main colors and fill the room with streamers and balloons. Add cut-outs of pumpkins, ghosts and bats to accent the room. String some lights, add candles and a jack o'lantern to finish it off.

Food

Having a festive menu is a must for any celebration. You can keep it simple with a few items to please your guests. Consider the following Halloween treats to serve at your party:

Veggie tray
Tortilla chips and salsa
Wings
Pizza
Cookies and cupcakes decorated in a Halloween theme
Orange punch (spiking is optional for the adults!)

Be sure to display your food on a table decorated for Halloween. Use a simple orange tablecloth, black napkins and plates and platters designed for Halloween.

Fun Activities

To add an extra element of fun to your party, have some activities on hand to entertain your guests. Halloween music and scary movies can set the mood for the party. A few games can break the ice and get your guests to mingle.

Halloween Party Tips

The number of easy Halloween party ideas that you can come up with is virtually endless. Keep activities short for young children and a little more involved for older age groups. When working with children, have at least one adult for every ten children, especially when working on art activities. Make sure you have enough prizes, goody bags and food for all of your guests; keep a little extra on hand for unexpected guests. Above all, don't forget to have fun yourself. By planning ahead, the host or hostess can enjoy the festivities, too!