This weekend is Hallowe'en, when ghosts and goblins will be out and about. Why not plan a party for your kids and their friends?
There are a number of great games you can play to liven up your party.
The Guessing Game
Fill a jar with candy bars or candy corn, counting out how many are in the jar. As guests arrive, have them guess how many pieces are in the jar. Write down each guess next to their name. At the end of the party, the guest who came closest wins the jar.
Pumpkin Stacking
Draw a jack o'lantern face on yellow apples or a turnips with a magic marker beforehand. During the party, divide the guests into teams of four or five. Have one hold the jack o'lantern under his or her chin and pass the jack o'lantern to their team members without using their hands. (If this seems inappropriate, have them hold their hands behind their backs and pass it that way). The first team to have all their members hold the jack o'lantern wins.
Mummy Madness
Divide the kids into teams of three or four. Give each team a roll of toilet paper and have them wrap one of their members into a mummy. The first team to wrap their mummy wins.
Create Masks
Take paper plates, scissors and string and create masks. Let each kid use crayons, glitter, glue bits of fabric and feathers to create their own masks.
Bobbing for Apples
If the weather allows for outdoor activities, bobbing for apples is a time tested activity. Fill a tub with water and put apples in it. The players must try to bite" into and "catch" and apple while holding their hands behind their backs. Don't forget to have some towels handy.
Hanging Treats
Another good outdoor game involves tying plain doughnuts to string and dangling them from tree branches. Kids must try to eat the doughnuts without using their hands. First one to finish wins!
DIY Halloween Decorations
Fill a rubber glove with water and freeze it. Add the frozen hand shape to a bowl of fruit punch and ginger ale for a creepy touch. Add food coloring to the water for fun.
Quarter hot dogs lengthwise and fry them. They will curl up into worm shapes, which can be put in worm sandwiches.
For monster eyes, poke a raisin into the center of a marshmallow, and use red icing to make bloodshot veins.
Lots of party stores will sell jello molds in the shape of body parts or other Hallowe'en themed shapes.
