Fun And Easy Halloween Party Ideas And Games For Kids

Throwing a party for the kids this October and looking for fun and easy Halloween party ideas? The best way to make your Halloween party a smashing success is to have great games and activities for them to do. Having a mix of cool Halloween crafts and spooky games will keep the kids busy and having a great time.

Halloween Crafts

Kids love Halloween not just for the candy, but for the chance to dress up in crazy costumes! So why not let them make their own spooky Halloween masks, hats and costumes?

For masks, all you need are some paper plates, a hole punch and string, and decorations like glitter, stickers, markers and other odds and ends. Pick up some hats, ponchos, shirts, boots and such from a thrift store, and let them decorate and assemble their own costumes. Fabric paint and glue make it easy for them to let their imaginations loose!

Another fun craft is, of course, pumpkin carving... but make it cleaner and safer by letting the kids decorate small, mini pumpkins with markers, glitter, stickers and more.

Finally, let them make their own Halloween loot bags. All you need are plain brown paper bags, and lots of things to decorate the bags with. Once they've decorated their bags, take them and fill them with candies, stickers, Halloween pencils and erasers, small toys, orange play dough and such. Then tie them with ribbon or taffeta, and present them to the kids when they're leaving the party.

Halloween Games

Halloween party ideas mainly center around games. One of the easiest games is to stage a Halloween parade, and let the kids show off their costume creations!

Trick Or Treat is another fun game for kids. Cut up strips of paper, about twice as many strips as there are party guests. On half of the strips write 'trick', and include a trick... something like 'stand on one foot' or 'cluck like a chicken'. On the other half write 'treat'. Put all the strips in a hat or Halloween bag, and have the kids sit in a circle. Each child draws a strip from the hat. If they pull 'trick', they have to perform the trick for the group. If they pull 'treat', then they get to search for a treat, like a small candy or Halloween themed item. Hide the treats around the area.

Mummy Wrap Race is a fun Halloween party idea. Split the kids into small groups, and tell each group to nominate one child as the mummy. The object of the game is to be the first group to wrap their mummy using a whole role of toilet tissue.

There's tons of fun and easy Halloween party ideas... you're only limited by your imagination!

Halloween Decoration Ideas to Spook Up Your Party

Halloween is a holiday full of drama and entertainment for kids and grown ups alike. Colorful candies in all shapes and flavors are delightful treats for kids who go from door to door with their 'trick or treat' cries. The costumes add all the flair to the celebration; from spooky to fun dresses, it is all about fun with creative Halloween decoration ideas to lift everyone's spirits.If you are throwing a Halloween party this year, it's time to get creative and make the party something to remember. Along with the usual treats and cocktails, decorating the venue with items that blend with the overall theme is sure to make the bash a huge success. Here are some Halloween decoration ideas to help you have a fun bash:

Halloween Lights: One need not fret over creating the right light setting to set the mood of the party. There are simple ways to lighten up the party atmosphere; how about changing the regular light bulbs to colored ones, or placing colored floodlights over other decoration pieces to highlight the party's theme? You can use candles in a variety of ways as part of party decorations to transform the conventional party table into a spooky dining affair. Candles and candle holders are available in many designs, and you can use those which blend with your party's theme. Pumpkins are synonymous symbols of Halloween, and also serve as great candle holders. Illuminate the party venue with hollowed-out pumpkins which look great wherever they are placed; keep them on the main dining table, light up the porch with glowing pumpkin faces, or place some in the outdoor venue.You can hang strings of decorative lights around the table or the room to add to the overall festive occasion. Black lights are extremely popular in lighting posters, costumes, paintings etc.

Decorative Table Ideas: There are many kinds of table ware to pick from; while most of them are made from paper, one can find good quality plastic ware too. Match the plates, cups, table cloth, napkins and serving utensils so that they look part of the same theme. Say you are hosting a Vampire themed party, you can opt for red and black being the theme colors and have a red table cloth or a coffin shaped cake.

Creative Center Pieces: Using a carved pumpkin is the commonest idea for a center piece. For a themed party, the pumpkin can be carved to resemble the theme; placing a candle within also adds the overall look. You may choose to decorate your table with flowers of the autumn season for a more serene look, or place glow sticks in a bowlful of ice for special effects, or create a creepy look with black ribbons and dried flowers and branches.

Design Your Punch Bowls for Special Effect: Let your guests take their drinks from a skeleton punch bowl, complete with a skeleton ladle and cups, or a creepy looking spider web bowl. The idea is to impart a spooky touch to almost everything!

Thus, with all this Halloween party stuff to help you decorate your home for the next Halloween party, let your creativity lead the way into a fun-filled bash.

Halloween Decorations and Halloween Crafts and Games - Creative Halloween Fun

Creative Halloween fun that can highlight any Halloween themed party

Halloween decorations and Halloween games will give rise to all sorts of Halloween sounds and images that will conjure up hauntingly frightful fun for any Halloween themed party. Halloween is a night for little ghouls and little Halloween witches to come out of the woodwork. By adding some jack-o'-lanterns that are specially carved to create that Halloween horror effect for your porch and using haunted house props to decorate your house, you can come up with a great Halloween party plan. Use as little as you want or come up with several varieties of Halloween crafts, games and an abundance of Halloween activities that will keep the young at heart entertained for the evening. By choosing the right effects for your Halloween party you can have a great selection of Halloween props. Halloween lights would be a good choice for your outdoor Halloween decorations along with the Halloween tombstone and spiders webs with a variety of specially carved Halloween pumpkins with lights in them on your front porch.

Halloween decorations that you can use for your home

Halloween decorations will play the most important role for your Halloween party. To create the Halloween theme that you are looking for, you the host, have to decide on what kind of Halloween settings that you want. There are large selections of Halloween props available when trying to create a sinsiter scene in front of your house. You can have a variety of gruesome horror Halloween prop decorations out front: as an example you could create simple magnificent monsters spiders can be easily crafted with foam balls black spray paint and chenille stems. Or you could also create a window Web by using black ribbon links and yarn that have a strategic weaving pattern that will allow an added shadow effect for a great Halloween Window. By dangling the creepy spiders from the roofline will give you a hair-raising outdoor Halloween decoration that people will love.

Ideas for your outdoor Halloween decoration ideas

By using outdoor Halloween decorations you will be able to craft your front yard and transform it into the most frightful and sinister haunted house of horrors. If you have the option of having a large yard you could set up a rickety graveyard fence with some Halloween tombstones along with some other Halloween haunted props. Completing this Halloween plan you could have hovering ghost skeletons or spider web cobwebs in the branches of the trees for more of a horror effect. If you live in a condo or an apartment you might choose decorations like a scary Halloween warning sign or maybe many little lights that look like mini orange pumpkins around your windows and doors.

What kind of indoor Halloween ideas can I use?

If your patrons have gotten past your ghoulish outdoor Halloween decorations you have to decide about inside your house and what kind of Halloween decorations you want to create the feel of your new haunted house. You may want ghosts, witches, goblins or maybe other creepy critters that are floating about with your haunted house props. Do not worry about spending too much time decorating inside since you can easily craft some simple Halloween displays for your decorations around the house along with some eerie Halloween effects topped with some frightfully tasting Halloween snacks. With all this combined you will have created the best haunted house party that you can imagine. By using the effect of different howling lighting such as candles, orange indoor Halloween lights, or black lighting or orange bulbs in lamps along with some added effects of cobwebs you can create any spooky and horrifying effect to any room theme. Keep in mind choosing the Halloween decorations for your outdoor theme the age of your group. Children or adult guests will help you decide on which Halloween decorations you will choose. You want to make this fun and not full of nightmares for faint of heart.

What kind of Halloween craft ideas can I use?

The right Halloween crafts can make your Halloween party a howl. When planning a Halloween party, activities for a children's Halloween party could be just as much fun for you watching and for the little monsters enjoying the Halloween party. Creative skills are a joy for children and they will be proud to show off some of their creepy Halloween creations. A great idea for putting together a children's Halloween party would be to have a variety of fun Halloween crafts preplanned for them in advance and not forgetting to plan an easy clean up for you afterwards. Keep in mind the age of the guests when you are planning your Halloween craft project, if it too difficult or easy your little ghosts may turn to actual monsters. In the end of all the fun for the kids make sure your Halloween crafts supplies such as paints, glues, pens and other materials that are used will be non-toxic, washable, and safe.

What kind of Halloween party games should I have?

Incredibly popular as always are Halloween party games and not only the youngsters will be around to seek the small prizes and rewards but also the adult Halloween costume party goers are also interested in having fun and show off their skills and abilities. For little Halloween ghouls you may want to try to modify some old holiday favorite games in to a Halloween game theme. As an example you could take a Halloween candy treat and create a hunt like an Easter egg hunt or instead of pinning the tail on the donkey, try instead pinning the mouth on a Halloween pumpkin. By having the older children and adults playing a game of Halloween charades and acting out popular scary books and movies you can create an entertaining Halloween themed party. So do not be afraid to modify some original games into the Halloween party games that will suit your Halloween guests ages and interests.

Halloween Decoration Ideas to Transform Your Home For a Spooktacular Party

One of the most exciting holidays of the year happens to be Halloween. Around this time of year you can enjoy dressing up, eating candy, and having some fun with some decorating. Whether you are a kid or you feel like a kid, this is an exciting time of year. If you are having a big party at your home, you'll definitely want to decorate everything up for Halloween. Not sure where to begin? Here are some great Halloween decoration ideas that you can use to make your home look incredible for a spooktacular party.

To make your home look great for the Halloween party, consider purchasing a bit roll of some Caution tape, which is often used around crime scenes. Rope off your lawn with the tape, so everyone sees it when they arrive at the party. Add a sign that says "Only Enter at Your Own Risk." This can make everything seem kind of spooky and it will add to the Halloween party with a spooky ambiance.

Instead of using your regular porch lights on your front porch, use a black light bulb. This way everything you put out on the porch that is white, such as ghosts or skulls will end up glowing and looking particularly eerie. Everyone will enjoy entering your home by blacklight for Halloween.

Of course, you won't want to forget the pumpkins when you are looking for good Halloween decoration ideas. One idea to make them last longer is to paint them instead of carving them for Halloween. Consider using some acrylic paint to paint the faces on the pumpkins and they will last a long time. This also keeps you from making the big mess that comes with carving. Use various pumpkins of different shapes and sizes for a great display.

If you want to make the windows look spooky, consider cutting out some silhouettes of different icons for Halloween. Go with black witches, bats, cats, and more. Then put them up in the windows. The look will be very spooky and eerie, which will make the party even more exciting. The great thing is that the windows will look great from the inside and the outside too.

You won't want to forget a scarecrow when you are looking for Halloween decoration ideas. It's pretty easy to make a scarecrow on your own. Go with a pair of pants and a shirt. Stuff them with some leaves or some straw. Then add on a scary mask and it will definitely look scary if you put it on the porch or somewhere in your house where it takes people by surprise.

All of these ideas are fairly easy to make and reasonably priced too. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have some great decorations. So if you want to have a great party this Halloween, use these Halloween decoration ideas for a spooktacular even that everyone will enjoy.

Spooky Chic Dinner Party

Show off your sophisticated side this Halloween with an ultra-cool dinner or cocktail party that's both spooky AND chic!

Halloween Dinner Decoration

Scary Halloween Decoration

  Halloween Invitation-Click here

Playful Mod Halloween Party

Use bright colors and funky patterns to create a modern Halloween atmosphere that's playful enough for the kiddies and hip enough for adults!

Halloween Party Decoration

Halloween Party decorations

Vintage Halloween Décor

Creative Touches

Keep food festive! Present cubed cheese and olives on skewers secured in a pumpkin.

Magical Ambience

Illuminated jack-o'-lanterns line the walkway to the dinner table.

The Masquerade

Everyone plays a part, donning costumes that nod to the lavish Halloween traditions of yesteryear.

 

Butternut Squash Soup with Pomegranate Seeds

Butternut Squash Soup is served from a hollowed-out pumpkin tureen for a lovely autumnal touch.

 

Halloween Collectibles

Festive Table Setting

Spooky Table

Getting into the Halloween Spirit

How to Make a Scarecrow

Traditionally, scarecrows were created to keep crows away from farmer's crops. The appearance of a person in the cornfield or garden would, ideally, trick the crows into thinking that someone was guarding the tasty food that was growing beneath them.


Today, scarecrows are also used as a decorative item that appear mostly in the fall. Halloween scarecrows are quite common, but you can also set up a pretty fall display with a scarecrow or two and a few bales of hay or straw.


Making a scarecrow is quite simple, and a lot of fun for the whole family. Definitely get the kids involved and make it a group project. For something really fun, let each family member create their own scarecrow in their image, and then display your scarecrow family prominently in front of your house.


You don't have to use traditional outfits for your scarecrows. They can be dressed in old suits or formal wear, or even dressed up in costumes! Make both male and female scarecrows if you'd like. Hang them up on bamboo stakes, or arrange them on your lawn furniture, on hay bales, or even your front steps. Use your imagination to make your scarecrow a truly individual craft.


For each scarecrow, you'll need:
•two bamboo poles, one 4-feet long and another 6-feet long (for stake, if using)
•twine
•florist wire
•safety pins
•glue
•long-sleeved shirt
•long pants or overalls (jeans are commonly used)
•socks or boots
•gloves (either winter gloves or work gloves can be used)
•yarn or straw for hair, if desired
•hat
•pillowcase (without a pattern)
•waterproof paint and paintbrushes
•old newspaper, pillow stuffing, or straw to stuff clothing
•accessories, such as bandanas, costume jewelry, or glasses (optional)
Place the 4-foot bamboo pole across the longer pole, about one and a half feet down from the top. Secure in place by wrapping the cross point with twine and tying tightly. Set aside.


Paint the scarecrow's face onto the pillowcase. Besides paint, you can add glitter, makeup, felt or fabric cutouts, or use magic markers to add detail and decoration. Set pillowcase aside to allow the paint to dry completely.


Using twine, tie off the ends of the shirt sleeves and the cuffs of the pants. Using your choice of stuffing, stuff the shirt and pants. Likewise, stuff the gloves and socks and tie off the ends securely. Attach the gloves and socks to the sleeves and pant legs with safety pins or florist wire, or tie them on with twine. If you're using boots, attach them to the socks or pant legs with shoelaces or pins.


When the paint on the pillowcase head is dry, stuff the pillowcase and firmly tie off the end of the case with twine, leaving at least a couple of inches of fabric hanging down. Attach the head to the top of the shirt with wire or safety pins, tucking the ends of the pillowcase inside the shirt to prevent stuffing from escaping.


Using glue or wire, attach yarn or loose straw to the top of the scarecrow's head for hair. Place the hat on top and secure firmly with safety pins. Make sure the hat won't blow off the scarecrow if the weather turns windy.


Add extra touches like a bandana tied around the neck, or a pair of sunglasses tied on. Use glue, twine, or florist wire where necessary to secure loose adornments.


If you're using a stake, firmly press the bottom end of the bamboo stake into the ground, deep enough so that it won't blow over. Tie the scarecrow to the stake at the neck and waist with twine. Use florist wire to secure the scarecrow to the bamboo if necessary. Stretch the arms out along the shorter length of bamboo and tie the wrists to the pole with twine.


Alternatively, arrange your scarecrow in a lawn chair, bales of hay, or anywhere you'd like to place him (or her!). At the end of the season, store your scarecrow in a dry place in your home to use again and again.


Tip: If you're not hanging your scarecrow on a stake, you can use a hollowed-out, carved or painted pumpkin as the head.

Creating a Halloween Garden

Halloween is a fun time for kids and adults alike. If you want to create a Halloween garden that tends to be a little macabre, consider creating a Gothic garden.



Turn your Yard into Creepsville


Instantly transform your current garden into a Gothic garden by adding a few accessories, such as a moon dial and gargoyles. Place a few concrete urns along a garden path or driveway and create a gate by using a panel of wrought iron. Spooky metal-ware can be purchased at garden centers and novelty stores, as can screaming masks that appear to drip blood and CDs of ghostly voices. Use these things to create a chilling effect near your door. Add a resin coffin and a few tombstones to turn your garden into a graveyard.


Creepy Creatures


Creepy creatures are a must for a Halloween Gothic garden. The perfect spooky creatures are bats. They will send chills up the spines of your visitors and they should be welcome in all gardens because they eat beneficial insects. In order to attract bats to our garden, grow plants that will attract night-flying insects. Remember to provide a roosting area for bats. You can make your own bat roost, or purchase one at your local garden center or online. Search the Internet for plans to make your own bat house. If you live in the South, don’t prune cabbage palm. These make great roosts for bats.


Garden Plants for Bats


Plants to grow to attract night-flying insects that bats will enjoy include cornflower, phlox, salvia, silene, spearmint and stock.


Toads


Toads love slugs and they will give your garden a warty appearance. Provide a water source where toads can lay eggs and raise their young. Also provide a toad house for shelter. A loose stack of rocks in a moist area is sufficient or prop an old flowerpot up on a rock or stick. Having toads in the garden is said to bring the homeowner good luck.


Spiders


Your Gothic garden wouldn’t be complete without a few resident spiders. These creatures are a great source of pest control. When you find them in your garden, leave them be. Don’t kill them. Spider webs lend a spooky effect and are perfect for the Gothic garden.


Praying Mantis


Praying mantis is welcome in a Gothic garden. They are strictly carnivorous and will eat non-beneficial insects. Some garden centers and nurseries sell praying mantis eggs. Attach the egg cases to twigs and branches that are approximately one foot above the ground. It will take the eggs about eight weeks to hatch in warm weather. Each praying mantis egg case will produce about 200 insects, so you won’t need many.

Snakes


Snakes can be both a blessing and a deterrent. They consume rodents, which are good, but they also eat frogs and toads. Be sure any snake that takes up residence in your garden is of the non-poisonous variety. To attract snakes to your garden provide a rock, wood or rubble pile. It won’t be long until at least one takes up residence.


Dragonflies


Dragonflies are beautiful creatures. They cannot hurt humans, but they are frightening to some people. Dragonflies are beneficial insects that feed on mosquitoes. They also bring color to a garden. Attract dragonflies to your property by establishing a moving source of water. This could be as simple as installing a portable fountain. Place stakes in the yard so dragonflies will have a perch where they can rest. Remember, bug zappers will kill dragonflies and other beneficial insects, as will pesticides.


Ladybugs


At one time ladybugs were considered to be both holy and magical creatures. People today associate ladybugs with good luck. They love to feast on aphids and other non-beneficial insects. Like praying mantis, ladybugs can be purchased at garden centers and nurseries. They can be stored in the refrigerator when they aren’t needed and released at any time. Ladybugs are always thirsty, so mist the garden with a fine spray before releasing them in the early evening.
Once you have completed your Gothic garden, you will see the dramatic impact that the accessories and creatures will make on your visitors. Your Halloween Gothic garden will be the talk of the neighborhood and people will flock to your yard to experience some real thrills and chills. Happy Halloween!

Halloween Party Invitations

If your party has a theme, you may want to make a Halloween party invitation that goes with it. For example if you want all your guests to dress up as some kind of famous monster you are planning on being Dracula, your invitation could be in the shape of a Haunted House and the language of the invitation would be as if Dracula were speaking. You can also use some of our coloring pages as a start for making your own invitations. You can also find spooky invitations at Birthday in a Box.

Some creative, homemade Halloween Party Invitation ideas include:

Halloween party invitations can be very simple or elaborate; the only limit is your imagination! If you have the time to make your own invitations, here are a few ideas you can try:

Ghost Invitation – Place a white handkerchief out on a table, and write the invitation information in a spiral around the edges, making sure to leave the center white. When done, wrap the handkerchief around a lollipop (written side out). Fasten with a ribbon or rubber band at the neck of the lollipop, and dot two eyes with a black felt tip marker. Send your ghost invitation in a padded envelope.

Gravestone Invitation – Cut a gravestone shape out of grey construction paper. Write R.I.P in big letters at the top. Write your invitation information underneath. Fold your invitation in half lengthwise, sprinkle a little black and orange confetti in the middle, and mail your guests a fun surprise!

Pumpkin Invitation – Punch a hole in the corner of a card-style invitation, and tie it with black or orange string to a mini pumpkin (available at most grocery stores). Hand-deliver each guest’s invitation.

Candy Invitation – Hide card-style invitations in small jars filled with candy corn. (Pickle jars or small jelly jars work well.) Hand-deliver your invitations to each guest.

If you are mailing invitations send them out at least two weeks before the party. Hand delivery works well if you are planning last minute, or would like a quicker response on your RSVP. Follow-up with a phone call to those who have not RSVP'd you five days prior to the party. Address any concerns your friends have and try to get a commitment one way or the other. When a friend declines, politely express your disappointment AND understanding. Take note of that guest side list you made in the beginning and fill in the holes.

Halloween Party Food and Refreshments

What would a party be without food? Check out our Revolting Recipes to get some great ideas for things like Spider Cakes, Dracula's Blood Pudding, and Halloween Hand Treats. You might even let the guests make some of their treats... Unless your party is formal, paper and plastic are probably preferential for easy clean up. Don't forget to have plenty of party ice on hand.



Here are some other icky Halloween party recipes and food ideas:


Serve finger foods that come in Halloween colors, such as orange slices, Cheetos, baby carrots, cheddar cheese cubes, Ho-Hos, black licorice, and blackberries. Make fruit kabobs by alternating purple grapes and cantaloupe on wooden skewers.


Use your favorite Halloween cookie cutters to cut soft sandwiches, such as peanut butter & jelly or tuna fish, into spooky shapes, like ghosts, bats, and pumpkins. You can also use mini cookie cutters to cut pumpkins out of orange cheese slices and ghosts and skulls out of white cheese slices to serve with Ritz crackers.


Create spider treats by inserting eight pretzel sticks (four on each side) into the filling of Ritz peanut butter crackers. With a dab of peanut butter, set two raisin “eyes” on top. (To accommodate children with peanut allergies, make your own cracker sandwiches using plain or flavored cream cheese as the filling.)


Prepare chocolate pudding in clear plastic cups. Stick a vanilla wafer “gravestone” in each cup, with one half beneath the pudding surface and the other half sticking up, and draw an outline of the grave in green cake decorating gel.


Place chips and dips like salsa and guacamole in bowls on the food table. Prop small plastic spiders and rats up on the bowls.

Wrap one half of cocktail sausages in thin strips of a four tortilla. Place a dab of ketchup on the other end to look like a toenail. Call these “monster toes”.




Serve a spooky punch like Swamp Juice. Empty a 13-oz. package of Kool-Aid into a punch bowl. Add 1 cup sugar and 8 cups water, and stir until dissolved. Stir in 1 can frozen orange juice concentrate. Just before serving, add 4 cups ginger ale and 3 scoops orange sherbet. This will create a putrid green color that will look awful but taste delicious! Add small plastic spiders or raisins to serve as “bugs” for an extra creepy effect!


For an extra special treat, make each guest a creepy, crawly cupcake! What you will need:


1 chocolate cupcake per guest


Canned chocolate icing


Chocolate sprinkles


Red skittles


Black string lace licorice


To assemble:


Frost the cupcakes with chocolate icing.


Roll the tops of the cupcakes in chocolate sprinkles to create a “hairy” look.


Press two red skittles in the center of the cupcake to serve as eyes.


Cut eight 4-inch pieces of licorice per cupcake for the legs. Bend each “leg” in half and crease. Push the end of each leg into the cupcake (four on each side).


Serve!
Check out these other fun Halloween recipes:
Ghost on a Stick
Ghosts in the Graveyard Cake
Fudge Spiders
Orange Ice Cream Jack O’Lanterns

Halloween Decoration

Halloween Decoration: Staircase Vines

Skill Level: Beginner

Materials: Long natural or artificial vines, like grapevines; Chinese lanterns; assorted real or artificial leaves; large rubber bugs.


Directions:


1. Wrap vines around stair rails and posts, tucking in ends.


2. Tuck lantern stems between vines.


3. Scatter leaves around base of stairs (keep out of traffic path) and tuck some between vines.


4. Tuck bugs between vines and at base of posts.

     Halloween Decoration: Lanterns

 
Cast a glow with these lanterns made from old milk cartons, wire hangers, black construction paper and orange tissue paper. Black and orange crepe paper streamers make a festive finish.



Skill Level: Beginner
Materials: Milk or juice cartons, cleaned and dried; craft knife; ruler; pencil; scissors; black Krylon spray paint; black construction paper; orange tissue paper; double-stick tape; decorative-edge scissors; hole punch; wire cutters; wire hanger; needlenose pliers; crepe paper streamers: orange, black; battery-operated tea lights.



Directions:
1. Cut slanted top off carton. Measure and mark a rectangle on each side of carton, leaving a 3/4-inch “frame” around each; cut out rectangles to make windows.


2. Paint carton; let dry.


3. Measure, mark and cut a piece of construction paper to the size of each window; mark window size in center of each paper.


4. Enlarge cutout patterns,  to fit within window marks on each piece of construction paper. Place pattern on paper; using tip of craft


knife, cut out designs.


5. Cut a piece of tissue paper same size as each piece of construction paper. Using double-stick tape, attach tissue paper behind each design, then use more tape to attach these pieces inside carton to make lantern.


6. Measure and mark two 1½-inch-wide strips of construction paper; cut out with decorative scissors. Tape strips together at one end, then tape inside upper edge of lantern.


7. Punch holes in centers of two opposite sides of lantern, just below paper trim.


8. Cut straight bottom off wire hanger. Bend each cut end 2 inches from end to form hooks. Paint handle; let dry. Insert a hook end into each hole on lantern; bend and twist ends to secure.


9. Cut streamers to desired lengths; tape to bottom edges of lantern.


10. Place a tea light inside. Do not keep lit when unattended

Halloween Candy Bar Covers and Mummy Treat Containers

Halloween candy bar covers, a simple and fun way to make candy bars festive.

For the mummy, stick two wiggly eyes at the top of the candy bar, wrap white crepe paper party streamer around the candy bar, fasten off with some tape.

For the bat print out template, cut bat out of black construction paper, add eyes, tape ends of candy bar wrapper to the back. Place candy bar inside bat and wrap wings around candy bar and fasten with double stick tape or a glue dot.

Mummy Treat Containers

This was meant to be a "last minute" craft in case you needed something quickand easy. However, I wonder how many people save toilet paper rolls like me? How last minute can it be if you need a slew of toilet papers rolls? So if you are my kindred spirit and have your toilet paper rolls waiting for that perfect craft here it goes. It is really so simple it doesn't need instructions.

Fill your toilet paper roll with treats. Wrap white crepe paper from a roll around the toilet paper holder to keep your goodies in (at least three times around). Glue two eyes on the front.

Now fold the crepe paper in half and begin wrapping your mummy

Papel Picado Halloween Banners

Papel picado ("perforated paper") is the beautiful Mexican art of cutting paper into elaborate designs.

Traditionally tissue paper is used to make these banners. We had good luck using crepe paper. I printed out the designs, foldel the template in half along with a piece of crepe paper inside and fastened with paper clips. My daughter then was able to cut around the outside edges eaisly. I helped with the inside bits.

Cut out as many as you like.

To make ready for hanging we folded the top edge over a piece of string and glued, being careful not to stretch the crepe paper.

What a simple way to make your home festive!

Halloween Party Decor: Four Creative Ideas

When planning a Halloween party for adults, having super decorations can definitely make a lasting impression. Sure, there are lots of ready-made items you can use to adorn your party space. However, some hand-made items not only add a unique and inexpensive touch to your party, they can be personalized as well. Your guests will rave about these homemade touches you can make in no time:

Tombstones – A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

Among the most popular items at parties I’ve hosted are the Guest-Name tombstones. You can put in a little time or a whole lot, depending on your party guest list size and the time you have available.
Using butcher paper or any large-sized white or grey paper, cut out tombstones that are about 2 feet tall each. Now the good-natured fun begins! You are going to personalize each tombstone with the name of each guest. If you’re feeling creative along with your spooky mood, personalize them in a humorous way. For example, for a friend who enjoys deep sea fishing:




Here Lies Scott Smith,


A better angler’s there’s never been.


Alas one day came,


A shark of some fame


Jaws met Scott, you can guess who did win.



The Halloween Tree

The goal is to awaken your creative juices and bring smiles to the faces of your guests. Along these lines, I always have a 4’ tall Halloween Tree, which is decorative and helps you remember the festivities’ participants.


Using a small artificial Christmas tree – and the way stores put out the Christmas merchandise, you should have no trouble picking up one of these around this time of year! – decorate the tree with orange lights and easy-to-make white tissue paper ghosts (stuff white paper towels with tissues, tie to create a neck, and put on a scary face with permanent marker).


Next, using orange flat paint, paint some white or clear Christmas ball ornaments in a bright orange hue. Tie each with a Halloween-themed ribbon, which is readily available at any craft store. As the guests arrive, using a permanent marker, have each sign his name and a message on an orange ornament and hang it on the tree. Voila! A beautiful centerpiece for your party and a fun keepsake for you.

We Do Windows!

You can use car window chalk to write on your windows: BEWARE! DANGER! TURN BACK NOW! Draw simple ghosts with the chalk if you’re adept at drawing simple figures. Use your imagination. Bats are easy to draw using black chalk paint as are witches’ hats, nighttime stars in yellow paint, and ghoulish faces in green paint. Use pictures you can easily find online as your guides. Best of all, if you make a mistake, just wipe the paint away and give it another try!




The Pumpkin Patch and Other Tips


Finally, it’s always fun to have an indoor pumpkin patch if you have the room. I use wild ivy on the floor, along a wall, and real pumpkins scattered amidst the foliage. Have a few vases of black roses (easy to make with black tissue paper and dead-colored pipe cleaners for stems). Add a fog machine you can buy or rent, and the mood is set! Throw in a dance contest to Michael Jackson’s famous “thrilling” tune, and hysterical fun is sure to follow. Reclaim the holiday for us “old” people. It’s not just a holiday for kids!