Kids' Spooky Halloween Party
They're creepy and they're scary, they're goofy and they're hairy—Halloween turns kids of all ages into their favorite spooky characters. Here's a menu to satisfy the best little beggars and beasts, with some party tips to challenge all those tricksters.
Make It Special!
Setting the Serving Scene
Coming up with clever serving presentations for this party is easy—let your own creativity add to these ideas:
- Consider serving Ghoulish Goulash in a hollowed-out pumpkin or even a scary skull trick-or-treat pail.
- For the Creepy Critter Salad, just prepare any color of gelatin (green, orange or even blackberry for a near-black color would look the part) in a 13x9-inch pan, and use cookie cutters in Halloween or "critter" shapes to create creepy cutouts. Place the gelatin cutouts on shredded lettuce. Your kids may want to help make this easy salad.
- Alien Brew adds a bit of curiosity to your meal and is easy to prepare. Just add green (or other color) food color to milk.
Boo Who?
Here's a fun game that is based upon the standard charades: Write out clues for Halloween characters (a jack-o'-lantern, bat, mummy, spider, ghost, etc.) on small pieces of paper. Divide kids into two teams, and let the Halloween charades begin. You can also put each clue inside a balloon, then blow them up when it's time for the game. Each team player pops a balloon to get the clue.
Pin the Wart on the Witch's Nose
Even older kids will get a kick out this takeoff of the donkey version. Hang a picture of a witch (you can draw the witch or find a poster at a party-supply store) on a wall at kid level. For the warts, use rubber cement to create gumball-size wads. If you need to add a little more "sticky" to the wart, just dab with a glue stick right before the game. The same rules apply: Blindfolded, the kids take turns trying to stick a wart on the witch's nose. Use small labels to designate each player's placement of the wart.
Preparation Guide
Up to 2 Days Ahead
- Mix sauce in bag for Baked Chicken Wings; refrigerate.
- Prepare Creepy Critters (gelatin only) for salad; refrigerate.
- Bake and decorate Scary Spiderweb Cupcakes; cover loosely.
The Morning Of
- Prepare lettuce for salad; refrigerate.
- Cook Sloppy Joe Rotini; cover and refrigerate.
- Prepare Alien Brew; refrigerate.
- Add chicken to sauce for Bat Wings; refrigerate.
- Assemble Garlic Bread; cover tightly.
About 1 Hour Before Serving
About 45 Minutes Before Serving
- Reheat Sloppy Joe Rotini.
About 20 Minutes Before Serving
- Bake Garlic Bread.
- Assemble Creepy Critter Salad.