Halloween Parties on a Budget

Penny Pinchin Mom had a great post about hosting Halloween parties with a budget that I thought I'd share! Her great article is below:

Halloween is just a couple of weeks away – hard to believe – isn’t it?  If you are being a host/hostess for a party this year, here are a few ideas as to how to throw your party without blowing your budget!

GAMES

Keep the games simple.  Most kids would rather run and chase one another anyhow (at least that is how my kids act).  I always keep my games and/or crafts at 2 per party so that there isn’t too much for the kids to have to do that doesn’t just allow them to have some fun!

Bobbing for apples.  A classic game for Halloween – but still a hit!
Count the ghosts.  Decorate your house with ghosts – home made or purchased.  Then, have the kids look around the room (or house if you wish) and see how many they can find and write down the number (locations too if you’d like).    You can do this with witches, pumpkins, etc.
Treasure Hunt.  My kids love this one!  Create cut outs of a Halloween character (like a black cat) to hold you clues.  Make up riddles for older children to make them figure out where to find the next clue.
Mr. Bones Relay Race.  We did this one year and it was so fun to watch the kids trying to figure out which order the bones should go!   You can get the template here.
Pumpkin Bowling.  Set up empty 2 liter bottles as your pins and use a small pumpkin as your ball….see if you can get a STRIKE!
Candy Corn Catch.  Divide the children into pairs of 2.  One will stand about 15 feet (or more if you wish) and hold their Halloween bag or bucket. Their partner will begin tossing candy corns at them — trying to get them into the bag.
Mummy Wrap Up.  Take toilet paper (which I am sure many of you have a stockpile hiding in your basements) and have the kids wrap a guest.  Give them a set time to see how much of each other than can get covered!

SNACKS

What is a party without snacks?   Here are some fun, simple (and inexpensive) ideas to make your party perfect!
Buggy Punch.  Make your favorite punch (or drink) and place plastic bugs or spiders into the cup.
Carrot Finger Sticks.  Take full size carrots and peel them.  Place veggie dip on the top end of the carrot (smallest end) and then put a slivered almond on top — for your finger nails.  Serve with more dip.
Marshmallow Ghosts.  Slide 3 larger marshmallows onto a popsicle stick (or wooden skewer).  Melt some white chocolate chips and then dip the marshmallows into the melted chocolate. Before it sets, place red hots on the face for eyes and make a small mouth with black decorating gel.  Get all of the measurements here.  (My kids love this one).
Rice Krispie Treat Spiders.  Make your rice krispies as usual, but rather than regular rice krispies – use cocoa krispies.  Roll them into balls for the body of your spider and smaller ones to make the heads (connect the body and head before allowing to set up in the refrigerator).  Pull them out and let the kids add pipe cleaner legs, M&M eyes, red out mouths, licorice designs…the list is endless.  Just use a small tube of decorating gel or icing as the glue.  This can be a “game” PLUS a snack!
Broomsticks:  Take string cheese and pull it apart into strings.  Place them at the end of a pretzel rod and then wrap licorice around them — they’ll look like broomsticks!
Edible Eyeballs:  Take one mini powered donut and place a gummy lifesaver in the middle (the iris) and then put a chocolate chip on top of the lifesaver (your pupil).   Streak with red gel icing (for a bloodshot effect). 

There’s no reason to spend too much to make your party a hit. See what every day item you have in your house that could easily turn into something for the holiday — you just might be surprised at what you can create!  Do you have other great Halloween party ideas?  We’d love for you to share them!!  Happy Halloween!