7 Fun Halloween Games for Kids

Part of the fun of Halloween is playing silly games. When planning the games, it’s best to keep the costumes in mind and plan things that will work around them. Games should be simple with easy to follow rules.

Bobbing for Apples – A classic Halloween party game has always been bobbing for apples, however some kids don’t like putting their face in the water or don’t want to mess up the make up that took a long time to perfect. One variation of this game is to tie the stems of the apples to varied lengths of string and then hang them up. Then the people have to put their hands behind their back and try to take a bite out of the apple. You can also play the game using marshmallows.

Mummy Wrap Up – Divide guests into small groups. Provide them each with a roll or two of toilet paper and see who can use the tissue paper to wrap up one of their teammates the fastest. The first one to complete their mummy using the entire roll wins.

Jack-o-Lantern Faces – Hang a picture of a jack-o-lantern on the wall and have matching face pieces cut out of black paper for the eyes, nose and mouth. Place sticky-tack on the back of the pieces. Blindfold each player when it is their turn and play the same as pin the tail on the donkey except players put the eyes, nose and mouth on the pumpkin face. Younger children can do just the mouth, while older children and adults can do the entire face for more of a challenge.

Ghost Hunters – Cut out several paper ghosts and divide the players into two groups. Have one team hide the ghosts around the room. The other team has to hunt down the ghosts. Play continues until all ghosts are found. The team that hunts the most ghosts wins.

Ghost Bowling – Collect ten empty one or two liter soda pop bottles (use the larger bottles for younger guests). Paint the bottles white and decorate with silly ghost faces. Use a small playground size ball as the bowling ball. If you can find orange ones, decorating them as jack-o-lanterns can add to the fun.

Upset the Candy Dish – Place chairs in a circle, facing in, having one less than the number of players. Whisper in each child’s ear the name of a favorite Trick or Treat candy. They will become this piece of candy in the candy dish. Have one person stand in the middle of the circle to be “it”. The child in the middle will call one or two types of candy. If the candy name that’s called is matches the one the children are, they should stand up and try to move to another empty seat. Occasionally, the child who is “it” calls out, “Upset the candy dish.” and all the players need to move to a new seat. If any of the candy kids can’t find a seat they then become “it.”

Pirates’ Treasure – Fill two small buckets with sand and place inside a larger washtub or box. Bury treasure in the buckets such as small prizes or candy. Each player receives a plastic spoon to dig for their treasure. Divide players into two teams. Position players around their designated bucket and tell them when to start. They dig in their treasure “chests” until every piece is found. The first team to find all their treasure wins.

Recommended:

Little Kid Halloween Crafts

Easy Halloween Crafts

Over 90 Homemade Costumes Ideas and Instructions

7 Tips for Telling Spooky Halloween Stories

Campers seem to love them. Passing on spooky stories while the embers burn bright on a cool fall night is something we look forward to with excitement. Storytelling has also been the most popular way to pass on folklore down through the ages.

Storytelling on Halloween can be also be entertaining and fun for many children. Movies are okay, but when the details are left to the kids imagination, the story takes on a new life. Here are some tips to get everyone scared stiff with your story this Halloween.

1. Choose an appropriate venue. If you own a fire pit, let the storytelling begin outside. Cooler weather may mean you have to provide some blankets but that adds to the atmosphere. Inside the house, choose a quiet location big enough for everyone to sit in a circle. Instead of a fire, use a battery operated lantern or candle.

2. Turn off the lights. You can’t tell a good ghost story with the lights on. Outdoors, wait until the sun is completely down to start your tale.

3. Know the story. It can be read from a book or spoken from memory but get it right. A botched ghost story is like mangling a good joke by revealing the punch line. A good storyteller practices his craft so that his listeners won’t be disappointed.

4. Have an accomplice. Someone has to emphasize your high points with some creative theatrics. The theatrical help doesn’t need to be loud or overstated. A few noises or whispers that could be the wind or the trash can falling over are perfect to make the story more real.

5. Dress the part. No one will be frightened by someone in Bermuda shorts and a polo shirt. A dark cloak, some makeup, and a few well hidden props add to your fierceness. Some storytellers use a flashlight under their chin as the only source of light. This is a classic trick, but more light allows for listeners to catch a glimpse of your tricks as they unfold.

6. Choose a story that mixes fact with fiction. If you want to get people to believe you, adding a bit of fact will get the listeners thinking about the validity of the story. Also, choosing a story situation that could come true will put your story over the top.

7. Choose stories that are age appropriate. If you have really young children, then a really scary or spooky story may not be a good idea.

Here are a few suggestions:

Childrens Halloween Stories Ages 4-8

Childrens Halloween Stories Ages 9-12


Do you have a flare for the dramatic? If you do, consider telling a spooky story during Halloween this year.