Halloween Activities
Halloween party would not be complete without apple bobbing, the
traditional Halloween activity. But alongside this old favourite
there are lots of other games you can play to give your child and
their guests a party to remember - here are some suggestions...
Bobbing apples
You need: A bowl or bucket; large towel or plastic sheet (to
protect carpet); apples. REMEMBER: children must be supervised!
Put a washing up bowl half to 3/4 full of cold water on a large
towel or plastic sheet on the kitchen floor. Put in 4 - 6 apples
and let the children take turns.
They have to try to get an apple out with their teeth (the only
way this can be done is to push the apple to the bottom of the bowl
so you can push it against the base while you bite into it: but it
means you get very wet! The older kids usually figure it out but
it's up to you if you tell them or not - they'll love trying!)
Swinging apples
You need: a small nail; string; apples.
Bang in a small nail above a door (in the top of the frame). Tie
a piece of string around the stalk of an apple and tie the other
end to the nail. The string needs to be long enough that the apple
reaches about shoulder length on the children.
The object is to take a bite of the apple but while keeping your
arms behind your back ! Maddening!
Pass-the-pumpkin
You need: music; a hollowed out pumpkin; sweets & small
toys
This game is played like pass-the-parcel and musical chairs. Get
the children to sit in a circle and 'pass-the-pumpkin'.
When the music stops you are out of the game. The child left at
the end gets the pumpkin and the contents!
Dress
the mummy
You need: a big supply of cheap and cheerful toilet paper or
kitchen towel.
Split the party guests into groups no smaller than two and give
them a substantial supply of toilet paper. The object is to try and
turn one of the group into a mummy by wrapping them entirely in the
loo roll! Prizes go to the quickest or the best attempt.
Monster
dance
You need: a spooky song!
This game is played like musical statues, or even musical
chairs. Start the music and the players will dance in the style of
monsters around the room.
When the music stops the last person to freeze or find a seat is
eliminated. Repeat until there is only one player left in the
game.
Pin the nose on the pumpkin
Variation on a theme! Could also have Pin the Hat on the Witch
or Pin the Spider in the Web. You need: a picture of a pumpkin (or
you could use a real one); either a cut out nose or a lump of play
doh (if you're using a cut out nose, it's safer to use tape or blue
tack rather than a pin); a blindfold.
Blindfold the first child. Spin them round 2 or 3 times, face
them in the right direction and let them try and stick the nose on
the pumpkin. Wherever the child sticks the nose, write the child's
name. Remove the nose for the next child's turn. (You can also have
enough noses for each child and just write his or her name on the
nose and leave it up until everyone has had a turn.) Continue until
everyone has had a turn.
The child who puts the nose in the most correct spot wins.
Spooky stories (with an added touch!)
Here's a touchy-feely game to play, which older children will
love! You need: tray; feely bits; cloth to cover the tray;
blindfolds; a storyteller and a spooky story!
For a truly spooky atmosphere in the room, use dim lighting and
keep the room quiet.
Arrange the feely bits on the tray. You could use olives for
eyeballs, popcorn kernels for teeth, jelly snakes for snakes,
cooked rice for maggots, soft set jelly for slime and anything else
you can think of!
Cover the tray so no-one can peek before the blindfolds are put
on.
Ask the listeners to sit blindfolded in a circle on the floor
around the storyteller.
Ask a helper to pass the feely items around as they come up in
the story. For extra spookiness, why not add scary noises!
Haunted house hide & seek
This is hide and seek, Halloween style! Only play this game if
the grown-ups in the house don't mind a lot of noise! Adults may
want to set a time limit on this game. Ensure that the area is safe
and there is nothing to trip over!
Turn off all the lights in the house and play some spooky music
& sounds.
Play hide and seek, running around in the dark making ghostly
noises. It's surprising how scary it can be in the dark!
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Last Updated: 12.11.2009 at 11:51