Halloween in 2021 promises to be a night of spooky happenings, trick-or-treating across the neighborhood, and costumes galore. This year the beloved holiday falls on a weekend, making it the perfect time to plan a ghoulish gathering and invite all your local witches and warlocks. That means its time to start planning your last-minute weekend get-together. Whether you’re hosting the neighborhood kids after trick-or-treating or inviting your best friends over for a classic monster mash, make sure you have everything you need to keep the party going all night long. Looking to spend Sunday night in a calmer setting with just a couple of folks? Check out our post on the 9 must-see movies for Halloween movie night.
Trick-Or-Treat! Kids Halloween Party Ideas
October 31st comes only once a year! Make the most of it with these Halloween party ideas for kids.
- Turn on the tunes with classic G-rated hits. set out a portable speaker or two wherever the kids have set up their designated hang-out spot, and start arranging fun activities for any age group.
- Play games like “Pin the Eyeball On the Skeleton”, wrap “mummies” in toilet paper or towels, and run relay races across the yard with plastic bones until everyone’s ready to walk the neighborhood. Then it’s time for…
- The Big Candy Exchange! This is a favorite the kids would probably do on their own. When everyone has started to settle down for the evening, turn on a classic kids movie like The Nightmare Before Christmas or Halloweentown as the children trade. The bigger the TV the better—if you’re hosting the neighborhood youth for the evening, you’ll want to make sure everyone can see the screen.
Plan Your Halloween Dinner Gathering
The one thing that monsters of all ages love? A good bite to eat. Whether you’re serving brains, barbecue or berry-smothered desserts, your guests will be sure to love some spooky additions to mealtime etiquette.
- Set The Table with seasonal elements like small gourds, flickering candles (real or fake) and autumnal dinnerware. For a creepier feel, switch to darker elements like dried flowers, spiderwebs, black table runners and even a candlabra.
- Serve Up Spooky Recipes. Go all out and find new ways to present favorites like stuffed peppers with jack o’lantern faces. Alternatively, go all out and present a spatchcocked chicken for that extra-bony centerpiece
- For Dessert? Fun-sized candy is for trick-or-treaters only. Instead, have fun with our scary shakes, like this caramel apple treat or the cookies & cream dirt cup.
Calling All Grown-Ups!
Once the kids are asleep, it’s time to party. Or for an even smarter strategy, host your gathering the night before trick-or-treating. Invite over all your best fiends for a chilling evening they won’t forget.
- Host a Costume Contest: make sure all attendees wear costumes, then have everyone vote for the winner anonymously.
- Freaky freeze dance: Instead of just plugging in an extra-large speaker and watching everyone avoid the dance floor, bring the kids game back with bass-heavy adult hits. The winner (or loser) gets the spotlight for the first round of karaoke.
- Gory appetizers: Grabbable snacks and drinks should fit the occasion with “blood-splattered” (ketchup) sliders, dough-wrapped “mummy” hot dogs and glass barware showing off blood-red wines.
Whoever you’re spending the scariest night of the year with, make sure you’re ready for the party to last long into the night. That might mean having extra blankets at the ready for sleepy kids, or being prepared with an extra-long playlist for older ghouls and goblins. Take tons of pictures, share laughs, and create memories you’ll cherish until next year’s even bigger bash.
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