Games to Play at your Kid's Halloween Party

No party is complete without entertainment. With Halloween around the corner, here are some games to keep your guests entertained, courtesy of Martha Stewart and  games from the web.

Pin The Pumpkin Face

Any child who has played Pin the Tail on the Donkey will pick up this game quickly. Cut out eyes, noses, and mouths from black construction paper. Stick a reusable adhesive, such as Blu Tack, on the back of each cutout, and give a set of cutouts to each player. Place a large pumpkin on a low table or a bench. With blindfolded players starting four feet away (little kids may stand closer), instruct them to walk toward the pumpkin and create a jack-o'-lantern face (without peeking). After each turn, take a picture of the player with the finished pumpkin.


Bat Pinata

Party guests will shriek with delight as they beat this pinata to reveal a shower of sweets.
This bat pinata, created using the technique of papier-mache, is creepy enough to be the center of your party decorations. Just be careful after dark; he might swoop down and give you a fright.

Tip: When using black tissue paper, wear gloves and cover your work surface because the dye may run and stain

Step 1
Paste Layers of Tissue Paper on Balloon

Begin by resting a large balloon on an empty jar (this will prevent the damp tissue from discoloring or sticking to the work surface). Dab diluted craft glue (2 parts glue to 1 part water) on a small section of the balloon, and cover with two full layers of newspaper. For each strip of paper, apply glue and overlap each one slightly before brushing on more glue. After the second layer, tie a long piece of string around center (this will hang your pinata), then continue with 2 more layers of newspaper, followed by black tissue, from the balloon's crown to its knot. Repeat for small balloon (this will become the bat's head), but don't include the string.

Note: This picture is meant to illustrate the technique, but you will be using newspaper and black tissue paper, rather than orange tissue paper, for this project.

Step 2
Hang to Dry

Using clothespins, hang the tissue-covered large and small balloons from the clothesline by their knots; let dry completely (several hours or overnight).

Step 3
Cut Hole for Candy

Cut a hole in top of body (the large balloon) with utility knife, and save the piece to use for ears. Pop the balloon by making a slit with scissors next to the knot; remove. Cover cut edge with tissue and fill the body with wrapped candy.

Step 4
Assemble the Bat

Pop and remove the balloon from smaller piece. Place small sphere (the head) onto large one (the body). Drape several layers of black tissue paper over the head toward the body and around the neck, brushing with diluted glue until neck is secure. Let dry. Draw a bat's face onto white card stock. Cut out features; attach with undiluted glue. Cut ears from reserved piece; glue in place.

Step 5
Make the Wings

Sketch large wing shapes on black poster board, and cut them out. Secure wings to the sides of the bat's body with black duct tape. Paste black tissue paper over the joints to cover the tape. Next, use tape to attach a length of string to the end of each wing. (This will allow you to suspend the wings as if in flight.) Cover the tape with tissue paper. To hang the bat, suspend from body string. Then, tack the two wing strings to the ceiling to make the bat look as if it is flying.

Nosey

Halloween games of disguise survive in many old sources, and they don't necessarily involve elaborate costumes. In "Nosey," the party guests are divided into two groups and sent into adjoining rooms. A curtain or heavy sheet with a small slit in it is hung in the doorway. One of the players sticks his or her nose through the slit, making sure nothing else shows. Then the game leader chants, "The witches have stolen somebody's nose. Who does it belong to, do you suppose?" and everyone on the opposing team attempts to guess the owner of the nose. If correct, the guessing team scores a point and the opposing team must present another nose for their regard. If the guess is wrong, then the guessing team must now start offering up noses -- which, it should be noted, can be very hard to recognize without any accompanying features!

Pucker Up

Pucker up....this game requires skill, speed and raw straw-sucking power.

What You Need
Straws
Construction paper
Bowl

Instructions
Before the party, ask your kids to help you cut ten Halloween shapes, such as ghosts, bats and pumpkins from construction paper. Each shape should be about the size of a silver dollar. Place the shapes in a pile beside a small bowl.

Using the straw as a vacuum, each contestant tries to pick up a shape and place it in the bowl to create the Witch's Stew. Time the players to see who can get all ten in the bowl the fastest.

Tips:
Cut out several sets of shapes and let the players race head to head.

Mr Bones Relay Race


What You Need
Skeleton Template
Printer Paper
Craft Foam & Glue, optional
2 Bowls
Poster Board & Double-Sided Tape, optional

Instructions
Before the party, create the parts for complete skeletons (you'll need 1 for each team) by printing them out.
Cut out all the parts. You can glue them onto craft foam or just use the paper parts.

At game time, divide players into teams of 2 or more and place each team's parts in bowls across the room.

At "Go," team members take turns retrieving 1 part from the bowl to build their skeleton. Players can assemble their skeletons on a flat surface or use double-sided tape to stick them to poster board mounted on a wall. The first team to correctly complete its skeleton wins.

Variations:
For an added challenge, put all of the parts together in a single bowl.