Halloween is my favorite holiday, and my kid’s class Halloween party is the perfect place to let my excitement out. After years of throwing class parties, I have it down to a system. For a one-hour class party, I set up four, 10-15 minute stations of games, crafts, and snacks for students to rotate through. Have one parent volunteer at each station, and if you have extra volunteers, ask one to be the official photographer! When I can’t attend a class party, I love to see pictures on the classroom website.
Decorations
It’s fun to show up at school early and decorate the classroom before students arrive, so they can enjoy them all day long. Here are my three favorite ideas:
- Trash Bag Spiderwebs
These look great hanging from the corners of the room - Mummy Doors
Instead of making eyes, I grab these oversized ones from Target - Caution Tape
Cheap and fast to put up, I string this across doorways and whiteboards
Here are 11 of my best class Halloween party activities:
Little Kids (Grades K-2)
1. Spiderweb Game
Prep: Pin the end of a skein of black yarn into a medium-sized styrofoam ball. Wrap the yarn around the ball to make a ball of “web.”
Play: The class forms a big circle around the teacher (the spider) in the center. One student holds onto the string, and calling out the name of someone on the opposite side of the circle, throws the ball to that person. The recipient wraps the yarn around their waist, calls out another student and throws the ball across the circle to them. Play continues until all children have been thrown the ball of yarn, and a beautifully-tangled web has been formed. At the end of play, the children take one step toward the center and step out of the web.
Variation: An indoor version can be played sitting in a circle and rolling the ball of yarn.
2. Mini Pumpkin Painting
Mini pumpkins are plentiful in Portland this time of year. Grab some little pumpkins and big squeeze bottles of paint. Use a Sharpie to write names on the bottom before painting. I like to use pop-up foil sheets for each child’s paint and pumpkin. It keeps the table clean and allows you to easily move the wet pumpkins.
These are so cute and easy using empty toilet paper rolls. I stuff mine with little erasers and spider rings from Target or the Dollar Tree.
4. Apple Election
Slice four varieties of local apples and have the kids taste test. Make ballots and a ballot box, and have each child vote for their favorite apple and drop their ballot into the ballot box. At the end of the party, reveal the results. If you’ve ever wanted to make an apple pie chart, here’s your chance!
5. Sugar Skull Masks
This is a great way to incorporate Dia de los Muertos into the party, and can be done in a variety of ways. For a fancy, long lasting mask, cut them out of white felt, grommet them, and attach elastic. Kids are just as happy with cheaper-made card stock masks on sticks. Set out gems, glue, stickers, markers, etc. and let them create.
6. Spooky Read-Aloud
Reading a spooky story at one station with a snack or warm cider is always a hit. It can also be used to get the entire class in one place at the end of the Halloween party while stations are cleaned up. Here are three book suggestions:
Bigger Kids (Grades 3-5)
7. Doughnuts on a String
We did this in my daughter’s 5th-grade class last year and the kids loved it. Tie strings to a long (several feet), dowel rod, then tie doughnuts to the end of each string. While parents hold each end of the dowel rod, kids try to eat their dangling doughnut without hands or letting it fall on the ground.
8. Wire Mummies
These are great for 5th graders, but a little difficult for some younger kids. I
get wire at Orchard Hardware and muslin at JoAnn Fabrics and precut the wire and muslin strips.
An older-kid way to incorporate Dia de los Muertos. Marigolds are used to guide spirits to the alters during the celebration.
10. Mummy Jars
These were popular with all-aged kids. I recommend cutting gauze ahead of time, and using self-adhering wrap so the kids can wrap and rewrap without slipping.
11. Spooky Read-Aloud Book Suggestions:
