Kids Halloween party checklist

Halloween is one of the biggest festivities in October.

And with all the skeleton costumes and decorations that are sure to grace shopping malls and houses, it’s also a great time to think about bone health.

As an Ambassador for Healthy Bones Australia, I think a Halloween party is not only a great way for your kids to have fun, but also to introduce healthy, calcium rich foods and drinks in an interesting way.

Here is my checklist for planning a memorable Halloween bash for kids:

1. PLANNING

When it comes to planning the party, try to start at least a month out. This will allow plenty of time to get the invites out and receive RSVP’s, and get all the supplies you need in order.

I’d also stick to snail mail when sending, you’ll be able to get creative with the invites and include all the important information other parents need to know about the party!

2. FOOD

There are plenty of Halloween themes that lend themselves well to food: blood, eyeballs, severed fingers, graveyards…the list is endless, so why not take things up a notch from the usual party food and transform the menu into a real Halloween spread?

My favourite recipe is a mango smoothie with ‘dirt’ (milo), which you can jazz up further by using a biscuit to double as a gravestone.

3. DECORATIONS

This is your chance to think outside the box and not just resort to orange and black streamers around the house.

Flex your creativity and think of your house as a haunted mansion to really grab guests from the moment they arrive.

Switch your regular fluorescent light bulbs to coloured bulbs. Cover your front-yard with cardboard tombstones or weave thin white thread throughout the house as ‘spiderwebs’. The best part is that these decorations can also double as props for any activities that you plan.

4. ON THE NIGHT

It’s crucial to plan ahead and make sure you have all the items and resources you’ll need so that the night goes smoothly.

Things like extra napkins to combat spills, extra buckets or bowls to trick or treat with, and making sure there is plenty of space to sit down and enjoy the food are musts.

Oh, and be sure to check in with neighbours to make sure they are happy for your little skeletons and ghosts to go knocking at their door trick o’treating.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

41 Comments

- - mom81879 said
  - 26 Nov 2019
    8:19 pm
Why so much Halloween in Australia these days?! It’s not an Aussie thing, leave it to the Americans
- meedee replied
  
  15 Jan 2022 , 12:15 pm
  Because its just abit of fun.
  No one is forced to take pasrt but if you would like to then its a lot of fun. Just like Christmas and easter. ….they are Christian Festivals but everyone is welcome to take part if they wish.
- - Ellen said
  - 01 Nov 2017
    7:50 am
Great tips for those who celebrate it !

- - mom64736 said
  - 10 Oct 2017
    12:03 pm
I love halloween. I thin it is important to make sure to tell people not to do too scary or realistic costumes for kids’ parties

- - ella12 said
  - 10 Oct 2017
    10:58 am
I like the sound of the mango smoothie with milo.

- - mom112217 said
  - 09 Oct 2017
    7:13 pm
All great tips for Halloween,thanks!

- - rovermum said
  - 09 Oct 2017
    5:31 pm
We’re past the age of Halloween parties and it’s only when you see everything in the shops now that I remember it’s happening.

- - ella12 said
  - 27 Sep 2016
    12:26 pm
Great planning tips, thanks so much.

- - june11 said
  - 15 Feb 2016
    10:13 am
Don’t change your globes to red ones. People may get the wrong impression
(in SA they are the symbol of a brothel) (in NSW according to what I have been told it means there is a Dr. there). I don’t know where they were bought but I saw tables decorated with black and orange minature people and pumpkins.
From memory they came out of clear cellophane or plastic bags. They would have come from Spotlight or a Discount Shop.

- - robyn_smithwick said
  - 29 Oct 2015
    5:34 pm
How spooky!

- - rovermum said
  - 29 Oct 2015
    9:59 am
It is so easy these days now to host a Halloween-themed party. The ideas are just brimming – from the food, to the decorations, to the costumes. I love this. And it’s fantastic now how many ideas are shared for you to host a great party.

- - aliceou said
  - 29 Oct 2015
    6:36 am
They are very useful for me.

- - mom101628 said
  - 28 Oct 2015
    8:32 pm
A very useful checklist for any type of party.

- - mom113055 said
  - 06 Oct 2015
    4:28 pm
kids haloween so fun

- - mom90758 said
  - 05 Oct 2015
    7:04 pm
It’s almost Halloween again! My daughter loves this time of the year! And she’s invited to a Halloween birthday party this year. Exciting!

- - mom81879 said
  - 30 Sep 2015
    2:00 pm
We don’t do Halloween. We avoid the Americanisms that try and creep their way into our lifestyle. Just not interested

- - dannsbuild said
  - 08 Sep 2015
    8:53 pm
What great pics and a good article too!

- - mom113055 said
  - 29 Jul 2015
    8:50 pm
halloween just love it so much

- - matildaspice said
  - 31 Jan 2015
    11:59 pm
Great article, thank you for sharing!

- - mom57522 said
  - 30 Jan 2015
    7:54 pm
A great checklist for any party.

- - GeoEllie said
  - 25 Jan 2015
    5:54 pm
I’ve found heaps of halloween recipes ready for october right here on MOMs can’t wait!