Earlier this week they were calling for rain on Saturday. So, of course, I panicked a little, and then started thinking of different indoor activities for Adelaide’s 6th birthday party – a Halloween affair. Well, we got lucky and the rain came over night and cleared up by the time the party started. There were well over 40 people in our house, and it was crowded, but we were able to force the little ones outside for a bit and that definitely helped expend some of their contained energy. We also had a sprinkle cake, which sounds exactly like it was – sprinkles inside and out – and you have no idea what a great idea it was to cut and serve that thing outside!
If you’re looking for some fun food ideas and activities for your child’s Halloween/birthday party, then take a look at what we were able to pull off, despite colder weather and a damp backyard from overnight rain.
FOOD
Mummy Dogs
Code for hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls. I baked these for approximately 14 minutes on 350˚F.
Zombie Eyeballs
Simple crockpot meatball recipe. Buy whatever frozen meatballs your family prefers and then add grape jelly and barbecue sauce. Set the crockpot to the high setting for four hours before your guests are ready to eat.
Spooky Brain Sandwiches
Chicken salad on King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.
Ghost Sticks
Draw faces on the plastic wrappers of cheese sticks.
Jack-O'-Lanterns
Get your markers out and “carve” expressions onto the exterior of many mandarin oranges.
Witches' Nails
For every kid and parent looking to satisfy their sweet tooth, grab a handful of these delicious – I mean – gruesome finger nails.
Skeleton Snacks
To offset that sugar rush, every parent will be happy to see a variety of veggies with hummus or ranch dressing to dip into.
Overall Success of Food: The mummy dogs were the first to go (and they went fast!), and we were left with only about 6 meatballs and a dozen sandwiches by the end of the party. So, I would say there was just the right amount of food!
ACTIVITIES
Halloween Masks
The kids colored their own Halloween masks as soon as they arrived to the party. They had a few options to pick from, including Frankenstein, cat, and pumpkin designs.
Bobbing for Marshmallows
The kids, and some teens, gleefully tried to eat their dangling marshmallows before anyone else. This was simple to put together: wrap string around marshmallows, tie strings to a pole from a broom, and then have adults assist in holding the bar as the kids try their best to bite onto their marshmallows without any hands.
Tag and Playing Catch with an Eyeball
Some kids ventured out, after their marshmallow treat, into the mushy grass to try and catch one another, while others tossed around a squishy eyeball (toy) for fun and laughs.
Overall Success of Activities: The marshmallow game was the most entertaining! There was Halloween music and even a movie at one point, though no one really sat and watched it. The kids were mostly dressed in costume, and Travis and I sported costumes, along with a few other adults.
All-in-all, our daughter’s Halloween birthday party was a huge success and everyone went home happy and exhausted! Best of all, the birthday girl was thrilled with her day and loved having everyone come celebrate with her. If you’re looking to throw a fun party, you can use these ideas to match whatever theme you’re going for. And I highly recommend the marshmallow game for every birthday party.
Just know that the kids will use each other’s bodies to try eating the jumbo marshmallows, and to all the parents who attended this weekend, sorry for the sticky stuff all over your kid’s head!
Katherine Linford
23 Oct 2018Sounds like it was a blast! I bet that the bobbing for marshmallows was hilarious 🙂
wineyparent
25 Oct 2018We had so much fun! And you’re right, the marshmallows were fantastic to watch.