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“Next Halloween I Think I Will Be…” Memory Game

Materials Needed

  • A good memory
  • If you have a sharp and focused group of players this game can last a surprisingly long time. Try to keep the pace of play rapid, sometimes guests will take forever trying to get it right.

    The Set Up: Have your guests sit in a circle in a large open area and select a random player to start.

    The Rules: The first player will say, “Next Halloween I think I will be __________” filling in the blank with whatever Halloween costume they choose. It can be realistic like “a ninja” or outrageous like “a private jet”. For purposes of example the first person said ”a ninja”. The person to the left of the starter(clockwise) goes next. They will say, ” Next Halloween I think I will be a ninja or __________” filling in the blank with whatever they choose. The third person would say the entire phrase including both of the previous answers(in order) and add a third.

    This continues moving left around the circle with each person repeating what the previous person said and adding an additional Halloween costume until someone forgets a costume, messes up the order or in some way makes a mistake. That person is out and leaves the circle. The person to the left of the person that is now out starts the game over again from scratch. Continue playing and eliminating players until only one person remains. That person is a very deserving winner.

    If the Game is Taking Too Long: Sometimes this game can bog down with guests taking long turns. If your game starts to slow down or even from the very beginning you can add a five second rule. So if any player on their turn goes for more than 5 seconds without adding to the list they are eliminated.

    “Everything Halloween A-Z” Game

    ($$$) This is a FREE printable game

    How much do you really know about Halloween? This game challenges your knowledge of everything Ghostly A to Z! Directions Download the game sheet, and print out one sheet for each player. You will then give everyone about 8 minutes on the clock to fill in as many Halloween-related words as they can, one for […]

    Scarecrow Building Contest

    Materials Needed

  • Old clothes - shirts, pants, hats, gloves.. etc.
  • Straw or newspaper
  • Poles, broomsticks or chairs
  • The object of the game is, of course, to build the best scarecrow. The type of scarecrow (scariest, funniest, most creative) is up to you.

    Break your guests up into teams of 4 or more. Have a pile of old clothes available with pants, overalls, shirts, hats, and other pieces of clothing for the players to use to build their scarecrow. Make sure to have enough choices of clothing, about 1-2 per team is good for variety (4 teams = 6-8 shirts, 6-8 pants… etc). You will also need to make sure that each team has a good supply of newspaper, or straw, to stuff their scarecrow with as well. If you want the scarecrows to stand you will need to supply the teams with broomsticks or poles, too, otherwise chairs for sitting scarecrows will be needed.

    Players are given a set amount of time, 15 minutes is usually good, to create the best scarecrow using the items you’ve given. You can have everyone vote on their favorites, you can make a single judge, or or if you prefer, let everyone be a winner and give every team an award for the “Best WHATEVER Scarecrow” (Such as “Best Dressed Scarecrow,” “Worst Posture Scarecrow”… just make it up as you see them).

    At the end of the contest set all the scarecrows on your lawn for a real Halloween scene everyone will appreciate.

    Pumpkin Pop

    Materials Needed

  • 4x5' piece of foam board
  • Felt, burlap or heavy cloth
  • Duct tape
  • Bunch of 12-inch orange balloons
  • Confetti
  • Candy
  • Pushpins or darts for older kids
  • Cover a 4×5 ft (or bigger) foam board with heavy cloth, felt or burlap. For ease of construction you can secure it in back with duct tape. Using hooks adhere it to the wall where you will be playing.

    Using a funnel, fill a bunch of “pumpkin orange” colored balloons with confetti and candy (leave a few empty to add to the suspense when popped), and inflate them. Thin candy is easier to get into a balloon, and confetti can be left out of you are worried about a mess. A balloon pump will make this go much, much faster, also, and make sure to make extra to replace the popped balloons if you have a lot of guests.

    Attach the balloons to the covered foam board in a pumpkin shaped arrangement using “T-pins” or push pins. You can add a green pumpkin stem made of paper to the top of the board to give it a more realistic pumpkin look, too.

    Take push pins and tie ribbon to the ends to make it easy to hold and find if dropped. These will be used for popping the pumpkin balloons. For older players you can use darts instead of pins.

    Have each child, one at a time, take a pin and go up to the board and pop 1 or 2 “prize balloons.” They then get to keep what was inside. If you are using darts, have the kids stand 5 or more feet away (depending on their ages you can adjust) and toss the darts at the balloons, giving each child a couple darts each turn. Take turns in this way until the balloons are gone.

    Because of the pins this game is best for kids over 6.

    Dead Man’s Guts

    Materials Needed

    For "A Post Mortem Hallowe'en"
  • Copy of "A Hallowe'en Post Mortem" (here)
  • A head of cauliflower/broccoli or sponge strips tied together (a Brain)
  • A piece of corn silk or piece of fur (for hair)
  • A dried peach or apricot (an ear)
  • Kernels of dried corn (for teeth)
  • A boiled & cooled manicotti shell (for a windpipe)
  • A rubber glove, filled with wet sand or wet oatmeal (a severed hand)
  • Skinned Grapes (for eyeballs)
  • 12 Empty thread spools strung together on a string (a spine)
  • Small piece of chain
  • Materials Needed

    For "Poor Joe"
  • Copy of "Poor Joe" (here)
  • A rubber glove, filled with wet sand or wet oatmeal (a severed hand)
  • 10 Small carrots (for toes)
  • A Wig
  • A head of cauliflower/broccoli or sponge strips tied together (a Brain)
  • A dried peach or apricot (an ear)
  • Skinned Grapes (for eyeballs)
  • A quarter red pepper, or raw hot dog cut in half lengthwise (for a tongue)
  • A peeled tomato (for a heart)
  • This will require a bit of pre-planning to get all the “guts” together, but shouldn’t take too long. Choose your story, either Charles F. Smith’s circa-1930s “A Hallowe’en Post Mortem,” which he wrote for the Boy Scouts (it was created for this type of prank) or the story “Poor Joe” (another good choice). Place each item for the story in a bowl or a small craft box large enough so the guest can reach inside and feel the item.

    Seat your guests in a darkened room. The room should be very dark, so using a flashlight to read the story will be helpful, as well as add to the eerie atmosphere. For older kids you can have the guests all be blindfolded instead, this will usually make it a bit more exciting for them.

    Have each person sit around a table or in a circle so the “guts” can be passed easily from one to the other. When everyone is in place have the narrator start the story, speaking in a quiet, spooky tone as they read. As each verse is told have the storyteller pause and pass around the associated “remains” so that each guest can touch and feel them. When everyone has had a turn move on to the next verse.

    You can add additional “remains” at the end of the tale if you like, or expand your story to include other “organs.” Try using cold, cooked spaghetti for more guts; or shriveled and dried carrots for old fingers. After you read the original story pass the extras to your guests and have them try to guess which “body part” it is.

    This is one storytelling your guests will really get a kick out of, and even the bravest of the bunch will squeal once or twice!

    Click here to get a copy of the both stories and Full Setup Directions Now >>

    “Happy Halloween” Word Scrabble

    ($$$) This is a FREE printable game

    How many words can you make with the phrase “Happy Halloween?” It’s actually harder than it looks! Directions Print out a game sheet for each player and set the clock. Give everyone 5-10 minutes to make as many words as they can out of the phrase shown (or use your own phrase by just writing […]

    Pin the Nose On Jack!

    Materials Needed

  • a Jack-o-lantern(sans nose)
  • black construction paper noses
  • a blindfold
  • tape
  • Jack the Jack-o-lantern is missing his nose and needs help replacing it. To do this you will need a pumpkin of some kind. You can use a real pumpkin or an orange cutout of a pumpkin made from poster board or cardboard taped to the wall. No matter which pumpkin you use, craft it into a Halloween style Jack-o-lantern except leave off the nose. Make a few noses out of black construction paper in the appropriate size and shape.

    One at a time blindfold each player and spin them around three times. Then hand them a cutout nose with tape on the back. It is their task to place the nose perfectly in the right spot on Jack(the Jack-o-lantern). The person who gets closest wins the game.

    Classic Bobbing for Apples

    Materials Needed

  • Tub of water or kiddie pool
  • Lots of Apples
  • Towels or Napkins
  • Fill a large plastic or metal tub with water, usually 2/3 or more of the way filled is best so the apples can “bob” around. Add 5 or more apples to the water and have your guests try to grab an apple out with just their mouth… no hands.

    You can play one of 3 ways.

    Just For Fun: Each player gets a turn until they grab an apple, no winner is declared, but fun is had by all, especially the people watching the game!

    Individually: Let each player go one at a time and use a stopwatch to time them. The fastest time for getting an apple wins.

    If you have a larger tub (a kiddie pool is perfect for this), you can play it as a group.

    Group: Have all the players take a spot around the pool, make sure you fill it with enough apples so everyone has a good chance, and start them off. “Ready, Set, Go!” and the first player to get an apple wins.

    This game can get kind of wet, so make sure you have towels or napkins handy to help the kids dry off with. Also, as with any game with water, adult supervision is needed and not recommended for very young kids.

    “The Mind Reader” Game

    ($$$) This is a FREE printable game

    Players will be competing to see who is the best mind-reader as they try to “read the mind” of the “test subject” and match his answers. Halloween is about magic and fun, so why not add a little of both with this unique printable game your guests will love. Directions Print out one game sheet […]