Family Halloween party tips for success. Halloween can be a night of dark, scary things (especially if you have teenagers in the house.) Even if you do, there are ways to make October 31 a family affair.
The night naturally lends itself to a family Halloween party, as parents chaperone their little trick-or-treaters and everyone is in a festive mood.
These family Halloween party tips can help ensure all have a ghoulishly good time.
Plan a pre-trick-or-treating party for younger kids. Invite the grandparents and your child's friends and family.
An optimal number of party guests is between five and ten kids and their associated families.
Do it up for maximum impact: Give little pre-party favors. For trick-or-treating, Give each kid a plastic pumpkin.
Serve healthy fast food. Cut cookies into fun pumpkin or cat shapes for a dessert treat, and make ghoulish treats—such as spider-topped deviled eggs—part of your healthy finger food offerings.
Host a Halloween costume parade. Take a photo of each child in costume. Place it in their pumpkin. Give prizes (or ribbons) for each costume.
Send the young kids out trick-or-treating before dark (see number one above).
Then, they can help mom (or the grandparents) answer the door and hand out candy while the older kids are on the prowl.
After the second round of trick-or-treaters returns, meet back at the house to count noses and compare takes. Dessert for the grown-ups. Candy (natch) for the kids.