How many spooky games should I prepare for the Halloween party?

When deciding on the number of Halloween games, follow the age of your party guests: younger children are more likely to run around and play with each other rather than spend a long time engaged in a guided game. Slightly older children may already organize the right time for a game themselves. Make sure that the games do not last too long and do not insist on a game – perhaps the young guests will entertain themselves splendidly.

Better too many than too few: Feel free to prepare a few more Halloween games in advance. That way you have a choice if boredom should set in. Most party games for children are quick to explain and require almost no additional materials . So it doesn't hurt if the little spooks don't play all the games on your list – let the current mood decide.

A good selection: Three circle games in a row can dampen the party mood. Try to find as varied game ideas as possible. A quieter game should be included as well as a boisterous game, in which the little guests must move a lot. Whoever has just been taking turns telling creepy scary stories can perhaps relax afterward with the classic apple-bobbing.

Which Halloween games are a hit at a children's party?

Besides pumpkins, ghosts and sweets, games are part of a really great Halloween party . Whether indoors or outdoors – the main thing is that the Halloween games are fun and that one or another little guest gets scared. We have put together spooky game ideas for indoors and outdoors to get you ready for every autumn weather for the monster gang – let's go!

Halloween children's games for indoors

Telling spooky scary stories: All kids sit in the dark around a burning candle and take turns telling scary stories. Each may tell for a few minutes, then the next party guest takes over. Those who don't want to tell may skip – or accompany the story with spooky howling.

Voices from the beyond: This game works best with at least nine people – because the kids form ghost families, which have become completely mixed up in the haunted castle. Each group of three children forms a ghost family and invents a specific ghost sound : howling, wailing, screaming, or squeaking.

Now all the children walk around the room, and as soon as the light goes out, they must let out their 'family scream' to find the other members of their ghost family in the dark. Whoever has found each other holds hands and stops screaming until everyone is found.

Ghost dance: A movement game is a good change of pace, for example, when spooky scary stories have just been told or when boredom threatens to set in. In the ghost dance all the children hold hands and take large steps very slowly clockwise. They murmur very quietly:

"Witching hour, hellhounds, polter-round, haunting in the house, bat, what a fright!"

In the second round they go counterclockwise, a bit faster and a bit louder. The rounds go each time in the opposite direction and become faster and faster until in the end everyone tumbles over each other.

Spooky touch box: A special thrill for children is the creepy touch box. In this Halloween game it's about feeling the contents of a box. This game is particularly suitable for slightly older children suitable, as they can feel the objects better. In addition, smaller kids can be more easily frightened by the creepy surprises. As a box you can simply use a shoe box to use, in which you cut a hole at the front. Now each party guest reaches into the box with their hand in turn. The task is to guess as many objects as possible. It's best to let each child feel individually and write down their ideas on a sheet of paper. If not all children can write yet, send them one at a time into a room and note the guess for the kids. The winner is the one who guessed the most items correctly.

Ideas for the contents of the touch box:

• Gummi bears soaked in water (slimy creatures)

• Jelly (snail slime)

• Sausages (severed fingers)

• Cold spaghetti (worms)

• Lychees (eyes)

• Straw (witch hair)

• Slime

Mummy wrapping with toilet paper: The Halloween game of mummy wrapping is very popular with children. The great thing: this children's game requires only little preparation. The little party guests pair up in teams of two. Each team receives two rolls of toilet paper. Once the starting signal is given, the children try to wrap their mummy as quickly as possible with the toilet paper. Only the mouth and nose remain free. The mummy assists by holding onto the end of the toilet paper roll. The pair that fully wraps the mummy first wins. Caution and dexterity are required, as the toilet paper can tear quickly.

Spooky board and card games: A particular fun at any Halloween children's party are spooky board or card games. At HABA you will find a wide selection. Games like Moonlight Heroes or Dragon Thundertooth provide plenty of entertainment. Be sure to pay attention to the age suitability of each game and how many players can participate. Especially for smaller groups board and card games are excellent.

Halloween children's games for outdoors

A spooky ghost trail is a good opportunity for energetic little party guests to get some fresh air. But the trail must be prepared in daylight, in the garden or on a forest path. Use glow chalk or decorative stones (e.g., from the garden center) to mark the ghost trail. You can also place a self-carved pumpkin by the roadside or plastic spiders attach to branches, that makes the tour even spookier. All party guests tie themselves together with a clothesline and must follow the ghost trail in total darkness. Of course there is loud howling and screaming. If it should not be quite so dark, then flashlights or lanterns are the ideal companions.

Eyeball race: This Halloween game is a counterpart to the popular children's game 'egg-and-spoon race'. To create the spooky Halloween atmosphere, instead of eggs small decorative pumpkins or table tennis balls used, which you previously painted as eyeballs . The children are divided into two teams. They now have an obstacle course to overcome, which you can prepare very well in the garden or outdoors on an open area.

The players of each group must now, one after the other, transport the eyeballs on a tablespoon through the obstacle course, without them falling down. If an eyeball does fall to the ground, it must first be picked up before you may continue running. The runner hands the spoon with the eyeball to the next party guest when the course has been fully completed. The time is stopped. The team that completed the course the fastest wins.

Halloween hit: DIY haunted house ride

Instead of several games, you can also occupy the little witches, ghosts and vampires with a big task. A homemade 'haunted house ride' fits perfectly for Halloween and offers plenty of room for crazy ideas. It works best if you have enough space and some building materials make available and encourage a few ideas. This way, the children can build a ghost course across the room on their own initiative and equip it with spooky surprises and little 'gross traps'' out. Blankets and sheets darken the 'haunted house', string lights or LED tealights provide dim lighting and with lots of imagination you can design the individual stations:

• Large spider webs or 'trip traps' can be knotted from wool or household string that must be overcome in the semi-dark. Rubber or plush spiders sitting in the nets complete the picture.

• Stools, large cushions or balloons can be stacked into obstacles.

• At some spots you can set up 'gross traps' for feeling, e.g. bowls with cold spaghetti or jelly, patches of faux fur or even icy gel packs like those used for cooling.

• Anyone who likes can hide in the haunted house and start ghostly howling or rattle metal chains (available at DIY stores). Of course every child may walk through the finished haunted house at the end and get properly frightened!

Nice incentive: small prizes as rewards for Halloween games

Spooky Halloween games are for children a real highlight. The excitement will be even greater if you announce prizes for the winners of the game announce prizes. These can be candies in paper bags or goody bags, but also sweet tattoo or sticker sets as well as small toys.

Of course you should also not forget the losers of the games and not forget them and also have small consolation prizes ready. Alternatively or in addition, you can hand out small party favor gifts at the end of the spooky-beautiful Halloween evening, which are a great keepsake are.

Image credits

Group of children in Halloween costumes playing in the dark © yanlev - stock.adobe.com

Girl in costume biting into a hanging donut © gpointstudi - stock.adobe.com

Boy in a skeleton costume jumps with girls dressed as witches © Seventyfour - stock.adobe.com

Children throw at a ghost-cup tower © gpointstudio - stock.adobe.com

Child stands in front of a ghost © Maria - stock.adobe.com