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15 Hayride Ideas The Kids Are Going to Love!

By Gathered Again

Are you looking for fun ways to celebrate fall with friends and family? These fun hayride ideas will satisfy just that! 

For your fall-themed party or church festival, make use of hayrides to see fall- or Halloween-themed sights in your neighborhood for the kids to enjoy. Fill your wagon or truck with hay, and decorate it according to theme or add a personal touch. Don’t forget to think of fun activities the kids can do while on the hayride.

In this article, we’ll talk more about hayride ideas you can do for your party. 

Hayride Ideas for Your Party!

To help you think of ideas for your hayride, we’ve listed five fun themes you can implement to keep your guests excited and hooked. 

Hayride Karaoke

A sing-along hayride will definitely get your friends and family pumped, especially if they love music. To make your hayride different, add a stereo on the ride, and play some songs. You can play your kids’ favorite songs, too, and hand out lyrics for everyone to follow. 

You can play games, such as Guess the Lyrics and a riff-off like the one on Pitch Perfect. Decorate your hayride with photos of famous musicians and singers to complete the look. Add a microphone and guitar, too. 

Hayride Under the Stars

Teach your kids about the planets, the constellations, and the universe by having a hayride under the stars. Drive around your neighborhood at night while gazing above the different constellations. 

You can give interesting facts about the stars and planets, and have everyone wear pajamas during the ride. Add some glow in the dark stickers and decor to light up the night. 

Harry Potter Hayride

It wouldn’t be fun if you didn’t add a bit of magic (even if it’s not real) on your hayride. Try out this Harry Potter-themed hayride, and give your family a little bit of magic. 

Have the kids wear costumes from the Harry Potter movies, and use your own Sorting Hat to determine which Hogwarts house they belong in. Doing so will help in grouping the kids  for the hayride, especially if you have a large batch. Once sorted, give them a badge for their respective house—Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff. 

Decorate your ride just like Hogwarts Express (which is the name of the train, for the muggles who don’t know), and decorate the waiting area as if it’s Platform 9¾. For sure the kids will love it! Serve pumpkin juice, honeydukes sweets, and shepherd’s pie. 

Journey to the Past Hayride

There’s something beautiful with reliving the past through old photographs, paintings, and homes. Visit different historical sites around town through your hayride. Drive around town, and visit the different places, which hold rich history about your town. You can also point to different places that held a significant meaning in your life. It can be the school your grandparents went to, or the tree your parents used to play around. 

You can have your family wear old clothes, like clothes from the ‘90s or even as old as the ‘20s. If you have a huge backyard, decorate the space to reflect the era you want to portray. 

Into the Jungle Hayride 

The jungle holds so many organisms your kids can learn about. Considering that they’re very curious about everything they see, a hayride on a forest or wooded area with lush leaves is a fun learning experience for them. 

Have them wear explorer outfits, and have the driver act as the head explorer. Your task is to talk about the different animals, trees, and flowers you spot, and give interesting facts about them.

Activities You Can Do on Your Hayride

hayride ideas for kids

Now that we have listed the themes and decorations for your hayride, it’s time to plan the activities. Below is a list of games and activities you can do on the hayride. These activities can either be done while on the ride or during stops.

Fall Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt makes any party fun. This fun photo scavenger hunt will get your family excited and happy as they move around the neighborhood finishing the checklist. 

To play the game, you need to prepare a checklist, and distribute it to each player. The checklist should contain interesting items, which the players have to photograph. These items can be playing in the leaves, brown-colored leaves, or caramel apples. The first three to complete the checklist gets the prize. 

Corn Maze

Create a mini corn maze in your backyard, and hide corn on each section. This can be done individually or by pairs, depending on how many hayride participants you have. 

The goal is for each pair to come out of the maze in 20 to 30 minutes, and collect the most corn. Whoever gets to collect all the corn and get out of the maze wins the race. 

Hay Trampoline

Hays are more than just for barracks for the maze. Your kids will love it when you set it up as a made-up trampoline. Set up a large pile of hay in an open area, and let the kids jump on them. They can toss the hay in the air, and jump repeatedly on the pile. Just make sure you place a huge pile, so it will be easier for the kids to jump around the soft hay. 

Wheelbarrow races

Form two teams, consisting of at least two pairs, for this game. Let them assign one to push the wheelbarrow, and the other to sit inside it. Just like a relay race, each pair has to push the wheelbarrow towards their team’s post on the other side of the room, go around it, and go back to the starting line. The first team to finish the relay wins the game.  

Leaf Pile Race

For this game, you’ll need hula hoops, rakes, and autumn leaves. Each team will have two to three members each. Place the hula hoops on the ground, and pour out the leaves around the yard. 

Give a rake to each participant, and have them pile all the autumn leaves on the hula-hoop once the timer starts. When the time is up, the team with the tallest pile of leaves wins the game. 

Hayride-Worthy Snacks and Drinks for Your Party 

hayride snacks to prepare

Don’t forget the delicious drinks and meals you can serve to your guests during the ride. You may serve these during or after the hayride. 

Hot Cocoa and Cookies

Kids love sweets! Serving hot cocoa and cookies during the ride will keep their energy going, and avoid grumpy, hungry children. Place the hot cocoa in a portable cup with a secured lid to avoid spilling during the bumpy ride. You can have the cookies placed in a tupperware or jar they can pass around.

Sandwiches and Juice Boxes

Aside from sweets, you can offer them tuna or chicken sandwiches. You can cut the sandwiches in rectangles, and place them in a container attached with a greeting card. Don’t forget the juice boxes to help them down the food. 

S’mores and Hotdogs

Camp out in the backyard after the ride, and start roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. You can stack the hays around the campfire, and sit on it while roasting. It’s also a fun way to spend time with your friends and family, and hang out. Let the kids roast their own marshmallows, and serve hot choco, too. 

Warm Berry Pie à la Mode

After a long ride, your kids would definitely be hungry. Serve them these tasty warm berry pies. 

To create one, you’ll need 2 medium cooking apples, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 10 ounces of frozen raspberries, 3 tablespoons of margarine, 2 tablespoons of honey, regular oats, ½ cup walnut, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ice cream. 

Steps to cook a warm berry pie:

  1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees
  2. Mix the apples and lemon juice
  3. Place it on a baking dish, coated with cooking spray, and top it with raspberries along with the other ingredients
  4. Bake it for 30 minutes
  5. Cut it into squares, and top with the ice cream

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Pine Nut Gremolata

If you need a heavier meal for your kids after a fun ride and games, then a pasta shall do the trick. Serve the crowd with this creamy pumpkin pasta with pine nut gremolata. Instead of using tomato sauce, use pumpkin parmesan, pine nuts, and herbs for the dish. 

Conclusion 

We often associate hayrides to a spooky and scary experience. But, it doesn’t always have to be the case. You can always change it to make it fun and entertaining, especially for the kids. Instead of scaring your family, why not take them on a ride where you can share stories, knowledge, and experiences? It will not only teach your kids, but it will give them a memorable experience, too. 

My favorite hayride ideas are the Hayride Karaoke and Under the Stars theme. Singing along will definitely hype up the riders, and can even be a fun game on its own. Meanwhile, being under the stars can be a fun way to teach children, and enjoy the night sky’s beauty.  

If you need some fun ideas for your next hayride, I suggest you pick these themes, and let us know your experience!

5 Fun Theme Parks For Families To E...
5 Fun Theme Parks For Families To Enjoy

5 Harvest Themes for Church this Fall

By Gathered Again

Are you excited for the annual harvest festival? We sure am! 

Pick out your best clothes, invite your friends, and decorate according to the harvest themes you want for your church. The Harvest festival is a time to celebrate all the good things God has given us. We celebrate this day by singing, dancing, praying, decorating our church, and helping others. 

Since we are thankful to God for all the blessings He’s given, let’s make it a point to share our blessings to the less fortunate. People would bring food from their homes, and share it to the people in need. You can even plan on hosting your harvest festival in church. 

Hosting a Harvest Festival at your church is a fun and strategic way to engage families in your community. Celebrate the Harvest Festival with different themes as an alternative to a Halloween celebration, Thanksgiving celebration, or incorporate this during a church event in the fall. 

Before you start planning the festival, don’t forget to ask for help from your community and church members. Create a committee to handle different tasks for the festival. Once you’re able to do so, decorate your church according to your chosen harvest themes. Don’t forget to set up different activity booths attendees will love!

1. Lord of the Harvest

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

Matthew 9:35-38

Harvest season doesn’t only happen once a year; it happens all the time. How? Whenever we receive our paycheck, receive a gift, or wake up each day—everytime we receive a blessing, we experience harvest. 

The passage above teaches us that the harvests we receive each day don’t belong to us, but to God because he is the Lord of Harvest. Once we recognize God as the Lord of Harvest, we recognize that He gave us hands to work, He supplies our needs, and our family is His family. He gives us these blessings to share and bless others in return.

How to Decorate

Decorate the church with colorful cutout or printed leaves. Hang posters with Bible passages, such as Matthew 9:35-38 and Psalm 85:12. Decorate the room with flowers and wreaths, and use fall-themed colors, like light orange and red. You can have these interior designs as a basis.

  1. Cutout leaves design
  2. Bible passage
  3. Glitter leaves 
  4. Sunflower centerpiece

Activities for this Theme

I am Grateful For…

Hand each person a pen and paper, and let them draw what they’re grateful for. Gather them around a circle, and let them share their works to the group. This activity is a good exercise to be grateful for the things God has given. 

Share Your Gratitude

Have participants bring a valuable object they’re grateful for, and are now willing to pass on to others. Gather them around a circle, and have them share why they’re grateful for it or how it helped them. After everyone’s had their turn, display the items for any one of the participants to pick. This way, your item can be a blessing to others, just as how it was a blessing to you.

Corn Husking Relay

Divide the players into two teams, and divide the corn into two equal piles. The number of corn in each pile should correspond to the number of players per team.

Each player must run to the pile, remove the stalk, and husk it. Once a player is done, they must race back to the line along with the corn. The next players must do the same until a team finishes husking the corn pile. 

2. Wheat and Barley 

Barley and wheat are two main crops prominent in the Scriptures. In the sixteenth century, farmers began growing wheat for food, and barley as a fodder crop. The Bible mentions barley as the main food of the poor. It was particularly mentioned in the story of Boaz, a very successful farmer, as he honored the Lord through his daily work and left some barley for the poor.

How to Decorate

The neutral and nude tone of decorations have become popular on social media the past year. Even houses are painted in nude and neutral colors, and decorated with dried plants. 

You, too, can apply these color palettes to your church harvest themes. Decorate your venue with dried wheats and barley, and place them on white vases. Add some rattan baskets, and hang cut-out leaves on the walls. Lastly, you can create a DIY hanging wheat for your entrance. 

Here are some designs and ideas you can incorporate for this theme:

  1. Hay Bonfire
  2. Wheat bouquet 
  3. Wheat-themed dining room
  4. Hanging wheat

Activities for this Theme  

Dough Making Contest

This is more of an activity for the kids than adults, but it’s fun nonetheless! Give kids a cup of flour, water, a bowl, and food coloring to make their own playdough. 

While they’re in the process of creating, tell them the importance of wheat to make the food, and how to create dough out of it. After mixing the flour, water, and food coloring, have them knead their doughs until they become sticky enough to create different shapes. 

Create a Wheat Box

You know how you used to play on the sandbox when you were a kid? Well, you can enjoy the feel of sand by just using wheat! Well, wheat flour, that is. All you need to make your wheatbox is a gallon or two of wheat flour, olive oil or baby oil, and a hardwood box or plastic bin big enough for children to play in. Don’t forget to place in some beach toys and hidden treasures for them to enjoy!

Candy Corn Spoon Race

Divide the players into two teams, and have them form a line. Place a basket filled with candy corn in front of the line, and place an empty one at the back of the line. Give each player a spoon, and set the timer for five minutes. 

When the coordinator says “Go!”, the player nearest the corn-filled basket must scoop a spoonful of candy corn and pass it to the player behind. This goes on until it reaches the last player, who then must dump the contents of the spoon into the empty basket. Continue to transfer the candy corns until the timer ends. The team to transfer the most candy corns wins the game!

3. A Fruitful Harvest 

“They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish.”  

Psalm 107:37-38

It’s only fitting that you apply this Fruitful Harvest theme to your celebration. Guests will understand God’s love wherein He protects, shelters, and provides us nourishment. He doesn’t only give us gifts for physical nourishment, but for spiritual nourishment as well. With this Fruitful Harvest theme, you can glorify God and spread His word by sharing to the community the works and lessons God taught His people. 

How to Decorate

To decorate your space, you can hang cutout fruits, and tie them on a string. Hang these cut-out on your walls from one end to another. Inflate balloons, place pumpkins on the table, and a pot of chips. You can also hang Bible verses on the walls and entrance.  Also, scatter fall leaves on tables as decorations and write “Fall in Love With Jesus” on a bulletin board. 

Below are inspirations you can use for your decors:

  1. Fireplace design
  2. Vegetables basket
  3. Table decorations
  4. Fruit garland
  5. Citrus balloons

Activities for this Theme  

Planting Activity

Teach kids and adults alike the importance and benefits of planting. Incorporate a planting activity in the middle of your program, and have guests sign up to plant a variety of trees, fruits, and vegetables. Prepare your flower box and seeds beforehand. They can bring home what they planted or you can donate them to your local park.

Fruit Bean Bag Toss

Decorate the cans with paint and fruit shapes beforehand. This works just like a carnival game. Stack the cans to form a pyramid, and place them a meter away from the players. Each player gets three bean bags, meaning they have three chances to topple the cans. Give prizes to those who get to topple all the cans. 

Create Watermelon Magnets

This is a creative activity that would keep both adults and children busy. Cut red styrofoam plates into fours, and cover the edges with green tissue paper. Use a marker to put watermelon seeds and paste a magnet on the back. You now have a cute watermelon magnet!

4. Apple Harvest Theme

It wouldn’t be a fall party without harvesting apples! Get you and your church mates to celebrate fall with this Apple Harvest Themed Party. This is also a great way to teach kids that everyone is the apple of Jesus’ eye. 

Despite the sins we’ve committed against Him and our neighbors, He will always be there to forgive us and teach us that we should do good and avoid evil. 

Furthermore, He teaches us that everyone is equal in His eyes. We are all loved dearly despite our past mistakes. This is clearly seen in the following Bible verses:

“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings”

Psalm 17:8

“He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.” 

Deuteronomy 32:10b-11

The passages also teach us that God always watches over us. He even created us in His image and likeness to show us that we are all apples of His eye. He didn’t simply just create us—He created us to be a reflection of his character and personality. This means we laugh because God laughs. We cry because God cries. Lastly, He loved us too much that He sent His only son, so we can be redeemed.

How to Decorate

Decorate the venue with large apple cutouts on the wall, gingham red tablecloth on the buffet table, and bowls of apples and apple-like backdrops. You can also use actual apples to create your own cost-effective decorations because, once the party’s over, you can eat them! 

Don’t forget to serve apple-themed desserts and goodies, such as apple pie, apple cocktails, and fresh apples.

Pick and choose from among these do-it-yourself decorating ideas:

  • Write “You Are the Apple of Jesus’ Eye” on the apple cut-outs before putting them on the wall. 
  • Pull out any apple design dish towels and pot holders
  • Create an apple basket centerpiece
  • Make apple cups to serve drinks to guests.

Below are some designs from you can follow:

  1. Apple plates
  2. Apple-themed buffet table
  3. Apple bouquet vase
  4. Apple piñata
  5. Paper apple garland

Activities for this Theme 

Apple Scavenger Hunt

Before your celebration, gather several different varieties of apples. You can even try painting the apples to match with the team’s colors, and hide them around the venue. 

Divide the players into teams. Assign a corresponding apple color each team must look for. The first team to collect all of their colored apples wins the scavenger hunt.

Apple Balance Race

Players must balance an apple on their heads, and walk from one point to another without dropping the fruit. Players who drop their apples, have to start over. 

There should be two teams with equal members for this game. 

Apple Slingshot

Set up a target in an open space (a meadow or a yard), then divide the players into two teams. Have each player place their apple in the slingshot, and launch at the targets. Whoever gets to hit the target first, wins. 

5. Harvest Moon Theme

“Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.”

Isaiah 30:26

The term Harvest Moon came from farmers who benefited from the moon’s extra light, which helps them harvest their crops. It is larger and more colorful than other moons of the year because of the tilt of the earth and reflections from the atmosphere. Harvest Moon is also often called Wine Moon since the grapes are plump and ready for collecting during this time. 

The moon has been mentioned a couple of times in the Bible. In Isaiah 30:26, it was associated with healing and repentance. It can also mean rebirth and fruitful harvest. 

This fall, plan your party in the theme of Harvest Moon. Let it be a lesson that everyone can heal and repent. Just like the Harvest Moon, God is a source of light and He will lead us away from darkness. Moreover, He provides us sustenance by shining a light on the plants for them to grow. 

How to Decorate

Hold your party at night to further embody this theme. Create a bonfire outside, and decorate the trees with fairy lights. 

Don’t forget to hang a moon decor on the ceiling if you’re holding your party indoors. You can try creating your own by cutting a large circle out of poster board and painting it silver, white, or light yellow. Add cutout stars, full of glitter on the walls. For the posters, print a sign that says, “Jesus is the Light of the World,” and put it on the walls. 

Ideas for your Harvest Moon decorations:

  1. Harvest Moon Welcome Poster
  2. Harvest Moon Buffet Table
  3. Stars decoration

Activities for this Theme 

Donut Moon Game

This game is perfect for couples, especially when they play it at night! Have the players pair up, and give each pair a moon-shaped donut hanging on a string. 

Facing each other, and without using their hands, the players have to eat the donut. The first pair to finish first, wins the game!

Moon Rock Relay Game

This game is similar to the Egg on Spoon race, but instead of eggs, you’re using rocks. Give each player a spoon, and divide the players into two teams. Have each team form a line. 

On the facilitator’s mark, the first player on the line must walk towards the pole, make a u-turn, go back to the line, and transfer the rock to another player. The first team to finish the relay, wins the game!

Hot Moon Game

Have everyone sit in a circle, and pass the hot moon rock while the music is playing. Whoever is holding the rock when the music stops, loses the game. Continue this until only one is left. 

You can also add a twist to the game. Instead of removing the player, you can have them read a Bible verse, and share with the group their thoughts. If the person has already been called, they have to pick another who hasn’t shared yet. This way, everyone gets to participate.

Other Activities to Incorporate in Your Church Harvest Themes 

Bible Pictionary

Divide the group into teams, and have each person write scenes from the Bible. Once done, fold the paper and place it in a bowl for the opposing team. 

Each member from the opposing team must pick a paper from the bowl, and draw the scene on a board while other members guess. If they guess it right, they get a point. The team that gets the most points within 10 minutes wins the game!

Bible Perfect Pairs

Make your Harvest themes for church more interactive by engaging every guest. Write down the names of famous Bible couples, and place them in separate bowls according to gender. Have the guests or players draw one name according to their gender. 

Just like playing Human Bingo, let them walk around the venue to ask each other qualities, which may give a hint on who they are. The first three pairs to find each other wins the game!

Holy Headbands

If you’re into Heads Up, this game is for you. Grab some post-it notes, and write the names of Bible characters on each one. Have the players pair up, and have them assign who would guess the name. The guesser must ask questions to know who the character is, while the other must only respond yes or no.  

Conclusion 

These church harvest themes are good for any occasion you celebrate during fall. A church party or festival with harvest themes can be a perfect alternative to Halloween, and you can also apply it during your church’s Thanksgiving party. 

If you’re planning to give these church Harvest themes on our list a try, tell us how it went. What are the ideas that inspired you?

Fun Anti-Halloween Ideas for the Kids

By Gathered Again

Halloween is a fun time for many kids, but not every child is able to enjoy it in the traditional sense. Whether it’s religious beliefs that cause you to to be anti-Halloween and stray away from the occasion, or the scary image it represents, or maybe that you feel your kids are too young to go trick-or-treating. Either way, you don’t have to celebrate Halloween to have a good time with your kids!

The primary complaint about Halloween might be “but everyone else is doing it!” Show them that is not true by doing other fun things with them that many others kids are doing, too.

This doesn’t mean just sitting home while many other kids go out to get candy. There’s actually quite a few anti-halloween ideas for kids that will enable them to still enjoy themselves and not feel left out! It’s up to you to form new annual Halloween traditions to enjoy with your family outside of the usual dressing up and trick-or-treating.

How to Celebrate Without Celebrating

Here’s some anti-Halloween ideas for kids to enjoy:

Fall Festival: Enjoy a day or night of corn mazes, hay rides, campfires, and many festivities related to fall. Many festivals have petting zoos and huge pumpkin patches that you won’t want to miss!

Monsters Inc Movie/Game Night: You don’t need Halloween to enjoy Monsters Inc! Make it a movie theme night by watching the movie, of course, dressing up like your favorite characters, and playing themed games! Play 2319: You must clear the room of the socks all over the place without touching them with your hands, which means you can use kitchen utensils. They must be placed in a bin outside of the room ASAP!

Apple Picking: Spend the day at an apple orchard picking baskets of apples, then enjoy some homemade apple pie and cider!

Caramel Apples: Now that you’ve come home with a bunch of apples, why not make some scrumptious caramel apples! The perfect treat to celebrate fall, caramel apples are delicious and you can add nuts or anything you like! Chocolate chip bits and mini M&Ms are good examples!

Trunk-or-Treat: Many churches offer alternative Halloween ideas for kids, including trunk-or-treat which is where you trick-or-treat on church grounds from the trunks of cars. This is often followed by a church service and a festival put on by the good people of the church looking for alternative ideas just like you!

Church Lock-in: Your church might host a lock-in for the kids in the congregation on Halloween,

Hand out Candy with a Message: Spread the word of God while promoting the safety of trick-or-treaters on the streets. Hand out candy attached with messages like “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock…” Revelations 3:20, along with glow sticks bracelets or necklaces to trick-or-treaters and church pamphlets to parents or older kids.

Camping: If you don’t want to be bugged with people ringing your doorbell, get away for the day and night and go camping with the kids! Make s’mores, tell scary stories, and sing songs around the campfire!

Indoor Camping: If you don’t want to participate in festivities like trick-or-treating or handing out candy, it’s a good idea to keep your front lights off for the night to let others know not to stop at your door. Some people take it a step further by keeping the lights off throughout the entire house. Why not make your black-out more fun by setting up a tent or making a fort right there in the living room! Don’t forget the s’mores and hot chocolate!

Sleepover: Do your kids have friends who will also be skipping typical Halloween traditions? Why not invite them over for some a good ‘ol fashioned sleepover! Movies, games, and of course, lots of candy, will keep the kids entertained all night long!

Family Field Day: Planning a family field day is a great way to enjoy some time together in the great outdoors. Take your brood out back for some hula-hooping contests, three-legged races, and relay races.

Pumpkin Bake off: Spend the day baking treats! From pumpkin pies to cookies from scratch, you should have a lot of delicious goodies to eat while enjoying Monsters Inc later! Use this also to make gift baskets for any birthdays that may be coming up, or for your neighbors for no reason at all!

Pumpkin Seeds: Making a pumpkin pie? Well, don’t forget to bake the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are a healthy, tasty fall treat!

For anti-Halloween ideas for kids, you should be focused on finding ways to celebrate Autumn rather than finding ways to be anti-Halloween. It’s more positive to look at it this way and you are bound to come up with more fun ideas! Happy fall!

Spooky Family Halloween Party Ideas

By Gathered Again

Halloween is not only about trick or treating door-to-door; it’s a time to throw some of the best parties and family reunions imaginable!

If having a spooktacular party on Halloween makes your skin crawl, that’s the excitement talking!

Invitations

Unless this is a party just for children, do not settle for the cheesy invitations in stores that are covered with cute and cuddly creatures; shop online for the invitation that will have the family RSVPing faster than you can say Frankenstein!

There’s many websites out there, but my favorite to shop from is Etsy because you are typically supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs. These Halloween invitations on Etsy are the perfect mix of spooky and “you better be there or else…” The best part is that these and many others come in the form of a digital file, so you essentially pay one set price and can print as many as you want or need.

Decorations

As far as decorations go, this might be one of the most important types of parties to decorate for because the atmosphere can make or break any Halloween party! You want to really do it up, and it doesn’t have to hit the pocket too hard, either! Try these family Halloween party ideas to get the right effects:

  • Fog Machine: Fog machines are relatively inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. Your best bet is to rent one from an equipment rental place for cheap, or borrow one from a friend who might have one!
  • Dead man hanging: If you  have access to a dummy or know how to make a durable dude using a mask and clothes, hang a guy from a noose in the corner. If you don’t have a way to accomplish this, hit Dollar Tree and pick up one of those hands attached to a sleeve and hang it out of the bathtub, spattering fake blood all over to make it look like a crime scene.
  • Zombie dolls: Big “my size” dolls are the best, but any dolls will do because dolls are just kinda creepy anyway, right? Well, for this project you will paint them to look like they are dead, or even zombies, dirty up their clothes, black out or white out their eyes, mess up their hair, make them look like they’ve gone through a really tough time. It’s up to you to decide where they will go.

Food

If you are looking for a few ghoulish goodies for your party, don’t lose focus of the notion that good food is important for every party. Here’s a few family Halloween party ideas that might as well walk off the plate:

  • Real finger food: Check out this pin on Pinterest, how clever to make hot dogs look just like fingers! I do believe they would be better suited in a bun at full length, but don’t forget to make them look like fingers!
  • Plate of worms: Not real worms, but jello worms! Follow this easy tutorial to make jello worms using bendy straws. Spike the jello with liquor to make it a fun adult snack, and don’t forget to place them on a plate full of crumbled oreo for dirt!
  • Hand in punch bowl: You must have some kind of punch for your party, so whatever you choose, don’t forget the hand! Fill a latex glove with water, not too full, just so the glove is filled without getting stretched. Tie it off and freeze it. Once frozen, remove the hand from the glove and plop it into the punch right before the party, it looks awesome throughout the night as it begins to melt!

Games

Adult Halloween parties don’t typically contain many games, but we’re talking about family parties, and games can make for a scary good time! Try these fun family Halloween party ideas!

  • Costume contest: You’re bound to see a bunch of good costumes, so be sure to have a costume contest! Make this announcement on the invitation so everyone wears their Halloween best!
  • Glow games: Kids love stuff that glows, so planning some fun and easy games and crafts using glow sticks, glow paints, and any other glow-in-the dark details!
  • Under wraps: Have a mummy-wrapping contest! You can use rolls of fabric, or toilet paper if you are on a tighter budget.

Favors

Usually party favors for a good Halloween party or reunion is a bunch of candy! It is Halloween, after all! Rather than using goodie bags, put the candy in something everyone can get some use out of such as mason jars. For the kids, give them something that will increase their visibility while trick-or-treating, such as finger lights or glow sticks!