🎃👻 It’s that spooky time of year again when pumpkins, costumes, and giggles fill the air! Halloween is around the corner, and it’s the perfect opportunity to host a spooktacular preschool party that’s more fun than frightening. Whether you’re an early childhood educator or a parent looking to celebrate with your little ones, here are some tips and ideas for a memorable and age-appropriate Halloween bash. Be sure to check out the printable photo props to add to your party! Download them at the bottom of this post. Explore these experience-tested Ideas for Hosting a Preschool Halloween Party in your home child care or early childhood education program. Kids of all ages will have loads of fun! Read on for tons of Halloween party ideas for a kid-friendly Halloween party.
Tips & Ideas for Hosting a Preschool Halloween Party
Generally, you’ll want to plan the flow of the day with a Halloween twist. I recommend having the same daily routine but changing up your decorations, center activities, music, and snacks to fit the Halloween theme and still have a lot of fun.
The Non-Spooky Halloween
Emphasize the importance of making Halloween a positive and fun experience for preschoolers. Younger children will love the fun activities, so keep it simple. Focus on creativity, laughter, and imaginative play rather than frightening elements. Plastic spiders are spooky enough for kids’ parties.
Apple bobbing might seem like a fun classic game, like in the Charlie Brown movie, but it’s not practical, sanitary, or safe for little kids. Remember who your party guests are. No need for a haunted house experience. Think more like jack-o-lantern face ideas! Younger kids will have so much fun with even the smallest of party plans, so don’t try to do it all! Likely, you’ve already done some Halloween activities prior to the party day.
Spooktacular Decorations
Transforming your classroom or play area into a Halloween wonderland is the first step to setting the mood. Throughout the month, create Halloween art and crafts to display like Halloween Bats. Then it will be the children’s work that provides decorations for the party, and it will be less work for you the day of the party. Work together to make paper chains.
On the day of the party, add some streamers, balloons, tablecloths, and table decorations. Set up the table with a group activity. Simply cover a large table with a sheet of roll paper. Add coloring pages, Halloween stickers, and shape cutouts for the children to get creative with.
Parent Participation
Encourage parents to get involved by suggesting ways they can contribute to the party. Whether it’s bringing healthy snacks, attending as a helper to assist with games, like Halloween Bingo (use candy corn pieces for markers) and activities or providing party favors, their participation can make the celebration even more special.
Early in the month, put out a sign-up sheet for parents to sign up for party snacks. Encourage healthy options so there isn’t too much sugar. Tell parents what to bring so not everyone shows up with treat bags. Children get so much candy during the Halloween season so we don’t need to provide it all in early childhood programs. Even jelly sandwiches cut in the shape of pumpkins or ghost shapes are fun!
Safety First
Prioritize safety during your Halloween party. Ensure adult supervision, allergy awareness, and costume comfort to make it a worry-free experience for everyone involved. Check favors and treats sent in from families for choking hazards and allergy concerns. Be sure costumes are safe for playground play. Capes and strings can become entangled in play equipment. Avoid foods like hot dogs, which are known choking hazards and peanut butter, a common early childhood allergy. Be aware of small objects like plastic eyeballs or small ball, which can easily be popped into the mouth by little ones.
Healthy Halloween Treats
Keep the little goblins fueled with healthy and fun snack ideas. Cheese sticks, crackers, oranges, and pumpkin-shaped cheese and sandwiches are all extra fun party style! These tasty treats are not only nutritious but also visually appealing to young children. Add one sweet treat, like a sugar cookie, cupcake or Halloween Dipped Marshmallows. Adding festive straws to milk cups provides fun without the sugar. A few gummy worms go a long way!
Costume Fun
Dressing up is a big part of Halloween fun. Children love to talk about and decide what they will be for Halloween. When it comes down to it, some children are not going to want to wear that costume all day! Encourage parents to bring the costume along, even if it’s too early in the day to put on. Then, encourage children to wear their costumes for a group or individual photo. If a hat or part of the costume is bothersome, remove that part.
Be sure children have clothing they can play outdoors in if costumes are too hot, will get dirty, wet or tangled in play equipment. No face paint for child care or preschool. It will rub off on clothing, furniture and bedding.
Be sure children have clothing they can play outdoors in if costumes are too hot, will get dirty, wet or tangled in play equipment. No face paint for child care or preschool. It will rub off on clothing, furniture and bedding.
Spine-tingling Storytime
Gather the little ones for a Halloween-themed storytime. Share age-appropriate books that capture the Halloween spirit of the holiday without causing fright.
Halloween Storybooks for Preschoolers
It’s important to keep the daily routine consistent on a party day. Planning for storytime allows the children to have a quiet, resting time to break from all the excitement of the day while adding an exciting literacy activity. Save a Halloween storybook or two for party day! Try one of these:
Pumpkin Patch Playtime
Plan exciting games and activities for the party. Activities like pumpkin decorating, a Halloween scavenger hunt, or a friendly costume parade through the building or down your sidewalk will keep the kids engaged and entertained.
Personalized Party Bags
Keep things organized with party bags personalized with each child’s name. I do this for every preschool party to keep each child’s favors, goodie bags and party crafts together. It saves my sanity, curbs the clutter, prevents tears and makes it easy to encourage children to take extra things home. Just use paper gift bags with handles. Add the child’s name with a Sharpie or print out their names and glue them on.
Have the children decorate them with stickers or cut-out coloring pages. It’s okay to make children take extra treats home for later. If children consume everything they receive during the party, they may feel sick or not be able to nap!
Halloween Songs and Rhymes
Add a musical touch to your party with catchy Halloween songs and rhymes. Singing together creates a lively and enjoyable atmosphere that young children will love. Dance to the Monster Mash. Spooky sound effects are fun!
Here are some favorite Halloween songs and rhymes:
Take the Party Outdoors
Go outside and look for a spider web. Set up a race to with a finish line at the other end of the playground to help burn off some energy. Plan scavenger hunts or play “Hide the Pumpkin” with a small pumpkin are fun Halloween party games that are simple to implement and make for a great party.
Not So Messy Sensory Play
Sensory bins are awesome, but on party days the mess can be overwhelming. Offer a sensory play option for interest and a calming self-regulation activity, but keep it less messy. Try:
- Halloween-colored pom poms and party favors with pumpkin containers. Add tongs for fine motor work. Find sensory bin items at the dollar store.
- Playdough and pipecleaners and googly eyes for playdough monsters.
- Rice bin with scoops and Halloween erasers or small manipulatives and containers. Don’t overfill the bin with rice. Less is more!
Simple Halloween Art
Plan a simple Halloween party day art project or open ended Halloween crafts so as not to make the day more stressful than necessary! Try Halloween Scratch-art kits, prep materials for a Spookley the Square Pumpkin craft or stamp painting with Halloween cookie cutters dipped in paint. Try mini pumpkin painting or Fuzzy Halloween Spiders. Save the pumpkin carving for families to do at home.
Memorable Moments
Don’t forget to capture the magical moments of your preschool Halloween party. Set up a photo area with party photo props for families to take pictures in the morning at drop off or during pick up in the evening. It can be a party activity too! Encourage participation with the party photo props the children can play with so you can get a photo of each child. Be sure to download the printables below!
DOWNLOAD PARTY PHOTO PROPS
Flags, tags and creepy cards collection
Halloween is a time for fun and imagination, and with these ideas, you can host a preschool Halloween party that’s filled with smiles, laughter, and wonderful memories. Remember to keep things age-appropriate and ensure that all children feel comfortable and included. Have a “boo-tiful” celebration, and happy Halloween!