Halloween Party-Every year I have a huge Halloween party for kids of all ages.  We always have a craft project. One year we made pumpkins from landscape timbers cut into about 6 inch long sections then painted orange. When this dried somewhat we had the kids come back and draw a face on it with a permanent marker. We let the kids have some raffia and a green fabric print cut with pinking shears into strips then tied around a nail that was partially hammered into the top of the pumpkin-an adult then hammered the nail all the way down-the fabric strips and raffia decorated the top of the pumpkin like leaves and vine. I then gave them a quick spray of clear acrylic sealer and let them dry to take home. Very inexpensive craft. The second year we cut ghost heads from fence pickets (white pine, very inexpensive). They were painted white, then faces were painted on with a permanent marker and raffia was glued on to the bottom for decoration. On the top we had drilled a couple of holes and used craft wire to make a hanger. This years crafts are all spider related. We will make spider pops with tootsie pops as the body and two pipe cleaners cut in half and wrapped around the base of the sucker to make eight legs-bend to shape them. Then glue on goggle eyes and let dry. We will also make Oreo spiders by taking apart an Oreo and adding a little chocolate frosting in the middle to attach licorice legs then put the Oreo back together. Use another small amount of frosting to attach m&m eyes and use red cake decorating gel for a mouth if desired. The third spider craft is spiders made from round flat stones painted black then glue pipe cleaner legs to the bottom and add goggle eyes to the top and use a red paint marker to draw a mouth.  In the game department we have had great success with any of the following games. Pumping bowling-fill ten empty two liter soda bottles partially with water and some food coloring-then use a real pumpkin to bowl with. The kids love it. Cat litter scoop-Use a new clean cat litter box filled with sand or cat litter and small toys like rings, etc...let the kids use a cat scoop to find a treat. Pumpkin Hunt-write each childs name on the bottom of a miniature pumpkin then have them search the yard (with a flashlight after dark)for the pumpkin with their name on it-then you can let them keep the pumpkin and I give them a small treat as well. Cake Walk (sort of)-I put down pictures of Halloween characters or monsters then let the kids walk in a circle cake walk style. When the music stops (Halloween music) I draw a Halloween character and let them grab a big handful of candy from a bushel barrel. Witch Hunt-Cut out with shapes and hide them all around the yard (I do this after dark and have them use a flashlight as well). We play with two teams or you can play as individuals to see who finds the most. This can also be played with pumpkins that have point values on them (5,10,25,50 points). Candy Hunt-Have each kid bring one bag of candy and have an Easter egg hunt style trick or treat candy hunt Costume parade-Have a costume parade and make a certificate or ribbon (cardstock, crepe paper streamers, Halloween stickers)then find a winning category for each child and give a small treat along with each ribbon. Hay ride-If you have a riding lawn mower and a small trailer behind it-fill it with hay and let the kids have a small hayride. Bobbing for apples-Need I say more-this can be a bad idea though if lots of kids have face paint on. Bingo-Use regular bingo cards or make homemade ones with the word GHOST across the top. Use candy corns for markers. Wrap the mummy-Give each group of kids several rolls of toilet paper and have them race to completely wrap one of their team players like a mummy. Tell them that It must be neat and not to cover the face. This is hilarious. Witch's Brew-Give the kids a scavenger hunt type list to find-example-a flat rock, a red leaf, etc...and have them gather the items for the witches brew. Inside a cheap black cauldron have another small bowl with a chunk of dry ice. Also have some small prizes like spider rings inside to give to the kids. Throw the scavenger hunt items into the pot and secretly add a little water to the dry ice to make fog. Have them chant "Double, Double, Toil and trouble, Witches brew is no trouble" then the small prizes are pulled out of the cauldron.  Decorations-lots of tombstones cut from plywood-painted black-then go back with a gray and then a small amount of white with a sponge to make a marbled effect. Use a permanent marker to draw cracks in the tombstones. Paint funny sayings on them like Barry d'live, M.T. Box, Dracula Born 1732, died 1756,1835,1877,etc..... We had bought lots of strands of Halloween icicle lights in orange and purple after Halloween on clearance for the next year as well strings of tombstones, pumpkins, ghosts, etc and also buy our paper goods, invitations, decorations, party favors, and prizes on clearance for the next year's party. Strobe lights, black lights and a Halloween disco type light all complete the look. We also have a large haunted house cut out of a huge sheet of plywood with lots of doors and windows cut out. It is simply painted black-We have a flood light behind it to shine through-the tombstone are all placed around the haunted house. Food is simple-Hot dogs, concession style nachos are a big hit with the kids. We also have cupcakes and a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting on top along with crushed Oreo's covering the top of the cake. Giant Glow in the dark cockroaches are placed on top. They glow great under the black light and the kids love it.    Have fun!!!!!!