Are you planning a Halloween party this year? There's no need to spend lots of money on expensive equipment or spend hours thinking up complicated entertainments. Try these five easy and enjoyable games that can be enjoyed by children from three years old and upwards:
Ghost Hunt
Pick up some bags of Halloween-themed chocolates: you can normally get them from supermarkets and other shops at this time of year - if you're really stuck, look online. Chocolates shaped like ghosts, bats and pumpkins are the sort you're looking for. Ask the party guests to stay in one room or perhaps stand outside while you hide the chocolates all over the house. Then release them to try to find (and eat) as many as they can.
Dead Fred
You'll need a collection of bowls and tea-towels to drape over the top of them. Then you gather together all the bits of 'Dead Fred'. Use peeled grapes for his eyeballs, un-popped corn kernels for his teeth, cold cooked pasta for his guts, a peeled tomato for his heart, chopped up bits of wool for his hair (and so forth - you get the idea). The guests have to feel what's in each bowl under the towel, and guess what bit of Dead Fred they're touching. Be prepared for some ear-piecing squeals. You can introduce the game by making up the story of how poor Fred met his demise - make it as funny and as gruesome (depending on the age of your audience) as you can.
Witch's Cave
Designate a 'witch's cave' somewhere in the house (for safety's sake, have it away from stairs or anywhere where people could hurt themselves rushing to get there). Close the curtains and turn out the lights. Nominate someone to be the witch, and the rest of you scatter. The witch has to come and find you, whereas the rest of you have to try to get to the base without being caught. Extra fun if, when the witch catches a victim, she casts a tickling spell on them.
Apple Bobbing
Go old school and try apple bobbing. As simple as it sounds; float some apples in a bowl of water (a washing up bowl works well) and the guests have to try to grab the apples with their teeth. The floor (and guests) will get wet so play this in a room with a waterproof floor and perhaps give participants a waterproof coat to wear.
Musical Zombies
Just like musical statues, except when the music stops everyone has to pull the most frightening zombie pose and grimace that they can. Have a camera ready to capture the best ones!
Celina Lucas has a young family, owns virtual assistance business Office Alchemy, and writes a variety of articles on how to stay (relatively) sane whilst coping with a business and small children. Read her parenting blog at http://whupsydaisy.com/
She would like to be a yummy mummy but falls at the first hurdle because she has no time to get a haircut.