Halloween is right around the corner, maybe a child has a October birthday coming up. I have thrown Halloween parties for years, and they can be super fun and inexpensive! Kids began to look forward to my daughter's Halloween birthday bash every year. Some ideas in this guide are geared more toward teens and preteens.

Swamp Punch is always a hit! Purchase about 2-3 gallons of Apple cider, which is in season. Pour the cider into a punch bowl, then add a couple drops of green food coloring. The night before, fill a few plastic gloves (food service ones work well) with water. Tie shut the top with a rubber band and freeze them, rubber band side up.  Let the frozen hands float on top of the punch. If a finger falls off, no problem, floating fingers add to the creepiness! Another thing I have done is purchase plastic bugs, wash them throughly and let them float on top as well, but don't drink the bugs of course. 

Invitations can be scary, hand drawn with a sharpie marker and copied. Use words like, "It's the party you've been dying to attend." Ghosts, Bats, and black cats are easily drawn, and copy well. Offer prizes for anyone that wears a costume.

If it's a birthday as well, order a cake with a spooky scene. Dress up your cake with a pack of 100 Plastic spiders, bugs, and flies. This is a wonderful to spook your guests, once again, don't eat the plastic bugs.

Another fun idea is to create a spooky atmosphere outside for guests as they arrive. Place a boombox with a spooky CD in a hidden place outdoors. Get your CD from the library or the dollar store. Red fingerpaint is great! You can create bloody handprints, blood splatters, etc. Don't forget the sidewalk chalk. Make chalk outlines of your kids, have them lay down on the driveway or sidewalk and draw around them. Don't forget to make a chalk outline of the family dog or cat. Use cardboard and brown and black paint to create signs and tombstones.

It was also fun to create our own home horror movies. Violence is NOT needed, go for a freak out effect, like "The Ring" or "Blair Witch." Give the kids a box of strange dress up clothes, and let them chase each other and scream. Set your camera to film in black and white. Instruct the kids not to giggle, just scary laughter, or scream for your life. Film in short takes. Throw in other wierd 5 second shots, like the cat sitting outside, flies on a screen,  a jack o' lantern, a freaky close up of someone's serious face, the dog sleeping (is he really sleeping?) These movies are fun to watch with a group.

The internet is a great place to find more scary ideas. Google image search is perfect. Last year, they had a Zombie survival guide poster that I printed out. Search for "head" or "head in a jar." Find a really creepy human head pic, print it out. Then put the pic in a large jar, and it looks like you have a head in a jar.  

Keep in mind that Halloween birthday parties always seem to have a higher turnout of kids. Another idea is to schedule your party the same night as Trick or Treat, for even more fun. If you need more ideas, Martha Stewart is known for her excellent Spooky ideas. Her Halloween CD is also great! Keep your eyes open for everyday things that can be scary. I hope this guide has you excited to plan your own Halloween party!