Halloween party ideas for teens--budget!

[TinkOhio]

Last year we promised our DD, whos is now 12, that she could have a Halloween party this year. Well, that party is this coming Saturday, and I have no idea what to do to keep them entertained. There will be about 15-18 7th graders, boys and girls. The parties that she's been to this year seem to have pizza, snacks, pop and music. Sometimes they dance, sometimes they don't. This group of kids is pretty clean-cut and preppy. They love skiing & snowboarding, hiking, swimming, other athletics and they are all in AP classes. (In other words, they aren't into "gangsta" type stuff.)

Can anyone make some suggestions as to how to keep them entertained? We'll have music, snacks, etc. Are there any games or activities that you can suggest? We are thinking about renting some scary movies to play in the background as a back-up plan. What other things can we do to help them have fun without breaking the bank?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I've just got one -- it's a Mummy Making contest -- you divide them into pairs (or you could do groups), give them a roll or two of toilet paper, and have them make one person into a mummy! This is usually an activity for younger kids, but we recently tried it with our church youth group 7th -12th grade, and they had a great time with it.

Maria

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

Put the wart on the witch (picture of witch face and abc gum)
Mummy with toilet paper (several like to do this)
bob for apples
decorate own cupcakes ( with insects)
pinyata with body parts (gumball eyes, gummy fingers)
make a scarecrow
put a skeleton together (use several skeletons scatter the parts either around the house<as in a skeleton hunt> or in the yard and see who can make a complete skeleton together)
Use food (cooked spaghetti etc.) have everyone guess what "inside" of the body it is
Guess how many candy corn


Make a choc. cake put choc frosting on it sprinkle with oreos and put gummy worms on it. Another thing is use choc pudding, sprink with oreos and use the worms.
For bottle drinks make labels with different names on them (Frankenstein sweat, Mtn. Dew)

 

[happily single]

I'm having a halloween/birthday party this weekend for my ds and we are doing the following:

1. Bounce House (Not Budget friendly!!)
2. Hay Scavenger Hunt-For older kids I would blind fold them
3. Pinanta
4. Musical Chairs-Do like Ellen does and blindford them!
5. Decorate your own cupcakes

I was going to do decorate your own small pumpkins but thought that would be too expensive-but that might work for your smaller group

Target has strobe lights for $2.50 in the dollar section; maybe buy a few of those for special effects? Also Dollar Tree has a lot of cool decorations

 

[Marionnette]

Really. Kids that age dont need you to entertain them. They just need you to make sure that there is plenty of food and pop. Drop in often to make sure the lights stay on and all hands are visible. They might be preppy ap students but they are teens all the same. Does she have a game system and ddr? Hook that up and let them dance. If they like games then pictionary or guesstures are fun. If they like singing then a karaoke game is fun. Or guitar hero seems to be a big hit. Mostly they just like being together, talking and eating.

 

[TinkOhio]

Thanks for the awesome ideas! Please keep them coming!

 

[Marionnette]

Another suggestion would be to do a murder mystery theme party. Everyone gets a part to play and they all have to find clues to figure out who dunnit. It takes a little work upfront and they have to be the theater arts types to really get into this. My daughters friends loved this kind of party. My sons friends would have thought it was lame. ymmv

 

[kandeebunny]

apples to apples!!!

charades or pictionary themed for the holiday can be fun too!

 

[*JoGo*]

i just had a halloween party last night and made this awesome punch!!

2 cups water
1 2 liter Sprite
2 cans of concentrated pineapple - orange juice
1 packet orange kool-aid
1 container orange sherbet


the oldest kid at my party was 10...
the mummy making is fun.
we also carved out a hole in a pumpkin and they putted a golf ball into it.

 

[bluesaturn]

What AP classes can you be in, in 7th grade?
Also, what is "gangsta" stuff? lol

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you have a place to do it, make a small fire and let them roast hot dogs and marshmellows,,,so fun for anyone. Food activites are always fun...decorate cup cakes, cookies etc.

Any place to do a hay ride????

 

[Shleedogg]

I agree w/ the pp who said at that age they don't need much "entertainment." I think at that age they'll think planned group activities are lame. But ask your daughter what they do at other parties.

My first thought is the Wii, Guitar Hero/Rockband, DDR, interactive games might be fun.

Good luck! I'd go crazy thinking about having all those kids in my house!

 

[FINFAN]

trade up scavenger hunt...where they form groups of 3 or more, each group is given a paper clip or something tiny ..then they go house to house trading up for anything bigger. The group who comes back with the largest most bizare item is the winner!This can take an hour or longer so can fill a long time span if you need it.
Silly string fights
secret message board...use a highlighter to write on like colored posters, sheet....then aim a black light on it and it appears
pumpkin painting ....not carving, let them be as nutty as they like with it...accessorize with pinning items to the pumpkins
if you have approval from families, youtube is always a hit...film them being goofy, whatever and let them put it up..they will just have fun hanging out.

 

[Kitzka]

DD is 12 and she and her friends have a Halloween party every year. the kids always trade candy, eat, hang out etc. there never seems to be a need to have any games 'planned'

Lara