Need last minute ideas for Halloween school party

[marcij]

Okay fellow Dis board members -- I need a lot of help for my son's school Halloween party. Background: my DS9 is at the Shelton School in Dallas -- the largest school for bright children with learning differences in the nation. (He has ADHD, dyslexia and a verbal expressive disorder -- it's not a problem with articulation) I haven't ever signed up to be the "room mom", because I'm a working parent and unsure if I can make all the parties.

I just found out yesterday that no one had signed up to be room mom and they need help. The teacher e-mailed me asking if I could do it, or find someone who would. The guilt factor kicked in and I said I would. I have no idea what to do. I know they want us to do a craft, game and have snacks and have an hour for the party. I have to keep in mind that these kids are very excitable naturally, so in party mode it gets even worse. Does anyone have ideas to share? So far, I thought maybe decorating pumpkins with markers, stickers, jewels, feathers, string etc. might be fun. My sister suggested playing bingo for the game, as it would help them with their numbers and they might think it was fun, plus we could play several rounds. Anyone have other ideas that have been successful? I really appreciate feedback!

 

[GIOny]

This is a magazine I use to get when my kids were younger and it always had alot of ideas, looking at it's website I see it has great ideas for Halloween crafts, parties, games etc.. Hope you can find something the kids will enjoy! http://familyfun.go.com/

 

[ksjayhawks]

Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin or pin the mouth on the ghost. We have laminated these in the past and put on the vinyl floor. Kids are blindfolded and must walk to wear they thing the object is and add the nose, mouth, whatever.

Let them decorate their own cookies and eat them.

Make mini pizzas with english muffins, pizza sauce, pepperonis, cheese and zap in toaster oven. If you can't do the toaster ovens, heat the pizza sauce--not so it will burn anyone, of course.

A fun game is to wrap a fun prize--nothing expensive, big candy bar, cool bouncy ball, etc--with several strips of newspaper. Add more newspaper strips and put hersheys kisses every so often--have enough so every kid in the class gets one. Play music, kids sit on floor in circle, pass newspaper kiss around, music stops. Person who has "kiss" unwraps til they come to a kiss, take the candy and scoot back out of the circle. Game continues till one person is left.

Turn off the lights. Illuminate your face with a flashlight and read stories.

Play halloween music in the background.

Fill clear gloves with a piece of corn candy in each finger and the rest with popcorn. Take home to eat.

Play bingo, but use corn candy or m'n'ms as markers. Make up your own bingo boards, but use halloween and fall words instead.

Make ice cubes up with gummy worms or spiders in them--don't get the sugar coated ones as they cloud the water and don't hold up as well. Serve them in fresca or 7 up or sprite so they show up well. About 2 or 3 a person.

An hour will go by very quickly. Have some color sheets or word searches, crosswords, etc that relate to halloween on hand to use if needed or they can be sent home with the kids as an extra treat!

Good luck and have fun!

 

[marcij]

These are all great ideas! In case I can't get some of them together (or approved by the office -- I have to submit a proposal!) anyone else have other ideas?

Thank you all, my DIS friends!

 

[disykat]

I like to do parties in "stations", especially if excitable behavior is an issue. Keep it simple! Station one - cookie decorating, station two - simple game like pin the nose on the pumpkin, station three - bobbing for apples, station four - easy craft like making spiders. Just divide the class up and rotate when you hear music playing,etc.

Toilet paper mummies are always fun. You can do a contest and have each team dress one of their members as a mummy, name it, and present it to a panel of judges.

 

[etink67]

a simple game of hot potato is fun. Just use a pumpkin trick or treat tun filled with lollipops. As each child is eliminated he gets to take a lollipop and then sit and watch or go back to his desk to do his craft.

 

[etink67]

It's too late for this to help with halloween, but you can always find great buys at oriental trading company (catalog or online). When you do crafts in school it is great to use the glue dots that they feature. Much less messy. If you do a holiday party or Valentines party I would definately check out their website.

 

[marcij]

More great ideas -- thanks so much everyone! I've got a good selection of ideas to propose. If anyone thinks of any more, please let me know. Hope you all have a great week!

Marci

 

[Twigs]

When DS's were younger we made a Halloween twister game with the cubscouts. On a large piece of felt, we made columns, one of white ghosts (all made of felt), one of a black witch, one of a pumpkin and one of a spider. Then we made a spinner like the Twister game (instead of colors we had the halloween symbols). It has been a hit and has gone to many classrooms at Halloween time. I still get asked to borrow it.

 

[duckyfordonald]

I took this snack to my son's preschool class - they loved it and the teachers appreciated that it was something healthy. Make individual fresh fruit cups (I put it in clear plastic cups), place black spider ring on top of fruit and serve! The kids loved that they could also keep the spider rings!