Throw a Halloween Party for Kids

Getting all dressed up, attending parties, helping design and carve jack o' lanterns and, of course, all that candy make Halloween one of the best times of the year to be a kid. Throwing a Halloween party for the toddler to elementary school age crowd is easy and fun - just keep it lighthearted and upbeat rather than over-the-top scary. Here are some tips for planning a Halloween bash that will be a blast for the kids and a cinch for you to orchestrate and clean up.

Create a spooky yet kid-friendly atmosphere - Put up some fun Halloween decorations that won't be too scary for the little ones. Friendly ghosts, black cats, scarecrows and other non-threatening Halloween imagery is best. Be creative - Halloween color schemes don't need to be strictly orange and black. Green, yellow, red and purple make great Halloween colors, too.

Set the Halloween table - An easy solution is to get a kid-friendly pack of Halloween-themed disposable tableware in bright orange, green or purple. If you want to go all out, check out Martha Stewart's Halloween table decor ideas, like cheesecloth tablecloths, candy cauldrons and plastic spider accents.

Spooky music - Skip the eerie, screams-and-growls type of Halloween music frequently heard at adult parties and go for upbeat Halloween music instead. You don't want the kids to be freaked out and clinging to their parents the whole time! You can find CDs of Halloween music for kids at party stores, Target, Walmart or Amazon.com.

Mask making contest - Get some construction paper, markers, sequins, feathers, and other craft materials and let the kids make their own Halloween masks. Adults can help the kids cut out holes for the eyes and attach elastic to the masks with a stapler. Award the most creative mask-maker with a Halloween-themed prize.

Jack o' Lantern contest - To save time and keep sharp objects out of the hands of little ones, ask guests to bring a pumpkin they carved at home for a jack o' lantern contest. The decorated pumpkins can double as party decorations, and you won't be left with a huge mess to clean up afterward. If your party will be held after dark and you'd like to illuminate the pumpkins without worrying about fire hazards, get some battery-powered LED lights to place inside them. You could also fill a few with water and use a fountain fogger to create a cool fog effect.

Spooky photo shoot - Set up a cool Halloween themed backdrop with some fabric and decorations, and use a Polaroid camera or digital camera and printer to take photos of the guests in their costumes - the photos will make great favors.

Halloween treat bags - Kids will get plenty of candy trick or treating, so you don't need to pack the bags full of sweet treats, but they'll probably be disappointed if they don't get any at all. Mix a few pieces of candy with some small toys. Stores are replete with Halloween themed items this time of year - look for things like whistles, pencils, stickers, bubbles, and temporary tattoos.

Serve fun, spooky Halloween treats - check back with us next week for recipes!