School Halloween Party Ideas for Kids of All Ages

From Halloween treats for school to Halloween classroom games, we've got all your party-planning ideas right here.

By: Chelsea Scarnegie, Editor, AllFreeKidsCrafts.com

If you're the kind of parent who likes to volunteer for every class event, you won't need to worry this October we've got the best Halloween activities for school right here. Avoid the last-minute scramble by checking out our guide to School Halloween Party Ideas for Kids of All Ages. Along with costumes and trick-or-treating, kids love going to school for their class parties. Whether you need easy Halloween treats for school or just anyplace productive to start planning, you won't have to worry any longer.

I remember my mom always "wowed" the kids in my class with her Halloween creations. One time she used a bundt cake pan to create the coolest Jack-o'-lantern cake we had ever seen! And the next year, she made delicious white chocolate ghosts flying about on pretzel broomsticks. She even organized a reading of Big Pumpkin, and we all took turns reading the story in our best witch, ghost, and bat voices! You can give your children those same sweet memories with the wonderful ideas for treats and activities below. It's hauntingly easy!

Organizing a School Halloween Party

Planning a school Halloween party can be a daunting task. Fortunately, we've broken the process into 9 ideas that should awaken your inner party guru.

Round up some useful information. You’ll want to know dates that work for the teachers, if the party can’t fall on Halloween itself, as well as how much time will be set aside from the party, whether or not the teacher will want to get involved, etc. Make a list of all the questions you have before you begin and draft them into an email that can be sent at the end of September or very beginning of October.
Plan for a “rotating” party. Set up stations within the classroom and divide the kids into small groups that move from one activity to the next throughout the party. This will keep the pace and ensure that each child gets to partake in every activity. It also divides the class into manageable groups that won’t overwhelm the other volunteers. You can have separate stations for crafts, games, and treats. If you’re worried about the class being limited to interactions with just one group, bring everyone together at the end for a fun ghost story or similar activity.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Other parents and grandparents are often more than willing to lend a hand by purchasing supplies or making food. Some of them would even love the opportunity to visit the class and help run various games and crafts. You can use your resources to divide up those essential party purchases like craft and game supplies, snacks, paper plates, and decorations. Maybe the librarian would even like to come read a story! Click here to download our free School Halloween Party Sign-Up Sheet to make things even easier!
Keep the crafts simple. While it would be cool to have the kids carve their own pumpkins to take home, that might not be the most practical and time-conscious activity. Instead, you can opt for easier Halloween craft ideas like painting mini pumpkins to take home at the end of the party. Using cheap and easy-to-find craft supplies like pipe cleaners is always a great way to go as well.
Choose games that don’t require much space. If you live in a warmer climate, taking the kids outside for a fun game or two is a great way for those little ones to burn off some energy. Otherwise, don’t plan on the weather being super warm but the time late October rolls around. Simple games like “freeze dance” or “hot potato” (or “hot pumpkin”) work really well when there isn’t much room to work with. Kimbo from A Girl and a Glue Gun has a perfect list of Halloween games for kids to choose from!
Mix up the snacks. While it’s obvious that sweets and other goodies are what make Halloween something for kids to look forward to, you can make healthy eating just as fun. Adding little details like jack-o-lantern faces to fruit cups can make those snacks look just as appealing as the plate of Rice Krispie treats. Don’t forget to ask the teacher if there are any food allergies or school policies regarding outside food so you can be sure your easy Halloween treats won't go to waste.
Set up a “photo booth.” This is especially fun when the kids are all dressed up in costumes. Don’t fret when you think about those complicated backdrops and props that have recently taken social media by storm. The backdrop can be as simple as Halloween-themed wrapping paper or orange and black streamers. Each student can also hold up a sign that says “2nd Grade Halloween Party” for a quick and easy prop that moms and dads will appreciate. If possible, make sure each parent gets a copy! Need ideas? Heidi from One Creative Mommy has printable Halloween Photo Booth Props that are perfect for any age!
Thank your volunteers. After the party, be sure to get out those “Thank You” notes and write a few quick messages to every parent and teacher that got involved. Whether they came to help run the games and keep the party going or simply sent their child to school with a package of napkins, it’s a good idea to recognize those who helped made your party a success. Plus, it inspires those volunteers to jump back in for when the next school party rolls around. (Is that jingle bells, I hear?)
Go with the flow! You’ve heard it time and time again, but the key to a successful school Halloween party is, “Don’t sweat the small stuff!” Of course, not everything is going to go as planned. But that’s the best part about planning parties for children! They’re not going to know that your apple cider isn’t fresh from the farmer’s market or that Jessica’s mom forgot to bring table cloths. They’re happy to simply take a break from their normal school schedules and have a little festive fun! So grab your camera and get ready to capture all those smiling faces – including your own!

School Halloween Party Invitation

The first thing to do is to confirm a date and time with the teacher and send out a school Halloween party letter to parents. This is a bit different than the invitation, as it lets them know about volunteering for the event rather than the party itself.

The letter to parents should look a little something like this:

First, introduce yourself and any other parents involved! Let the other parents know whose mom you are as well. “Hi! I’m Chelsea Scarnegie (Ralphie’s mom), and I’m one of the room moms for this year along with Raquel Schlaf (Cristiano’s mom). We’ll be coordinating the upcoming school Halloween party and would love your help.”
Then, provide your email address and encourage the other parents to send you an email so you can have a quick way of contacting them if needed. “I would appreciate it if you could send your email address to chelseascarnegie@email.com. That way, we’ll have all the parents’ emails and can reach out to you for help or questions if needed.”
Next, give them the date of the party, so they know what to expect in the weeks to come. “If there is any way you would like to help out, whether it’s purchasing supplies or volunteering as supervisor, we would love your assistance. This year, the school Halloween party will be Tuesday, October 31st, from 1-3pm. We will be planning crafts, games, and snacks for all the students.”
Finally, let them know how they can help. This little bit will be a life-saver as you continue your planning. “There are many ways you can help make our party a success! First, you can help by contributing $5 to a school party fund for supplies. I can accept cash or check anytime you see me at the school. Feel free to call or email me if you can’t find me! You can also help out by organizing activities on the day of the party, bringing snacks, or purchasing supplies. There are plenty of ways for you to get involved!”
P.S. Offer your contact info! This is probably the most important part of the letter, so feel free to put it in italics so other parents can find it easily. “Questions? You can reach me at chelseascarnegie@email.com or by calling me at 999-555-3333. You can also contact Raquel at raquelschlaf@email.com or at 111-222-1616. We can’t wait to work with you to make this party a success!”

Print as many copies of this letter as you need, and deliver it to the teacher’s room so that he or she may distribute them about a month before the party. This will give you plenty of time to organize your volunteers and have you feeling less stressed in the coming weeks.

The school Halloween party invitation can be a lot more fun, with Halloween graphics and details about activities. This can be distributed to each student 1-2 weeks in advance and should include information like date, time, and whether or not the children will be dressing up. If you need a template, click here to download our school Halloween party invitation!

We also have a cool school Halloween party flyer template for you to download and hang around the classroom, lobby, hallways, and anywhere else that the other parents might frequent. Click here to download our free school Halloween party flyer - just be sure to get permission before hanging anything first!

School Halloween Party Snacks

For your party to be a success, you'll definitely want a nice assortment of goodies. Drinks like warm cider and healthier options like apple slices make great school Halloween party food ideas. However, when you're looking for that special treat that will really bring the "wow" factor, you should check out this list of school Halloween party treat ideas:

Charlie Brown-ies Halloween Ghost Treats

School Halloween Party Decorations

Create the perfect ambience with these Halloween party ideas that will have the little ones howling in delight. DIY party decorations will save you plenty of money, so you'll be able to spend that budget on more important things (like treats!)

Preschool and Kindergarten Halloween Party Activities

Finding school Halloween party ideas for kindergarten and preschool is a breeze with this fun list. From playing with homemade slime to making haunted houses out of their own footprints, there is plenty to do to keep the youngest of children occupied. There are even preschool and kindergarten classroom Halloween party games like the Free Printable Monster Counting Game that will create some friendly competition and expand on what the kids have been learning in school.

Elementary School Halloween Party Activities

Elementary school parents always know how to throw a good party! With our list of activity ideas, you'll be among the homeroom "greats." Let those kids squish out their own gooey monster onto paper or design a pumpkin out of black glue and salt. There are also elementary school Halloween party games like the Krazy Bonez Skeleton Halloween Game that provide a great opportunity for prizes!

Middle School Halloween Party Activities

Wondering what to do at a middle school Halloween party? It doesn't need to be hard to come up with Halloween school party games for tweens; we've got everything you need right here! From no-carve pumpkin decorating to hilarious ghosts that will have them laughing all afternoon, there are so many things that can keep a classroom of tweens having a great time.