If you haven’t heard, holidays are a big deal over here. We love all types of gatherings, and holidays are just another reason to host! I wanted to put together a blog of ideas for Halloween parties. Sometimes I scroll through Pinterest and feel overwhelmed with too many ideas, too many difficult DIY moments, and simply not the style I am going for. I know that so many people can relate with this as well. So, I had a cute photoshoot with Makenzie Rae Photography showcasing a sweet and simple Halloween setup you can bring to life for your little one! Or for yourself! Keep reading to see the cutest photos and get inspiration for your Halloween party this year.
The Decorations
Let's start with my favorite part, the decor! Something I really wanted to do was make an adorable setup that didn't break the bank. I used these black candle holders from Ikea that I use at many events, simple white candles (that actually were not lit because we don't need our little buddies to play with fire), pumpkins that were under a dollar from Trader Joe's, bud vases with flowers from my garden, and some good ole candy corn. You can style it any way you like, but I put the pumpkins across the table in a zig zag shape and filled in the florals and candles in the open space surrounding the pumpkins! If I were decorating my whole house, I would keep it simple with more pumpkins and black candles spread throughout focal points in the home. Also, I would add a big balloon garland.
The garland was a great piece to tie in the more traditional Halloween colors that we know the kids love. I tend to lean towards a more plain color pallet for my Halloween decor, but this balloon garland was a great way to bring out my playful and colorful side. I found the spooky and festive balloons from Target in a pack and used these as a foundation for the garland. This was the perfect final touch to add to our table setup, but you could add this on a plain wall at your party to make a fun photo booth backdrop! Also, did you know that we offer balloon garlands for events and parties just like this one?
The Treats
When it comes to party treats, I want them to taste and look amazing. I also wanted to find treats that were super simple to make, not like the ones you find on Pinterest and fail miserably at recreating. These are foolproof and can be made quickly. For the spiders, they are Oreos with pretzels cut in half as legs, pretty simple. I found the cute eyeballs at Target and stuck them on with melted white chocolate. The pretzels are also used with melted white chocolate, red and yellow food coloring to create orange, pretzel rods, and festive sprinkles. All you do is dip the pretzel in the chocolate and throw some sprinkles on top. So easy! The ghosts are made out of tootsie pops and white coffee filters tied around the stem with black ribbon. Then the most challenging part of the whole snack process, drawing the eyeballs and mouth. It was hard to make them ~perfect~ but parties for your kiddos are about fun, not perfection.
The Crafts
When time to have fun with some painting finally came, the kids were ecstatic! The craft they were working on was painting wooden Halloween figures that I got for $5 at Target. To prepare for this craft, I bought colorful paints, small plates for the paint to go on, wooden paint brushes, and plates for the painting to happen on in hopes of limiting the mess. :) I purchased a few different options of shapes and faces for each kid to choose, and then I let them do their thing!
After they finished painting their wooden figures, I gave each of them a a pumpkin to paint as well. They were so glad to keep painting and creating! This was also a great way to use up the extra paint and let the other craft dry for a little bit if they were waiting to paint on the backside of it.
Overall, this was a huge success! It was simple and budget friendly to put together, produced minimal messes, and most importantly the kids had a blast being together and getting into the spooky spirit. I hope that this can help inspire you that you can put an adorable party together without having to break the bank or take weeks to plan it. This is just a simple way to celebrate but feel free to add all the extra touches like favors, costumes, and games if you want to spice things up. If you use any of our tips and tricks for your own party, tag us on Instagram @intentionalgatheringsco!! We can't wait to see what you create.