How To Play Halloween Party Games

A Halloween party just wouldn't be complete without some spooky games to play! Whether you're having a party for kids or grown-ups, crank up the kitsch and get downright ghoulish with these suggestions.

1. For an adult Halloween party, murder mystery games can be a lot of fun. Pick up the game at a toy or department store, and when you're ready to send out your invitations, assign each character to a guest. Include a card with the character description in each invitation, and ask guests to dress the part for the party.
2. Halloween trivia can be fun for all ages, and the best part is that it's not too active so costumes won't get in the way. Use subjects like Halloween history, horror movies, vampires, monsters and witches and create trivia cards. Then divide your guests into teams and play.
3. Games like "Pictionary" can be adapted to a Halloween theme. Set up two large pads of paper on easels and make up cards with words or phrases related to Halloween to be drawn. Divide your guests into two teams and have them take turns drawing the clues on the cards, and their teams must guess what the picture is.
4. Adapt favorite party games for Halloween for kids' parties. Try Pin the Grin on the Pumpkin, ring toss with witches' hats for posts, relay races with Halloween props, or even bobbing for apples.
5. Graveyard is a neat game for young kids to play. Simply have everyone lay down on the floor and pretend that they're lying in the graveyard. One person walks around the room making spooky sounds or telling a story, and watching to see if anyone moves. Whoever moves is out, and the winner is the person who can lay absolutely still the longest.
6. For quiet games to use when you'll be getting snacks ready or if you need a cooldown period between more active games, print off Halloween mazes, word search puzzles, or pictures to color and provide crayons and colored pencils for the kids to use.
7. A Halloween fashion show can be a riot, especially with young children. Set up some seasonal music and provide a 'runway' by rolling out a length of carpet, fabric, or a few towels laid out on the floor (just make sure the runway isn't slippery). Then get each person to do their best fashion walk down the runway, and award prizes for Best Costume, Best Walk, Silliest Turn, etc.
8. Mummy Wrapping is a classic game that never fails. Divide the group into two or more teams, and provide each team with a couple of rolls of toilet paper. One person from each team is the designated mummy, and the rest of the team has to wrap the mummy completely in the toilet paper. The winning team is the one who uses up all of the toilet paper to wrap their mummy first. You may want to specify that the face is not to be wrapped, and make sure that there are no lit candles anywhere in the vicinity. Toilet paper is highly flammable!

Use your imagination to come up with some Halloween party games of your own! And make sure to stock up on small prizes, like Halloween treats, small toys, or crayons and coloring books to give out to the winners. For adult party prizes, try candles, candy, picture frames, or other useful or decorative items, or go for gag gifts like shrunken apple head dolls.