Having a birthday party around Halloween? Need a Halloween party idea? We're here to help! This monster party theme is perfect for either scenario; we're sure everyone involved will have a blast!
Monster Mansion
Use chalk to draw monster footprints leading up to your front door. Create an easy tulle monster wreath to welcome your spooked guests. Make monster feet out of green poster board and have them go from the front door to the party room. Use green and blue for decorations such as streamers and balloons. Switch out the light bulbs in the party room from clear to green or blue.
For an older crowd: Make a sign for the front door that says “Beware of monsters! Enter at your own risk!”. Rent or borrow a fog machine to create a creepy monster atmosphere. Make monster hands. Stuff clear plastic gloves with tissue paper. Tie them closed with black ribbon, and decorate with scars, ghoulish nail polish, and big, gaudy rings. Use them as table toppers, or group some together to form a creepy centerpiece.
Play monster music like The Monster Mash, the theme from The Munsters, Monster in the Mirror, Purple People Eater, and The Werewolves of London. Make monster heads out of empty gallon milk jugs. Clean them out well, turn them upside down, and paint to look like your favorite monsters! Place them around the party room, or group them together in a drinks tub. Make a banner that says “Welcome to (your child's name)'s Monster Mansion”.
Monster Party Theme – Creepy Eats
Serve ordinary party food, but give the foods monster names and glue googly eyes to toothpicks to stick in foods. Melon balls can be monster eyeballs, mini pigs in a blanket become monster toes, spaghetti with sauce turns into monster brains, etc. Make signs for each item to keep the children entertained while they eat.
Carve a monster mouth into a watermelon to use as the centerpiece of a fruit salad. Serve monster fingers: baby carrots with a dab of cream cheese on the end. Put an almond slice into the cream cheese to make a fingernail. Make monster hands filled with popcorn. Using clear plastic gloves, fill with popcorn, and tie closed with a ribbon. Stack them in a bowl or on a platter.
Serve monster toe cookies along with the cake. Use sugar cookie dough that you've tinted green with food coloring. Roll the dough into ½ inch ovals; roll the ovals in plain sugar. Place on a cookie sheet. Press an oval shaped candy, like a black jellybean, onto one end for the toenail. Bake according to recipe directions.
Monster Party Cake
A monster layer cake is easy to make, and looks suitably creepy. Bake a chocolate layer cake in two pans that are the same size. Once the cakes are cool, spread a thin layer of green- or blue-tinted frosting on the stacked cakes. Then, using a piping bag, create a furry look by squeezing more icing onto the cakes. If you’re feeling extra crafty, whip up a batch of monster eye cake pops to stick into the cake as well.
Monster Games
Turn any traditional game into a monster-themed game. Pin the eye on the monster, tossing bean bags into a cardboard monster’s open mouth; the possibilities are endless.
If you really want to go all-out, turn your house into a haunted house. Use a fog machine to set the atmosphere. Hang fake cobwebs all over the place. Buy a couple of animatronic Halloween decorations. Turn off all of the lights and send the kids through the house. If you have an extra person on hand, have them hide in a room or closet and jump out in a costume to scare the kids.
Of course, keep the haunted house age-appropriate. Very tiny children will be easily scared. The last thing you want is a bunch of tears! Make sure all of the children know that they can leave the haunted house area at any time. Keep one room of yours normal for a scared child to safely retreat to.
Up the ante for older children, since they're less likely to be easily scared. Get some fake spiders to hang in the cobwebs; bonus points if they're small enough to be believable. Play some creepy music to set the tone; soundtracks from horror video games often work well to get the heart racing! You're only limited by your budget and your imagination.
Monster Favors
Fill bright green or blue paper bags with goodies and glue or draw on a monster eyeball to the outside of each bag. Fill with candy if it's a Halloween party. Make sure you check over with parents to ensure there are no food allergies or insensitivities. When it comes to candy, you need to be especially careful.
If this is a birthday party, consider including some monster-themed toys instead. Little figurines are a great option. Glow sticks can also be fun, especially if they're green! A monster mask is another great choice; guests can wear them for the duration of the party!