Whether or not trick-or-treating takes place, you can still make the holiday fun this year with a few simple Halloween Party Games for Kids. 

These games can be played at home with just your family, or shared with a few friends in the backyard.  Add a few fun treats and some of these other kids Halloween Party ideas and make it a day they’ll remember.  

Looking for ways to make this Halloween extra special for the kids?  

Check out these Halloween STEM Activities for some fun ideas to get kids experimenting and having fun this October.  

Kids Halloween Party Game Supplies

Start preparing now and be ready to celebrate with fun games all month long.  

Affiliate links have been used below.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

• Plastic Ping Pong Ball Eyes — This silly ping pong balls can be used in so many fun games.  You can also use them in this spooky & fizzy Halloween science experiment.  
• Lollipops — These are perfect for making cute candy ghosts for kids to hunt.  They can also serve as a sweet prize for winners of the games.  
• Orange Balloons — Turn them into Jack-o-lanterns by drawing faces on them with permanent marker.  Then use them to decorate and to play Pop the Pumpkin.  
• Candy Pumpkins — These mini pumpkins are perfect for catapulting.  You can also use them in this candy STEM activity.  
• Spider Rings —  Use these for the spider races below, or make your own life-size a spider web maze and decorate it with them.  

Halloween Party Games for Kids

DIY Halloween Games — Recycle an empty box into a Feed the Monster Game.  Create your own Spider Web Maze.  Learn how to play Pop the Pumpkin and more in this collection of fun DIY party games for Halloween.  

Catapulting Pumpkins  —  Turn this Halloween STEM activity into a fun party game.  Who can get the most candy pumpkins into the bucket?  How many can you get in the bucket in just one minutes?  

Halloween Games with Plastic Eyeballs — If you’ve been shopping in October, you’ve probably seen those silly looking ping pong balls that are decorated to look like eyeballs.  Discover 10 fun games, including relay races and scavenger hunts, that use those plastic eyeballs.  

Candy Ghost Hunt — Kids of all ages will have fun with this Halloween scavenger hunt idea.  This game is lots of fun when played outside, but can also be done indoors.  

Truth or Scare — Remember playing Truth or Dare as a kid?  This Halloween version makes it super easy — just pick a Truth or Scare card.  And don’t worry, the ideas are all clean and kid-friendly questions and Halloween-inspired dares, like dancing the Monster Mash.  

Spider Races — Turn those plastic spider rings into a fun game with some drinking straws and a lot of giggles.  

Pumpkin Ring Toss — Create your very own ring toss game with a few glow necklaces and pumpkins.  Afterwards the kids can have the necklaces to wear like a prize.  

Mummy Races — Turn your party-goers into mummy’s with something you already have at home.  Then unleash the giggles as they hop towards the finish line.  

Halloween Minute-to-Win-It Games —  From pumpkin bowling to stacking ghosts these quick games are guaranteed to get the kids giggling.  

Halloween-Themed Charades —  Have fun acting out different Halloween items using the free printable cards as inspiration.   This game can be adapted to any age, making it perfect for families to play together. 

These Halloween party games for kids are perfect for making the holiday extra special for the kids this year.  

You may also like:

• Homemade Googly Eye Slime
• Vanishing Ghosts STEM Activity
• Godzilla Party Games

The post Halloween Party Games for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

What I found was tons of sites suggesting using a special cake pan and pictures of finished cakes with no directions.  I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I also didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on a cake pan I’d only use once.

So I got out the cake pans I had, traced their shapes on paper, cut and pieced them together until I came up with my own Star Wars-inspired DIY Darth Vader Cake.

Affiliate links have been used below.  For my full disclosure policy click here. 

Have your own Star Wars fan at home?

This DIY Star Wars cake is sure to be a big hit at any Star Wars party.  

These Storm Trooper Cupcakes are a fun addition if you’re looking for cupcake ideas, too.

Darth Vader Cake

Materials Needed:

• 9 Inch Square Cake Pan
• 9 Inch Circle Cake Pan
• Serrated Knife  (I used my bread knife.)
• Black Cake Icing (I used 2 packages of this one.)
• White Decorating Icing 
• Your Favorite Cake Mix (1 box)
• Wax Paper (optional)

How to Make a Darth Vader Cake

Bake cake mix as directed, pouring half the batter into your circle cake pan and half into the square cake pan.

Allow cakes to cool completely and remove from cake pans.  

Pop the square cake into the freezer for one hour so it is easier to cut into pieces without crumbling issues.

Once you remove the square cake from the freezer, cut triangles off from opposite corners of the cake.

To make your triangles the same size, simply cut one, flip it over and use it as a guide to cut your second triangle so they are mirror images of each other.  (My triangles were 7 inches at the longest side and close to 5 inches on the side facing out.)

Position these at an angle from the circle cake as shown in the picture below.  

Next, cut another triangle from the bottom of your square cake.  This will form Darth Vader’s chin.

Cut the remaining portion of the square cake in half.  

Use one piece of this to fill in the area above Darth Vader’s chin.

Use the other half to cut pieces to fill in gaps you have left.  (Hint:  If you slide a piece of waxed paper under those spaces you can use a pen to draw the shape onto the wax paper, cut it out and use it as a pattern to cut the cake pieces.)

Use a bit of frosting to hold the pieces of the cake puzzle together.   Then cover in black cake frosting.

I couldn’t find black in the canned frosting I usually buy, so I bought 2 of these decorating icing packs.  You could also use chocolate frosting and add a bit of black food coloring.

Once your cake is covered in black frosting, use white decorating icing to add facial details.

This Darth Vader cake was a huge hit at my son’s 7th birthday, and it is sure to be a hit at your party, too!

You may also like:

• Recycled R2-D2 Inspired Craft
• DIY Lightsabers
• Shark Birthday Cake
• Tractor Cake and Cupcakes

Originally published on May 21, 2016.

The post DIY Darth Vader Star Wars Cake first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Trees get decorated.  Stockings are hung. 

And kids everywhere get a little antsy counting down the days until Christmas.  

Playing a candy cane game together is a fun family activity for the month.  And these simple games work great at parties, too.   

In fact, candy cane activities like these are some of our favorite Christmas crafts & activities to do in December. 

These games using candy canes would be fun kids Christmas party activities.  

And if you are looking for craft ideas, these Homemade Christmas Ornaments would be fun to make with the kids.

Candy Cane Games 

Candy Cane Fishing — Kids of all ages will have fun making a candy cane fishing pole and using it in this silly Christmas minute-to-win-it game.  

Candy Cane Alphabet Game — Preschoolers will have fun using candy to form the letters of the alphabet. 

Who Stole the Candy Cane — This is a fun twist on the old “Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar” game.  Kids will have fun taking turns guessing who took the candy.

Candy Cane I Spy —  This free printable game is perfect for working on counting skills as well as visual discrimination.  

Candy Cane Snag — Imagine tag, with candy canes….  This one would be tons of fun to play outside.  

Candy Hunt from the Elf — Does your home have an elf?  Print out this note and he or she can set up a fun hide-n-seek game for your kids.

Bobbing for Candy Canes — You’ve heard of bobbing for apples…  This is a fun twist on it for the holidays.  It would be fun at a kids party, or even a group of adults!  

Candy Cane Card Game — This is a fun twist to the popular game of Spoons. 

Candy Cane Catch — Create your very own candy version of the ball and cup game with this fun Christmas game for kids.  

Candy Cane Hunt —  Why wait for spring for a candy hunt?  Check out this Christmas scavenger hunt that will leave kids smiling.  

No matter which candy cane game you try, the kids are going to have a blast playing with this colorful candy.  

You may also enjoy:

• Beaded Candy Cane Ornament 
• Christmas STEM:  Graphite Circuit Christmas Tree 
• Elf on the shelf STEM activities

The post Candy Cane Games for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

For a while there it seemed everywhere you went kids were singing it or watching the video. 

It just makes sense that when it comes to shark games for kids, there should be some geared towards toddlers and preschoolers that focus on their favorite song.

These Baby Shark Party Games would be perfect for a birthday party or to get out and play during a playdate.  

These games for a baby shark themed party are perfect for young kids. 

If you are hosting a shark party for older kids, check out these shark party games.   And for games to sneak in a bit of learning, check out these educational shark games. 

Baby Shark Party Games

Affiliate links have been used below for your convenience.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

Pin the Fin on the Shark — Young kids will love the adorable baby shark, surrounded by his crab, fish, and octopus friends.  The set includes 48 fins, in 6 different colors, as well as a blindfold.  

Feed the Shark Bean Bag Toss — This large (55.9 x 33.8 inch) bag toss game includes 3 cute sharks, each with an open mouth just waiting to be fed.   Having three different targets allows you to modify the game for a variety of ages.  Bean bags are included. 

Guess How Many Sharks— Buy some gummy shark candy and have guests write down how many sharks are in the jar on these adorable notecards.  

DIY Shark Party Games —  Discover how you can easily make 4 of your very own shark games.  Make a cardboard Feed the Shark game that doubles as a photo prop.  See how long party guests can keep their balloon shark in the air and more.  

Hungry Shark Dart Board— This fabric dart set is perfect for kids that love sharks.  They’ll love tossing the fish shaped darts at the shark’s open mouth.  The winner is the one with the most points. 

Pin the Teeth on the Shark — This cute poster makes a fun decoration for any party.  Then use the 2 blindfolds to see who can put the shark’s teeth in the correct spot.  

Shark Toss  —  This would be fun for a beach party or any ocean themed party.  Kids will love the colorful sea creatures featured on the 4.5 x 2.5 foot banner.  

Your child will love these Baby Shark Games.  Grab a few of these adorable party supplies and you will be set to throw the best Baby Shark party ever. 

Baby Shark Party Supplies

 


 
You may also enjoy:

• DIY Shark Cake 
• BEST Shark Books for Kids
• Best Mermaid Gifts for Girls 
• Games for Kids

The post Baby Shark Party Games first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

When it comes to movies, my son is a HUGE Godzilla fan.  He loves all the classic movies, where the monsters are played by actors in suits.  He has even had not 1 Godzilla birthday party, but 2.  

With the new movie coming out this summer, I thought it was the perfect time to share some of our favorite Godzilla party ideas for kids. 

Summer is also perfect for these shark party games.  

This post contains affiliate links.  See my full disclosure for more details. 

Do you have your own Godzilla fan at home?

These kids party ideas are perfect for celebrating the “King of Monsters.”

Godzilla Party Ideas for Kids

Start off with the perfect cake idea. 

Then find some fun homemade games for your child’s party, and of course, ideas for party favors to thank each of your guests.  

Godzilla Birthday Cake

Cupcakes are perfect for kids’ birthday parties.   

For one thing, they allow you to serve up cake much faster than having to cut a large cake into pieces.  They eliminate the need for silverware, and they help you avoid the whole, “His piece is bigger than mine” drama.  

To make your Godzilla cake, start with your favorite cake mix, using the option to make 24 cupcakes.  

Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled completely, cover 22 cupcakes with Black Decorator Icing.  I used the decorator tip and kept the icing a bit bumpy to give the “King of Monsters” a little texture.  You could also use black fondant for a super smooth look. 

Cover one cupcake with white frosting.  Add a small dot of black icing  in the center to form an eye.

Arrange the 23 cupcakes on a table or large tray as shown to form the shape of Godzilla’s head.  (If your cake mix made 24 cupcakes, now’s a good time to taste that extra one…for quality control purposes, of course!)

Once the cupcakes are arranged, cut 2 blue triangular spikes from construction paper.  Tuck them under the cupcakes at the back of  the monster’s head.  Add some blue paper flames shooting from his mouth to complete your Godzilla cupcakes.

Godzilla Party Games

Every great kids birthday party has fun games.  

Squirt guns and water balloons are always big hits for warm weather parties.   Give them a monster twist by creating targets with some of the monsters you find in Godzilla movies.  

You can easily find pictures of the monsters online.  Print them out and hang them to use as targets.  You can even laminate them to make them last a little longer.

Or, if you are feeling artistic, grab some large pieces of cardboard and draw your own monsters.  Attach them to posts and create a fun monster battle site.

Kids will have fun squirting the targets with water guns, or get a pack or two of blue water balloons for them to toss at the monsters.  (Blue, like Godzilla’s breath weapon, of course!) 

Another fun monster party game is “Build a Monster.”

For this game you will need:

• Colorful Rolls of Crepe Paper 
• Cheap Plastic Headbands
• Pipe Cleaners
• Construction Paper
• Masking Tape

Before the party, twist pipe cleaners to the headbands to create antennae.  (They could also become eye stalks during the game.)

Cut out a variety of eyes, mouths, and noses from the construction paper.  

To play the game, divide kids into groups of 2-3.  Each group will have 5 minutes to turn one member of their group into a monster.

Each team should have one roll of crepe paper. 

They will start by wrapping colorful crepe paper around their future monster.  They can wrap it around the player’s arms and chest, around their legs…wherever they wish, but they must use the entire roll.  

Then they can add antennae, as many eyes, noses, and mouths as they like.  They may even come up with a few of their own ideas — like using masking tape to create “claws” or taping eyes to the tops of the pipe cleaner antennae.  

When the 5 minutes are up, be sure to snap a picture of each group’s creation.  

Party Favors for Godzilla Birthday

For a fun and simple DIY party favor, print out several pictures of Godzilla breathing fire.  (We used this Gozilla Coloring Page. )

Then wrap clear plastic wrap around sticks of blue rock candy  and tape the candy to the picture to make it look like Godzilla’s fire.

Your child may even want to write, “Thanks for coming!” to create a fun thank you card to give guests.  

Looking for more favor ideas?

Try colorful monster finger puppets (AKA Godzilla monster friends) or mini stuffed monsters. 

Whether your child is a long-time fan, or is inspired by this summer’s movie, these Godzilla party ideas for kids are sure to be monster hits. 

You may also like these posts:

• Star Wars Party Ideas
• Shark Party Games
• How to Make a Dragon Cake
• Games for Kids

The post Godzilla Party Ideas for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

What’s a mom to do?

Since I made him a 3-dimensional car birthday cake 2 years ago, I was pretty sure I could make him a tractor cake. 

To satisfy his love of the tipping tractors, I made matching tractor cupcakes, too. 

This is a fun boy’s birthday cake idea.  You may also like my Darth Vader cake idea. 

Tractor Cake

Start by baking your favorite cake mix in 2 9×5 loaf pans.   

Let the cakes cool completely.  Then put them in the freezer for 30-40 minutes.  This will help them not crumble as much when you cut them in pieces.  

Once you remove the cakes from the freezer, use a serrated knife to carefully cut off the top of one of the cakes.  This will become the main body of the  cake tractor. 

Then cut off the top of the other cake and cut it in half.  This will form the tractor’s cab.

To put the tractor together, use icing between the layers to “glue” them together. 

Once the body is made, ice the entire cake.  We chose a light green color, but you could make your tractor birthday cake any color your child likes. 

For wheels, add 2 chocolate donuts on the back, using a bit of icing to hold them on.  

You can use mini donuts for the front wheels, or use chocolate sandwich cookies.  (This is what I did since I was buying the cookies for the cupcakes already.)

Use decorator icing to add windows to the tractor.  

Then, stick a pretzel rod into the tractor as a smoke stack.  

I smeared extra icing on the cake plate and crumbled a few graham crackers for “dirt.”

Tractor Cupcakes

If you plan on having kids at the party, tractor shaped cupcakes are a must!  They are so much easier than having to deal with cutting up a cake for a bunch of anxious little ones.

Kids will love these tipped tractor cupcakes.  

Start by using your favorite cake mix to make cupcakes.  

Once the cupcakes are cool, put them in the freezer for 10 minutes.  This will help with crumbling later.  

When you remove the cupcakes from the freezer, slice off just a bit of one side of each cupcake.  Then stand the cupcake on this cut side to give it the tipped tractor look.

Use a mini candy bar to make the front of each tractor.  You could also use a wafer cookie.  Just cut a small square on the opposite side that you cut before and squish the candy bar in part way.  

Ice the cupcakes and candy bars.  

Add chocolate sandwich cookies to make the back wheels.  Mini Oreos make the smaller front wheels.  

Finally, break a pretzel stick in half to form a little smoke stack for each cupcake.  

And, if your little one wants the tractors to have eyes, you can add these candy eyes, or make eyes with decorator icing.

Have your own tractor fan at home?  

They will love this tractor cake and coordinating tractor cupcakes.  

You may also like these posts:

• Learning Activities with Vehicles 
• Fire Truck & Fire Prevention Activities 

The post Tractor Cake and Cupcakes first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.