Haunted House Halloween Party

If you choose to celebrate Halloween, you probably want to do it in style.  That could mean having a haunted house Halloween party.  But how do you make your house look spooky enough to be considered haunted?[ad]

Start out by asking yourself some questions.  The answers will make decorating easier.

1.  Where will you start decorating?  Do you begin outside and carry the decorations into the house or will you decorate beginning at the front door?
2.  How many rooms in your house will be haunted?
3.  How many people can safely fit in each room you plan on using?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you plan a more effective, fun-filled haunted house. 

Be aware of the ages of the people who will be coming to your party and plan your decorations and entertainment accordingly.  If there will be several children, you may choose to have an area that is set aside for those more squeamish.

Decide how much money you’re willing to spend on decorations.  If you can’t afford all of the mechanized coffins and fog machines, you can still have a great haunted house.  Here are some ideas:

* Have all family members dress up in scary costumes:  werewolves, vampires, witches, and skeletons are good choices.
* Play a scary movie in one of the rooms and have someone dress up like the main character to jump out at the guests at pivotal points in the movie.
* Create a mad scientist lab with plenty of items for your guests to feel.  Peel grapes for eyeballs, spaghetti in a bowl, or make a brain out of jell-o.
* Set aside buckets of dry ice throughout the house to give it an eerie feel.
* Use police tape to block off areas that shouldn’t be entered.

Keep safety in mind when creating your haunted house.  You need enough light so people can get safely through the rooms, but not so much that the room is fully lit. Cover the windows with dark fabric or plastic bags so outside light doesn’t seep in.  Find your old strobe or black lights to change the atmosphere.  Use orange or red light bulbs in your lamps.

Create a maze with cardboard or sheets.  If you have enough people that are helping, have some of them stand between the hanging sheets to make noise and grab at the guests.  Hang bats, spiders and spider webs, and skeletons inside the maze for people to walk into.

If these things haven’t given you any ideas, take a look online.  There are websites galore that have pictures of past haunted houses and you’re sure to get some great ideas from them.  When it’s time to plan your haunted house Halloween party, if you do it right, your house will be a scream!
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Cheap Kids Halloween Costumes Ideas

Costumes Under $10.00
One of the things kids like most about Halloween, besides the candy, is the chance to dress up.  If your family is on a budget, you may not want to spend much for a costume your child will only wear once.  Here are some Halloween costumes for under $10.00 that your child, and your budget, might like.

If you have a good idea what size your child will wear next year, hitting the costume sales at the end of the season is a great way to pay less than $10.00 for a ready-made Halloween costume.  Of course, you’ll have a limited selection to choose from, but you will probably be able to buy several for the same amount and could actually mix and match them to create an entirely new costume.[ad]

You can also find costumes or elements of costumes – capes, masks, or make-up – online at various costume vendors.  You may even be able to find the perfect costume for a very reasonable price, including shipping charges.  Check around online and see what you can find in your price range.

Knights are always a costume of choice among little boys.  Head over to your local dollar store and you’ll probably be able to find a shield, sword, or a hook.  You may also be able to find items so your child can dress up like a cowboy. 

Dollar stores will have dress-up clothes for your little girls, too.  High-heeled shoes, party purses, and dresses are items your little princess will enjoy.  Include a touch of make-up to make her feel special.

Is there a costume store near you?  If there is, they may have great costumes that you can rent for $10.00 or under.  If you can’t find what you want, you may be able to get some ideas for costumes you can make that will keep you within your budget.

Dress your favorite boy in a flannel shirt, blue jeans, and a life jacket to let the world know he’s a little fisherman.  Have him don a floppy hat with lures attached, and create a cardboard fish that you can put on a fishing pole.  He’ll have fun and you probably have everything you need at home.

Hannah Montana is so big right now with little girls.  While you might be able to dress up your daughter to look like Hannah, it would probably cost more than $10.00.  Instead of Hannah, you can still dress her like a rock star.  Use tights with sequins, a blue jean skirt, high heels, and spiky hair.

Halloween costumes aren’t usually used more than once, so spending much on them is frustrating.  But, you can find costumes under $10.00 if you look around.  Take some time now to start planning and you may find the perfect costume without breaking your budget.

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