How to Host a
Halloween Birthday Party

Kids whose birthdays overlap with holidays can sometimes feel overshadowed by the holiday itself. If your child’s birthday is in late October, help them feel special by hosting an awesome Halloween birthday party. As a notoriously fun, kid-centric holiday, Halloween makes a perfect party theme, and you can help make your little one feel extra special and lucky to have a birthday at this time of year. You don’t have to look too far to come up with some great kids’ Halloween birthday party ideas. All you’ll need are guests, snacks, decorations and some fun activities for everyone to enjoy together.

One of the most important first steps is to come up with a guest list and send out invites. Make it clear that kids should arrive in costume. If possible, have a small box of costume items available just in case. That way, no one will feel left out, and you’ll have a festive-themed atmosphere to keep the part going. You can get even more specific with your theme by requesting that guests wear a specific type of costume, such as dressing up as their favorite animal or their favorite characters from a movie or TV show.

For other elements of the Halloween party, tailor your approach based on your child’s age. Young kids may not be quite ready for skeletons and ghost stories, but older kids may be excited by some mildly spooky stuff. If your child is young enough that parental supervision will be required for the entire duration of the party, invite some parents to attend and ask them to dress up in costume as well. Provide some adult-specific treats to go alongside your kids’ snacks, and everyone will have a blast.

To keep the focus on the birthday boy or girl, pick out decorations with your child. Select the stuff that he finds the most appealing, and remember to save some space for personalized items. Include some traditional birthday decorations, like streamers and balloons. Consult your child on color choices; the traditional Halloween colors of orange and black may not be their first choice. Don’t let the birthday party part of the equation slide. It’s easy to get caught up in cobwebs and pumpkins, but paying attention to the birthday boy or girl’s preferences is important, too.

In order to keep Halloween from distracting too much from the party, you may not want to schedule your party on Halloween, itself. When trick-or-treating is on the table, kids are more focused on what’s going to go into their treat bags than party activities. To make sure the birthday boy or girl remains the main focus of the event, schedule your party the weekend before Halloween so you can make the most of holiday anticipation. The party may not coincide exactly with your child’s birthday, but there’s no reason for that to detract from the festivities.

When the big day finally arrives, be prepared to provide party snacks and treats. Use holiday-themed serving plates and tableware, but ask your child what kind of snacks they want. There are lots of great options for Halloween-themed treats, like pumpkin-shaped cheese balls or banana ghosts with chocolate chips for eyes and a mouth, but including some of your little one’s favorite treats will make the party’s focus more clear. And don’t forget to include a birthday cake or some other kind of special birthday treat topped with candles. As with other party elements, making the cake focused on your child’s interests rather than on Halloween itself can help you balance the holiday with a birthday celebration.

Finally, make your whole home as festive as possible to highlight the fact that this is a special day. Dress everyone in the family in a costume, too. Seeing a baby brother or sister wearing a lively costume will likely delight your little one and can help get the whole family into the spirit. Balancing a birthday with a major holiday like Halloween doesn’t have to be difficult. By finding ways to make it fun and festive, your child will soon come to love that their birthday overlaps with such an enjoyable, fun-loving holiday season.