Although there’s really nothing to fear about bats, and they don’t actually attack people to drink their blood nor are they blind, it’s fun to let your imagination run wild, especially on Halloween. The days are getting shorter, the air is crisp and the leaves are dying – the perfect conditions for your kids to go wild. This year, forget about ghosts and witches, take a cue from Edgar Allan Poe and plan your Halloween party around these fearsome black mammals. Find everything you need for a “ghostly” party that will drive your guests crazy, from invitations to crafts to games.
invitations
- Use a white paint pen to write party details on black bat-shaped cutouts. Paste on orange craft paper and send to guests.
- decorations
- Set the mood for your party by hanging upside-down bats made of black construction paper from trees or on your front porch.
- Trim the front door with bat decals or cutouts. Add a banner with a scary saying.
- Carve bat-shaped pumpkins and place them on the front porch and inside the house. For an extra ghoulish effect, light candles and place them inside the pumpkins.
- Using black and orange ribbon, hang bat shapes from the ceiling along with black and orange balloons.
- Make a bat banner out of construction paper.
- For a centerpiece decoration, paint a large, bare tree branch black and glue black construction paper or plastic bats to it.
- Sprinkle bat-shaped confetti on tables and counters.
bat hunting game
Hide some toy or construction paper bats around the house, inside or outside, before the guests arrive. Give each guest a paper bag and flashlight and turn off the lights or go outside. Have the guests look for the hidden bats. The person who finds the most bats is the winner. Give a small prize to the winner if you wish. (Variation: You could have a special bat for guests to find, and the person who finds that bat will also get a prize.)
Owls and Bats Game
You will need some plastic or rubber bats. There must be one time less than the number of players. For example, if you have 6 players, use 5 bats. Before the game, color or paint a spot on the bottom of each bat. Have the children sit in a circle. Place the bats, markings down, on the ground in the middle of the circle. Ask the children to choose a bat. The boy without the bat is the “owl”. Have the “owl” sit in the middle of the circle. The “owl” points to a boy and tries to guess the color of the spot on that boy’s bat. If the “owl” guesses the correct color, the boy with the bat runs around the circle and the “owl” tries to catch him before he sits down again. If the “owl” catches the boy with the bat, he will turn back into a bat. If not, the “bat” becomes the “owl”.
party favors
Visit your local party supply store or discount store and look for inexpensive bat-related novelties such as key chains, plastic toys, jewelry, etc.
Bat/Snack Cookie Decorating Activity
Let the kids decorate their own bat-shaped sugar cookies. Set up a table with paper plates, plastic knives, napkins along with sugar cookies cut into bat shapes, different colors of icing, sprinkles, candy corn, etc.
Snacks/Drinks
- Top cupcakes with black and add edible bat-shaped decorations.
- Use bat cookie cutters to make bat sandwiches or pancakes. Using a bat cookie cutter, cut the flour tortillas into bat shapes. Lightly brush both sides of each bat shape with oil. Place the tortilla shapes on a cookie cutter and place in the oven. Grill the tortilla shapes, turning the fries once when they begin to brown. When they are golden brown on both sides, sprinkle lightly with salt or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
- Bat grog: Combine 2 cups grape juice, 2 cups lemon-lime soda, lime sherbet, and lemon sherbet. Cool.
