Choosing Invitations for the Pumpkin Party
You might as well put your guests in the mood for the pumpkin party right away. Have your tween design and cut-out invitations from colored construction paper. The invitations can either be shaped to look like pumpkins or carved Jack-O-Lanterns (just use black permanent marker to make the eyes, nose and wicked smile). Or have your tween design an invitation to look like a carving knife. Write all the details of the pumpkin party on the back of the invitation and have your tween deliver them to her friends.Choosing The Food
Feeding tweens is pretty easy, and most of the time they're happy with just about anything that's fun and in keeping with the party theme. Paper plates and cups with a Halloween theme make eating fun, no matter what your child's age may be. Several everyday recipes can be slightly altered to give it a Halloween spin. Make a batch of Halloween Snack Mix for the youngsters, or offer orange colored treats such as cheese puffs for the kids to nibble on. Other snack ideas can include chicken bites with several dipping sauces, a fruit and vegetable tray, bowls of popcorn or nuts, and if you're daring, you can create a make-your-own caramel apple station, complete with toppings.Halloween Punch will complete the theme, and give thirsty pumpkin carvers a much needed refreshment.
The Decorations for Your Pumpkin Party
Decorating for a pumpkin party couldn't be easier. You'll need as many pumpkins in every size and shape that you can find. Place a wicked looking Jack-O-Lantern near your front door to greet guests as they arrive for the party. Inside your home, fill baskets, large bowls and other containers with smaller pumpkins. If you have a multi-level home, place a pumpkin on each stair for guests to see.Carved, medium-sized pumpkins can be placed in other rooms that your guests will use, such as the bathroom or kitchen. Just be sure they're in a safe place, where they won't be kicked or knocked over by accident. You might also consider burning a pumpkin pie-scented candle to really set the mood.
The Games
Tweens are pretty good at creating their own games, but you can move things along with a few planned activities for the pumpkin party. Put a spin on the traditional Easter Egg Hunt by having tweens hunt for small, hand-sized pumpkins. You can even color one of them black or green and offer a special prize to the tween who finds it first.Other games can include an apple bobbing contest, or a game of Pin the Nose on the Jack-O-Lantern, a variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
The Music
Put your tween in charge of finding Halloween music for the pumpkin party. Many dollar stores sell CDs of Halloween-themed background music, or your child can create and mix his or her own CD for the party. Classic Halloween songs include Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon), The Monster Mash (Bobby Boris Pickett), The Time Warp (from Rocky Horror Picture Show), and Thriller (Michael Jackson).The Carving
Be sure you have plenty of carving templates around for the tweens to use to carve their pumpkins, as well as safe tools for them to use. In addition to template books, (which you can find in discount stores and at big box retailers) offer the children other supplies so that they can create the best pumpkins ever. Other supplies can include glitter, permanent markers in a variety of colors, paint, paint brushes, felt, yarn, etc.Go over safety rules with the children before they begin to carve. Show them how to safely use the carving tools, and offer to help anyone who might need it. It might be a good idea to have several adults available to help.
The Prizes
Once the pumpkins have been carved, they're ready for display. Line them up and give the preteens a ballot so they can vote for their favorite Jack-O-Lanterns. You can have numerous categories for the competition, such as: scariest; cutest; ugliest; most creative; most glamorous; most artistic; etc.Hand-out prizes to the winners, such as small, plastic pumpkin containers filled with candy. Be sure every guest receives a pumpkin-themed goody bag before leaving the pumpkin party. You can fill the bag with pumpkin-shaped candies, pumpkin-shaped pencil erasers, pumpkin-shaped cookies, pumpkin carving templates, etc.
