Hideously fun Halloween party ideas for the whole family By Kit Bennett, AmazingMoms.com Hey gals and ghouls, it's that time of year again. Halloween is here! Today Halloween is the most popular holiday next to Christmas. At its heart is family and friends having fun together. Whether you are dressing up and heading for the neighbor's door or a party, there are plenty of great ideas to share the excitement of the holiday with your children. Half the fun for children is in the expectation of the event, so why not try these quick family fun ideas as a way to initiate the Halloween season. They can be done any day in October to build the excitement. Explore the inside of a gourd or pumpkin with your little ones. Use all your senses to experience Halloween. Let them feel, taste and smell the wonder of the season. Have a pumpkin seed-spitting contest! "Bob" for apples...it's been a while hasn't it! Fill a wagon with hay and take your child one on a "hay ride" around the neighborhood. Halloween Party Food Many families are choosing to have Halloween parties in lieu of door-to-door trick or treating. If it's a Halloween party you are planning, the fun can start with the treats you serve to your hungry ghouls. Kids love Ghostly Treat Pops before and after they unravel the treat hidden underneath. They are easy to make and a fun family activity which can be done prior to party time. MONSTER HANDS You'll need: Clear disposable plastic gloves (make sure they are not surgical coated gloves) Popped popcorn Red or green small gum drops Spider rings (optional). Place a gumdrop into each finger of the glove (these are the fingernails) and fill glove with popcorn. Tie off the end with rubber band or ribbons. Add a spider ring for fun. GHOSTLY TREATS You'll Need: 1 Tootsie Pop White tissue paper or handkerchief cut into a 10x10 square Black yarn Black marker Place a square of the white tissue over the lollipop, to form a ghost. Tie with a piece of yarn to make the head. Use the marker to draw the eyes on the ghost. Make a Ghost Treat necklace by cutting a longer piece of yarn. BUGS IN A BOWL You'll need: Popcorn Chocolate Chips Gummy Worms Mix all ingredients in a bowl to create "Bugs in a Bowl!" SCARY JELLO Cut orange JELL-O Jigglers with a pumpkin cookie cutter and lime flavor with a Bat or Witch. WITCH'S BREW Turn any punch into Witch's brew with Dry Ice - Use tongs to place the ice in an empty margarine container. Punch holes in the lid add a little water and close. Remember NEVER touch the dry ice! Always place it in a separate container. HALLOWEEN SPIDER CAKE For a more hearty treat that can be used as the centerpiece of your food table, try The Halloween Spider Cake. Guests will be delightfully disgusted spurts green "spider blood" squirts out of the cake. BATTER 18 1/4 oz box white cake mix 4-serving package green gelatin BLACK FROSTING Blue food coloring Chocolate frosting DECORATIONS 4 black licorice whips 2 big green gumballs 6 little gumballs Prepare cake using two 9-inch round cake pans. Cool. Prepare the gelatin according to package directions. It works best if it is just a little on the soft side. On a foil-covered cookie-sheet, place one cake layer for the body. Cut a smaller circle out of the center of the layer. Place this smaller round of cake as the spider's head. Fill the hole left in the body layer with gelatin. Place the other cake layer on top of the body and trim cake slightly to shape, if desired. To prepare frosting, in a mixing bowl, add blue food coloring to the chocolate frosting until black in color. Frost the entire cake black. Cut the black licorice whips in half and insert for the eight legs. Position the gumballs as eyes. SPIDER COOKIES You'll Need: Oreo cookies Frosting mix Red licorice ropes Chocolate chips or red hots Split the cookies and put three lengths of red rope licorice across the frosting, letting about 2 inches hang out both sides for legs. Add a little canned frosting and put the cookies back together. Put two small dollops of frosting on edge of cookie and add two chips or red hots for eyes. Halloween Party Games Any great party has to have games and Halloween is no exception. With just a little bit of effort you can create activities that keep your guests coming back for more. RING THE PUMPKIN Line up three large pumpkins with stems, to form a ring toss. Use embroidery hoops or make hoops with rope and duct tape. Mark a throwing line on the floor and take turns trying to ring a pumpkin stem. It doesn't matter if they get it or not, you can reward them with small prizes or stickers. Smaller children can attempt to ring an entire large pumpkin with a hula-hoop. PIN THE STEM ON THE PUMPKIN Using a poster board cut out a pumpkin. Use green construction paper to make stems that the kids pin on the pumpkin. HALLOWEEN TREASURE HUNT Hide a plastic pumpkin filled with goodies and prizes.Use hidden mini pumpkins with clues pinned to them.Each clue will lead to the larger prize! Catch the DoughnutHang mini-doughnuts from the ceiling with string.The object of the game is to be the first to eat the doughnut with out using your hands! Do not use powdered or cinnamon doughnuts. Plain is the safest! TOUCHY FEELY BOX YUCK! Cut a hole in a box large enough to reach in with your hand. The "Box Master" says that a "mad scientist left his experiment behind ---one at a time place bowls of cold noodles, olives, slime...etc. for the player to feel -No looking! For the strong stomach ...you can elaborate as they play. Halloween Costumes Of course, the true success of Halloween is weighed in the success of your costume. Originality is always a plus. If you are helping your child decide on a theme, think about characters in their favorite books, toys or television shows. Before making your final decision take into consideration the mobility necessary for your Halloween activities. There's nothing worse than a costume that inhibits running, sitting or reaching. To keep your child safe, make certain that they have a clear line of vision through their mask or headpiece. Although there are many elaborate and expensive costumes to be found in stores and online, some of the best are those that are homemade. You can utilize old bed sheets, pillowcases and men's undershirts to create the easel for your creation. Fabric paints, permanent markers and felt can be used to decorate. Stop by your local dollar store to find items, which can add the final touches and won't cost a lot. Remember that comfortable shoes are a must and you'll be off and running to a fun filled Halloween. Kit Bennett is the founder of AmazingMoms.com. 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