October is a fun time because of the transition to fall, Halloween, and the beginning of the holiday and party season in general. Halloween is a favorite time of year for so many adults and children. Being able to dress up as something you want to be, something silly, or a favorite character is always a fond memory. This Halloween makes sure that your block party is one that will be remembered by all.

Decorations

Decorations are a must for your spooky season party. There are many different options for decorations. Depending on the venue of the party will determine what kind of decor you will need. One easy place you can always add some decor to is the bathroom of the area you will be partying in. Writing some ominous things on the mirror in red lipstick or fake blood is always a fun one to see. Dry ice is also usually available at some grocery stores around this time, adding this to a cauldron is something fun you can add to the punch. Fog machines are also a big hit, and you can typically rent them for a good price that will add a spooky feel to your party. The decorations can be as extreme or as minimal as you want because depending on other activities that you have going on, the place could decorate themselves!

Music

Having some music in the background will help bring the party together. There are a lot of Halloween classics that you can play amongst different instrumental songs that people would like to hear while they’re partying around. Create a playlist ahead of time and just put it on a shuffle or a loop, so you don’t have to worry about messing with it and just enjoy the party.

Activities

Luckily there are plenty of Halloween activity games that you won’t be left short scrambling. The apple bob is always a huge hit at Halloween parties and is fun for kids and adults. You can get some Halloween themed and decorated donuts and have people tie their hands behind their backs and eat the whole donut off a string with only their mouth. This game always provides some great photos afterward. Other activities can be decorating caramel-dipped apples, and pin the spider on the web would be a fun game to play, and you can even adapt it for different age groups.

Treats/Candy

I like to think that some people have nightmares of zombies, but dentists have nightmares of children on Halloween night. Luckily we can help dentists by choosing and not picking, certain candies, helping our kids brush their teeth consistently and effectively after eating candy. When picking out candy, there are, fortunately, a lot of options. Having a variety of options of the different candy, treats, and even veggies disguised as Halloween characters will hopefully limit candy consumption. If you are worried about children with allergies or health-specific restrictions, luckily, there are a lot of different options for gluten-free and vegan candies. A quick google search will help you find some good options to bring.

Alternative to Trick-or-Treating

If you’re throwing your block party close enough to Halloween and you’re worried about overloading the entire neighborhood on some serious sweets, think about an alternative to trick or treating. Though you still may get trick-or-treaters Halloween night, you could see if your community wanted to participate in a trunk-or-treat. This is an event where you have everyone decorate their cars in some way, and the kids can go from car to car in a safe, well lit, parking area or park, and they can get their treats that way. There are some really fun ways to decorate the trunk of your car when you put your mind to it. This is a fun, and safe alternative since all adults will be there and present and able to help you keep an eye out for your little ones.


Halloween is a fun time for children and adults alike and a great time to bring the community together to have a party and make memories. When you’re planning a party, make sure you grab all of the essentials from decorations, treats, a couple of tricks, and your friends. You can always have different neighbors sign up for different things to contribute to the party so that you don’t become overwhelmed. You can also talk with your community and ask if they are interested in participating in a trunk-or-treat instead of traditional trick or treating. This is a fun alternative that allows the neighborhood to get out, decorate their trunks, and get out of the house. This way, all of the adults and children are in one place and can have fun together.