It’s that time of year when room parents are in full planning mode for next week’s class Halloween parties and while some may have a fully executed plan with all the supplies purchased, some of us plan to maximize the week before to get it done. But as the day draws closer and you’re finding yourself with a long to-do list but strapped for time but here are 3 steps for creating a simple and fun party without all the stress.
Rely on your village to divide and conquer. Chances are there are other parents coming to the Halloween celebration. Figure out who they are and give them jobs! If a friend is running to the store and offers to help, give them your list and a handful of cash. Have someone meet you at your car to lend a hand with bringing in goodies for the class, task someone with helping kids get dressed in their costumes, give that person with great design sense the decorations and let them go to town, and let others dive into your bags to set up. Remember, perfection doesn’t matter when it comes to class Halloween parties! It’s all about the costumes and the fun!
Keep it simple. It’s easy to go all out with decorations, themed treats, and complicated activities that involve a lot of supplies that kids just won’t have time for. Round up the decorations you have at home to save the trouble of going out to purchase additional items, throw down an orange or black plastic tablecloth from the dollar store to change up the room while making clean up easier, and go easy on the snacks. Pop a bag of microwave popcorn to bring in, wash some grapes, and bring in a bag of mini carrots. Then add an activity like cookie decorating. While you’re out, grab a box of store bought sugar cookies, tubs of icing, frosting, box of plastic knives, and Halloween sprinkles are fun and this sugary activity does double duty as a treat and activity. Just remember to put down that plastic tablecloth first for easy clean up! Or if you want something less sweet before a night of candy, younger ages will love Scholastic Parent & Child magazine has free printable coloring pages featuring a witch, pumpkin, frankenstein, werewolf, and dracula.
Outsource. When really strapped for time, sometimes it’s easier to rely on others whether for your class Halloween party or your own family’s Halloween needs. Fiverr allows busy parents to get a variety of tasks done for home and school starting at $5. Whether you need zombie images for a coloring activity, need to be transformed into a vampire or another creature for the class party or Halloween night, want the coolest carved pumpkins on the block, or would love to send a spooky greeting to loved ones far away, Fiverr has all those tasks covered and so many more! Take a look at their Halloween landing page to figure out how they can help you this year!
Fiverr compensated me for this post but all advice about how to make class parties simple comes from years of experience and all opinions are my own!
Class Parties definitely run better when lots of parents get involved! Good tips!
Thanks Barb! I’ve done them solo but it’s always better to collaborate and have extra hands! Happy Halloween!