Painted pots make a perfect Halloween party craft

If you're not comfortable letting your children go trick-or-treating on Halloween night, a party is a great alternative. If you are comfortable allowing your children to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night, a party in the days leading up to October 31, is a great addition.

I love Halloween parties and try to host one each year. Usually, I invite friends and their children over for an afternoon of carving pumpkins, decorating Halloween cookies, and making a spooky craft. Each guest brings along a pumpkin to carve, while I provide a space (lined with plastic table cloths!), as well as snacks, and Halloween activities.

Pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies are always fun to decorate with orange icing and candies. 'Hot pumpkin', a variation on the game hot potato (played with spooky music and a gourd that resembles a pumpkin) is a simple activity for young children.

Pin the spider on the web, pin the nose on the pumpkin, or pin the witch on the broom are a few spinoffs on the traditional party game of pin the tail on the donkey (draw  your own background on Bristol board, and make the 'tail' piece from cardboard with duct tape on the back to stick it on).

Age-appropriate ghost stories told in a dark room, lit by candlelight, will get guests in the Halloween spirit. A design-your-own-Monster drawing contest promotes creativity. And an outdoor apple bobbing station monitored by adults is not only fun, but provides a healthy snack.

Along with these few ideas, here's a simple and inexpensive craft to make your Halloween party even more fun.

What you need

Painted Halloween treat pots

Collecting your materials: Find small, inexpensive terra cotta pots at craft supplies stores, department stores and building supplies stores. You will also need acrylic paints in Halloween colours such as black, orange, green and purple and some acrylic varnish. Pick up Halloween stickers or rub-on transfers to decorate the painted pots (rub-on transfers are suitable for older children). And don't forget to have enough paintbrushes on hand for each guest.

Step One: Cover the craft table with a plastic table cloth. If time allows, cover each child with a smock (old t-shirts are great) and let them paint the clean, dry pots with acrylic paint. Allow the pots to dry before decorating. If you will be tight for time or want to keep mess to a minimum, paint the pots in advance so they're ready to be decorated and varnished. TIP: write each child's name inside the pot with a permanent marker or put the name on masking tape and tape it inside the pot.

Step Two: Decorate the painted pots with Halloween stickers or rub-on transfers (follow directions given on the package). Seal the stickers or transfers in place with a coat of water based acrylic varnish.

Step Three: Before each guest goes home (and when the varnish is dry), fill the pots with Halloween treats. If you like, set the pot in a cellophane bag and tie it closed with a Halloween ribbon.

TIP: Make the craft at the beginning of the party so the pots are ready to go when the guests are!

Related links 

Dealing with Halloween loot

Halloween entertaining 

Great Halloween reads

Halloween games