We think of it as an American tradition, but it’s actually an ancient Celtic one with adaptations throughout Europe, and made popular by the Americans. But whatever its antecedents, Hallowe'en parties are popular with kids - and the best Halloween parties take time and effort says former Olympian Elka Whalan for Healthy Bones Australia.
“They can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, but the one thing all great Hallowe'en parties have in common is that they stimulate the imagination,” Elka says.
“A Halloween party is a great way for your kids to have fun, while also introducing healthy, calcium rich foods and drinks in an interesting way.”
Elka shares her tips for planning your children’s Hallowe'en bash – as well as a suitably spooky recipe!
1. Make it engaging
Kids love to get involved, and if you want make sure there is fun to be had, start your planning around the idea of engagement. This applies to everything from the decorations and food, to music and activities.
What will really get the kids attention? What do they like to see when it comes to Halloween? Allowing this idea to guide you from the very first stage of party planning will provide a strong framework to build on and make sure the entire event goes off with a bang.
2. Get creative with food
Take things up a notch from the usual range of party food and transform the menu into a real Halloween spread. There are plenty of Halloween themes that lend themselves well to food: blood, eyeballs, severed fingers, graveyards … the list is endless. For extra horror points, give the dishes creative names.
My favourite recipe is a mango smoothie with ‘dirt’ (milo), which you can jazz up further by using a biscuit to double as a gravestone, which I share below.
3. Transform the house
Orange is my favourite colour. While orange and black streamers are a good start, this is a chance to be really think outside the box!
One of the best parts about Halloween is decorating the home flexing your creativity, so why not go all out? Think of your house as a haunted mansion, and grab guests from the moment they arrive. Switch your regular fluorescent lightbulbs to coloured bulbs. Cover your front-yard with cardboard tombstones or weave thin white thread throughout the house as ‘spiderwebs’. These decorations also make great props for any activities that you plan.
4. Be prepared
Plan ahead and make sure you have all the items and resources you’ll need so that the night goes smoothly. Common things to remember when it comes to children’s parties:
- extra napkins to combat spills
- plenty of space to sit down and enjoy the food, and
- extra buckets or bowls to trick or treat with.
If you do decide to go trick or treating, a good idea is to check in with all your neighbours in advance to make sure they are happy for your little skeletons and ghosts to go knocking at their door.
Halloween Mango Smoothie with ‘Dirt’
Serves 2
Ingredients
150g frozen mango cheeks or 1 small (300g) mango, peeled and chopped
1½ cups (375ml) low fat milk
2 scoops low fat vanilla ice cream
¼ teaspoon orange gel food colouring
2 tablespoons Milo
Method
1. Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Divide between 2 tall glasses.
3. Sprinkle with Milo.
4. Serve with a spoon and straw.
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