Favorite classroom party games?

[mousemom]

I'm organizing the games for my 1st graders Halloween party. Between google/Pinterest, I have more ideas than I know what to do with. But what I want to know from more experienced parents is what games have been most successful (fun, kept kids involved, etc.) in your kids' classrooms over the years? Thanks!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I like guess the number of candy corn in a jar and the mummy wrap game (teams race to be the first to wrap someone up in toilet paper- compost/ reuse the TP!).

[ahisma]

Bowling games are popular. Also, shooting ghosts with balloon / cup marshmallow poppers was a hit.

[pakin]

"What's In Ned's Head" game. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000096RFF?keywords=what%27s%20in%20Ned%27s%20head&qid=1444076549&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

I added Halloween-related stuff (i.e. a plastic bat, a ghost stuffed animal, a witch Pez dispenser etc.) to the game.

Pakin

[mousemom]

Bowling games are popular. Also, shooting ghosts with balloon / cup marshmallow poppers was a hit.

I'm intrigued by the shooting ghosts? How did that work?

[mousemom]

"What's In Ned's Head" game. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000096RFF?keywords=what%27s%20in%20Ned%27s%20head&qid=1444076549&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

I added Halloween-related stuff (i.e. a plastic bat, a ghost stuffed animal, a witch Pez dispenser etc.) to the game.

Pakin

This sounds interesting too. How many kids did you have playing at one time? Did they each take turns?

[jenmcadams]

Favorite game by far for kids in our class is the "musical prize walk" - I think it's been done at every class holiday party since 1st grade. We get a playlist of current (but appropriate music), have parents donate prizes, let kids "DJ" and have laminated (theme appropriate) floor numbers and smaller numbers to draw from (so Ghosts & Pumpkins w/ numbers). We joke about not doing it and doing other games, but it seems to always make it's way back to the lineup.

[mousemom]

Favorite game by far for kids in our class is the "musical prize walk" - I think it's been done at every class holiday party since 1st grade. We get a playlist of current (but appropriate music), have parents donate prizes, let kids "DJ" and have laminated (theme appropriate) floor numbers and smaller numbers to draw from (so Ghosts & Pumpkins w/ numbers). We joke about not doing it and doing other games, but it seems to always make it's way back to the lineup.

With something like this, is a kid out once they get a prize? Or can they win multiple times?

[pakin]

This sounds interesting too. How many kids did you have playing at one time? Did they each take turns?

When I was a room parent, I usually set up 4 stations (3 games and 1 craft project.) We divided the class into 4 groups and rotate about every 10 minutes. Normally we had 5-7 kids in each game. For Ned's Head game, the kids could all play at the same time.

Another fun game for a class party is Halloween Spot It!
http://www.amazon.com/Spot-it-Halloween-Card-Game/dp/B008L4ZQWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444139016&sr=8-1&keywords=Halloween+Spot+It

Pakin

[jenmcadams]

With something like this, is a kid out once they get a prize? Or can they win multiple times?

Depends on how many prizes we have - we normally have a ton of small prizes, so we might limit everyone to one bigger prize (e.g. small tin of thinking putty), but unlimited smaller prizes (candy, erasers, etc.). It's amazingg to me how many kids play and dance the whole time (or some kids just want to DJ, so we always have a waiting list for that)