Under the Witch's Broom (K-6)

Pretend witch broom
Cardboard blocks
Halloween music

1. This is a version of the popular musical game "Limbo," in which players test their flexibility by leaning backward and shimmying under a broomstick or other bar.

2. Use a pretend witch broom as the limbo bar and have the children pass under it.

3. Use cardboard blocks to hold up the broom. These work well because you can lower the blocks for each new round. Or if you have enough helpers, they can hold the broom.

4. Always use music.

 Which's Hat Toss (K-6)

Witch hat
chenille sticks (also called pipe cleaners)
Masking tape

1. Before the party, form three rings from chenille sticks that are big enough to fit over the point of a witch's hat.

2. Stand up a witch's hat on the floor or on a table. If necessary, stuff the hat with paper to help it stand better.

3. Using masking tape, make a sine on the floor about three feet from the hat.

4. Give the children the three rings and have them toss them at the witches hat to land over the point.

5. Move the line closer to the hat for younger grades.

  Broom Sweep (K-6)

1. Form two teams.

2. Sitting on the floor in front of them, each team will have a wad of crumpled newspaper, a witch broom and a witch hat.

3. Place a student's desk about eight feet in front of each team.

4. When a parent helper says "go," the first member of each team puts the witch hat on and sweeps the wad of paper toward and around the desk and back to the team.

5. The next person is handed all of the equipment and proceeds like the first person.

6. The winner is the first team to finish.

7. You can also play the game with a time limit. This might allow some members to go two or three times.

Variation: Use orange construction cones. Have the teams wind in and out of the cones while sweeping the paper. This version is great for the older grades.

Pass The Broom (K-6)

Witch broom
Halloween music
Variation: One broom per four kids.

1. Have the children from a circle and pass the broom around the circle.

2. Play music, the stop it unexpectedly.

3. The person holding the broom has been poisoned by the wicked witch and is out.

4. Start the music again and repeat the process.

5. Keep playing unil one child is left.

6. Children who have been eliminated should stand outside the circle and cheer for the others.

Variation: For older kids pass around several brooms, approximately one per four students. Be sure to play their music. To really confuse them, pass the brooms in alternating directions.

Cast A Spell (K-6)

Cauldron-type pot
One plastic snake
One plastic frog
One plastic finger
One old rag
Two plastic mice
Three plastic bats
Three plastic toes
Four plastic worms
Five plastic bugs
Poster board

1. Before the party write the following lists on poster board and display them near the cauldron.

1 Frog
5 Bugs
1 Finger

1 Snake
2 Mice
4 Worms

3 Bat
3 Toes
1 Old Rag

2. Tell the kids that in order for the witch's spell to work the following combination of items need to be tossed into the pot.

3. Mark a starting line.

4. The children choose a list and toss the items from that list into the cauldron trying to cast a spell.

 Flying Witches (K-6)

Cardboard or plywood
Paints
Notebook paper

1. Cut a witch shape out of plywood or cardboard. Paint it.

2. Cut out a hole in the stomach area.

3. During the party, have the kids make paper airplanes (pretend the are witches on broomsticks).

4. Have the kids fly their airplanes (witches) through the opening.

  Witch Tic-Tac-Toe (K-6)

Paper
Pencils

1. Hand out sheets of paper divided into nine boxes.

2. Write this sentence on the chalk board: "Don't be afraid of witches you see on Halloween".

3. Have the children write one word from this sentence into each of their boxes; anywhere they would like, but each word can only be written once.

4. Before the party, write the sentence on a long piece of paper, then clip each word apart so you end up with nine pieces. Put the pieces in a deep bowl.

5. Pull out a piece of paper and read the word. The kids cross off that word on their paper.

6. The first child to cross of three words in a row either across, down or diagonally wins. A few might win simultaneously.

Other examples of nine-word sentences you might use are:

1. Beware of the witch's brew at the witching hour.

2. Why do witches have huge warts on their noses?

3. The witch flies on her broom on Halloween night.

Ballroom