Aside from trick-or-treating, Halloween parties are the perfect way to celebrate fall's spookiest and most sugar-filled holiday. Most Halloween party hosts like to plan Halloween party games and activities for their gathering to help make the occasion more festive and keep guests entertained. There are plenty of Halloween party games and activities out there for hosts to choose from, including these classic favorites.

Costume Contest

No Halloween party is complete without a costume contest recognizing the creativity and originality of the guests' costumes. Costume contests are also a great way to encourage guests to dress up for the party and make the occasion more festive and focused on the holiday being celebrated. Party hosts can have guests vote on the overall best costume or have them rate costumes in different categories like the "most original," "most convincing," and "most eye-catching." Costume contest winners should be given a Halloween-themed prize like a bag of candy, carving pumpkin or Halloween home decor.

Classic Children's Games

Classic children's games like Hot Potato and Pin the Tail on the Donkey can be adapted to make ideal Halloween party games and activities for the younger set. Hot Potato can become Pass the Pumpkin as children pass around mini pumpkin to Halloween-themed music. When the music stops, whoever is holding the pumpkin is out, until just one child remains.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey can be adapted to Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin by simply posting a large picture of a jack-o-lantern on the wall, blindfolding children, and having them place the nose as close to where it belongs as they can. Whichever comes closest to putting the nose in the right place wins. Candy, fake vampire teeth, and Halloween pencils and erasers make great choices for Halloween party game prizes for children.

Bobbing for Apples

Bobbing for apples is a classic fall game that deserves a place at any Halloween party and is idea for both children and adults. Few Halloween party games and activities will provide as many laughs and entertainment for guests as bobbing for apples, as catching an apple can actually prove quite difficult. All hosts need for Bobbing for Apples is a large tub of water and several apples. Participants then take turns using only their mouths to retrieve an apple, and whoever gets one wins a prize.

Telling scary stories is the perfect way to wrap up a Halloween party, and is easy to make age-appropriate for any crowd. For an adult Halloween party guests can take turns telling their scariest and goriest ghost stories, while for a kids' parties an adult can tell semi-spooky stories or read Halloween children's books aloud. Older children may want to tell scary stories themselves, but should be advised to keep them from getting too graphic if younger children are present.