October Games for Kids

Pumpkin Games

• Play a few games with kids using pumpkins during the month of October. Mark a starting line and a finish line 25 feet apart. Give each child a miniature pumpkin and a wooden spoon. Have the children line up at the starting line. When you say, "Go," each kid must place his pumpkin on the spoon and race to the finish line. If anyone drops their pumpkin, they must go back to the starting line and start over. The first player to cross the finish line wins the race. For another variation, divide the children into teams and do a relay race. If you do not have wooden spoons, have the players balance their pumpkins on their heads.

Plastic Spider Games

• Give each child 10 plastic spiders and hang a fake spider web on the wall. Mark a line 10 feet from the spider web and have the children line up at the line. The children will try to toss their plastic spiders onto the spider web. For each spider that sticks to the web, give the child a prize. There is also an inflatable plastic spider game available online and at many party supply stores. The inflatable spider comes with plastic rings that children must try to toss onto the spider's legs.

Gourd Games

• Scatter gourds on the ground and use a marker to write point values on each one. Mark a line 10 feet from the gourds and have the children line up on it. Give each child five plastic rings or make your own with rope and duct tape. The children must try to toss the rings onto the gourds. Award a prize to each child who earns a certain number of points. For a variation, do not write point values on the gourds and award a prize to each child who rings a gourd.

Skull Games

• Have the children select a partner and give each pair a plastic skull head, available at Halloween and party supply stores. Tell each pair to stand facing each other 5 feet apart. When you say, "Go," the players must toss the skull to their partners. If a player drops the skull, she is out of the game. If the player catches it, she must take one giant step back and toss it again. The team who can toss the skull from the farthest distance without dropping it wins the game. For another skull game, have all the children line up at a start line. Mark a finish line 25 feet away. Have the children race to see who can roll their skull heads to the finish line first.