• Pumpkin carving can be turned into a game.pumpkin image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
  
  Halloween parties are a commonplace occurrence toward the end of October. While many are held indoors, such as haunted houses or dances, an outdoor Halloween party can take advantage of the crisp fall weather. With an outdoor party, the games played can cover a broader area. In addition, games can get more messy without the fear of messing up someone's house.
  
  

Minipumpkin Launch

• Launching larger pumpkins is an activity done throughout the fall in many areas, but the fun of sending pumpkins soaring can be recreated at home. Instead of setting up an elaborate launching structure for full-sized pumpkins, a minipumpkin launch is more suited for backyard play. For this game, you'll need several miniature pumpkins, a slingshot and some small flags. If you don't have a slingshot, you can make a launcher from sticks and rubber bands or other material. Have each party guest take a minipumpkin and launch it using a slingshot. Mark the places that the pumpkins land using small flags. The guest whose pumpkin flies the farthest wins a prize.
  
  

Haunted Scavenger Hunt

• For a spooky outdoor game for guests, set up a haunted scavenger hunt. In order to do this, set the outdoor area up like a haunted house. This can be done in any way you wish, using things like cobwebs, strobe lights and scarecrows. While setting this up, include different scavenger hunt items. Such items that guests can look for could be minipumpkins, stuffed black cats or witch hats. Divide the guests into two teams to make things easier for guests and have them go through the haunted yard in search of the items on their list. The team that retrieves the most items on the list wins.
  
  

Carving Contest

• Carving jack-o-lanterns is a classic Halloween-time activity that can be turned into a game. Holding a carving contest is a way to let guests have some fun and get a prize. This is best done outside, since pumpkin carving can be somewhat messy. Supply guests with their own pumpkins and carving utensils, as well as a container in which to put the pumpkin guts. Laying out newspaper may help as well, as it makes cleaning up the mess easier. Give guests a set amount of time in which to carve and let them go to work. Once time is up, have people vote on which jack-o-lanterns have turned out the best. The winner, or top three jack-o-lanterns, wins a prize.