Ghost Bowling
Set up ten water bottle "ghost pins" and let children bowl them down with a pumpkin ball! This active Halloween game is perfect for parties, indoor play, and burning off that candy energy.
What You'll Need
- 10 plastic water bottles — filled slightly with water for stability
- White tissue paper and rubber bands — to make bottles look like ghosts
- Black marker — for ghost faces
- Orange balloon or small pumpkin — for the bowling ball
- Tape — to mark the bowling line
How to Do It
Step 1: Make the ghost pins. Drape tissue paper over each water bottle, securing with a rubber band around the neck. Draw ghost faces with black marker.
Step 2: Set up the pins. Arrange in a triangle formation like real bowling pins.
Step 3: Mark the line. Place a tape line several feet from the pins — closer for younger children.
Step 4: Bowl! Roll an orange balloon or small pumpkin toward the ghost pins.
Step 5: Count and celebrate! "You knocked down four ghosts!" Reset and bowl again.
🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop
Gross motor aim — Rolling a ball at a target builds coordination and aim.
Counting — Counting knocked pins connects the game to number sense.
Turn-taking — Waiting for your turn in a group game builds patience.
Tips & Variations
- Award points for different pin numbers.
- Draw different monsters on each bottle: one ghost, one witch, one vampire.
My Two Cents
A slightly inflated balloon is much better than a heavy ball for indoor bowling — it moves slowly enough for little bowlers to have success, and it won't damage anything it hits.
