have had a lot of experience in this area so I would suggest some structure, but not too much. Sort of a loose structure like some posters before me have suggested.

I've worked at a camp in the past and the way most our events are structured is like stated above. So for a Halloween party I would suggest, a room with music for dancing, a room with movies,snacks, and games, and then if you can pull one together, A Haunted House!!!!!!

Now I know most preteens will say they don't like to play those silly games, but most, if not all, secretly still want to play them. So I'd suggest in one room, putting on a few Halloween classic movies, and just have them playing. I know at parties I never really sat down to watch a movie, but it was cool to have them on in the background, in case I ever get bored or something, just go see whats playing. (Shameless self promotion) If you have a computer in the room with internet and good speakers, you can go to my site halloweentv.tk and just play movies, and TV shows from there! haha All are Halloween themed pretty much! (End shameless Self Promotion.)

In that same room have a table with the usual snacks. And have games out that they can play as well. Like someone all ready suggessted the DDR game would be awesome at a party!

In the dance room have a playlist of a bunch of different music, mostly dance music, but throw in some Halloween novelty songs for fun! The Cryptkeeper jam is a fun one!

And then the haunted house! Now its not as overwhelming of a task as it might sound. I mean it can be, but if you wanna put something simple together it can still work if you do it right! I once made one Halloween during the day and had it ready by night and it was a HIT! Like the next day all the kids were saying that was their favorite part! So how did I do it you ask? Use your garage, basement or just any room really. And then set up a "maze," really just a trail to lead them through it. I used tarp on strings, as my maze walls. Hey it works! Anyway have creepy scenes set up to set the feel of the haunted house. But the main thing is, either urself or another adult, or whoever, has to be the "Scarer." If thats even a word. I worked at a Gyro's haunted house before and I realized the main success was the people who jumped out and scared you! Sure the creepy atmosphere is cool and all, but really does it ever really scare anyone? The startle scare is what gets them! So like have someone in a scary costume hiding around a corner, and then when the kids pass they jump out and scare the kids, and chase them out. Or another way to do it, is if you have the means, set up a bunch of scarecrows or dummies or whatever and have the person hide amongst them so that they look fake. Then when the kids pass he jumps up and scares them that way.

And thats basically all u need for a "simple" haunted house. The creepy atmosphere and the startle scare. If you have enough people to help a few startle scares are better!

Oh yeah so about the structure, or loose structure. You can have a board that list "events" of the night. I'd suggest leaving some free time between each event. Time to socialize, snack, watch some of the movie. Anyway have like at this time we will play, such and such game. You coudl have a sign up sheet if u feel inclined, but idk if that might seem a bit TOO structured. anyway then some free time. Then at this time costume contest or whatever. free time. At the end of the night the haunted house opens! make sure you don't just let them all run through it. Putting it at the end gives them a reason to stick around, and have something to anticipate. Cuz who doesn't LOVE a hunted house on Halloween night! Send them in in groups, so that they don't ruin the scares for the other kids behind them. You can end with scary story telling as well.

What I like to do is plagarize old tv shows. haha. I don't claim I invented the story but I also don't really tell them its from a tv show. Most of them prolly are too young to have seen it anyway so its new to them.

Anyway I like to tell the story of the guy who picks up a girl on the side of the road and he finds out shes a ghost at the end. I tell the version from the Halloween episode of "Growing Pains." I tell it in first person as if it happened to me, though if they ask I say its not really me just how the story is told. Course if they dont ask, well then i guess it happened to me! haha But yeah you can just think about halloween themed episodes of ur favortie shwos from the past and tell them like a story. you can change names and such and make it fit. The reason I choose halloween themed shows/sitcoms is cuz they are specifically written to entertain/scare. Which is key. You can tell those "scary stories" from like those compilation books, but most of those are just kinda boring I found. So like you can tell about the evil ventriliquist dummy that comes to life and stalks its maker (liek Steveil from "Family Matters") or maybe the mad scientist who switches the brains of a group of friends (Like in the second halloween episode of "Two Guys and a Girl") And so on. The stories will have that scary halloween vibe, but also can be funny and entertaining.

You could ask the kids to tell scary stories too, some kids are pretty creative.

A few game ideas. The one with donuts on a string is always fun. I'd suggest a more halloween themed treat hanging though. Just to make it more in tone. If you can get those Peeps bats, I think those would be PERFECT! liek hang them from a string and make it look like bats hanging from a cave!

Another game me and my friends call "Ohh!" but for Halloween you can call it "oooooh!" like a ghost haha. Anyway the object is to put ur finger on someone's back and then draw a line up their back and say "oooooh!" They have to make a full line though. If they just touch ur back and don't finish the line it doesn't count. We play for points, but you can play for candy if the kids are down for it. And this is an on going game! So kids will always be having to watch their backs haha. You could have safe zones too though. LIke the movie room or whatever could be a safe zone. Anyway sometimes we'll have certain people be worth more points. But only for a brief time. So you can have certain kids be worth more pieces of candy. And whackiness ensues!

Hope this helps!