Diane

We too are having a Halloween Party but ours starts early. We have used this in the past and it has really been successful. We use carnival games.
Their favorites are:
1. Using a noodle bat and beach ball/or smaller and have them try to hit the ball between 2 chairs. If they hit the left chair, it's one point, right chair is 2 points and between them is five points. They get two tries.
2. Target toss: this is a purchased game with 3 fuzzy tennis balls. Scoring is adding up where they land.
3. Two laundry baskets and bean bags.. They throw the bean bags into the baskets. It's a point for each one in the first basket, and 2 for the second basket.
4. Animal toss: we have a set of bean bag animals. We have tried throwing them at different things. The one that is the most difficult to get into the circle (for instance, the hippo), is given the highest score and marked on the bottom of the animal. The easiest gets 1. You throw these into two hula hoops. If they get in the first hoop, it's the score on the animal or if in the second, you double the score.
We divide the residents in four groups and have them start about 10:00 in the morning. Each start at a different spot and rotate until all games played (must have helpers at each place). At the end, all score cards are given to someone to add up.
We go straight to lunch which usually has the theme of the day and a short nap time. At 2:30, we have our costume party where even staff are judged. Local police officers usually our judges. While the judges are "contemplating" the results,, we announce the winners of each of the games and a grand prize. Following that the costume winners are announced and we have refreshments. Make for a busy day but loads of fun. Sorry this is so long.

Karen, I love the rubber mat idea! I also wondered if some of the men might do it with the little cowboys and Indians you can buy by the bag and use them. I think they would stand up on the suction cups and make it more "manly".....or a bunch of ball bearings.