10 Spooktacular Halloween Activities for Kids That Beat Trick-or-Treating
Not every parent loves the idea of their kids going trick or treating at Halloween. And hey, not every child enjoys trick or treating either.
If this rings true in your household, how about trying out one of the alternatives on this list?
Whether you’re just planning a small family celebration or hosting a party, these ideas will help you create a Halloween that is spooktacularly good (did you see what I did there?!)
Halloween Ideas That Are Just As Much Fun As Trick Or Treating
Choose one or more from this list of 10 fun ideas to make Halloween night scarily good for your kids.
1. Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Create a spooky scavenger hunt around your home or garden. Hide Halloween-themed items like plastic spiders, mini pumpkins, and sweets, and give your kids clues to find them. This can be a fun and interactive way to keep them engaged and excited.
What You’ll Need:
- Halloween-themed items to hide
- Clue cards or a treasure map
- Small prizes or sweets
We have the cutest picture-led Halloween Scavenger Hunt you can grab.
2. Pumpkin Decorating Contest
Turn pumpkin carving into a family-friendly decorating contest. Provide paint, markers, stickers, and other craft supplies so kids can unleash their creativity without the need for sharp tools.
What You’ll Need:
- Mini pumpkins
- Paint, markers, stickers, and other decorations
- Awards for the best-decorated pumpkins
Useful: A roundup of the best no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas right now .
3. Spooky Movie Marathon
Host a Halloween movie marathon with kid-friendly spooky films. Set up a cosy movie-watching area with blankets, pillows, and plenty of popcorn. Choose age-appropriate movies that won’t be too scary for your little ones.
What You’ll Need:
- A selection of Halloween movies (e.g., “Hocus Pocus”, “The Addams Family”, “Casper”)
- Popcorn and snacks
- Comfortable seating, throws and cushions to snuggle into
4. DIY Haunted House
Transform part of your home into a haunted house. Use decorations like cobwebs, fake skeletons, and spooky lights to create a fun, eerie atmosphere.
Get kids involved in the decorating fun and then invite them and their guests to explore the haunted zone!
What You’ll Need:
- Halloween decorations (cobwebs, skeletons, spooky lights)
- Sound effects (creaky doors, ghostly wails)
- A designated area in your home to transform
- A blacklight and neon signage for extra zing
5. Halloween Crafts Station
Set up a craft station with various Halloween-themed projects. Kids can make their own masks or create spooky scenes with construction paper and glue.
What You’ll Need:
- Craft supplies (construction paper, glue, scissors, markers)
- Templates for crafts
- Decorative items (glitter, googly eyes, stickers)
6. Monster Mash Dance Party
Create a playlist of Halloween songs and have a monster mash dance party.
Invite your kids and their guests to dress up in costumes (you could even do a runway show to the music!)
You could also add some games like musical chairs or freeze dance to keep the energy high.
What You’ll Need:
- Halloween music playlist
- Costumes
- Space for dancing
- Optional: game supplies (chairs for musical chairs, etc.)
7. Halloween Storytime
Want to find a way to entertain younger kids and even toddlers?
How about hosting a Halloween-themed storytime with spooky (but not too scary) stories?
Gather the kids around and read from books or tell your own ghost stories.
Use clever lighting to create shadows or use a blacklight and neon decorations for extra fun.
What You’ll Need:
- Halloween storybooks or prepare a story yourself
- A torch or other lighting to create a spooky atmosphere
- Cosy seating area
8. Candy Taste Test
Organise a Candy Taste Test where kids can sample different types of Halloween candy and rate their favourites.
This can be a super fun way for kids to get their mitts on some Halloween candy without the need for trick-or-treating.
What You’ll Need:
- Variety of Halloween sweets
- Scorecards for rating the sweets
- Plates or bowls for sampling
Now, as luck would have it, we have a Candy Taste Test printable. Plus there is also a really cute How Many Candies In The Jar? game.
You can buy the games individually or as part of the Kids' Halloween Games Bundle.
9. Halloween Bingo
Create Halloween-themed bingo cards and play a few rounds with the family.
Use sweets or small toys as prizes for the winners. This is a great way to keep kids entertained and competitive in a friendly manner.
What You’ll Need:
- Halloween bingo cards (can be printed or homemade)
- Markers for the cards
- Small prizes
10. Ghostly Baking Session
Get your kids and their friends into your kitchen to bake or decorate some spooky cookies or cupcakes.
What You’ll Need:
- Baking ingredients (biscuit dough, cake mix, etc.)
- Decorating supplies (icing, sprinkles, edible eyes)
- Recipes or decorating ideas
Whatever you decide to do, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Halloween.
