Are you wondering what to do this Halloween? Stuck thinking of an alternative to Trick or Treating? No Halloween party plans? Cold weather? Recently moved? The kids have already eaten too much candy? Or maybe you are having a quarantined Halloween?
No problem! If trick-or-treating isn’t on the cards this year we have compiled a list of 10 of our best ideas for a fun and memorable Halloween.
Fun Trick-or-Treating Alternatives
1. Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Setup an indoor Halloween scavenger hunt for your kids. A great chance for them to “earn” some candy, put their minds to the test and race around the house solving clues or riddles. Let’s be honest - scavenger hunts are a heaps of fun for everyone!
You’ll find a heap of resources online to help you write your own spooktacular scavenger hunt Halloween clues. Personally, I find it’s easiest to start with an object, your hiding place, and work backwards from there. Here’s an example from one of the clues from our purchasable Halloween Scavenger Hunt ; the answer is of course .... Bed!
Take it up a notch :
For a more challenging Halloween scavenger hunt, for older kids or larger groups for example, try using puzzles to solve in order to find the next location. A few examples you could use are to use ciphers, puzzle pieces or riddles. You could really get into the spirit and even create a Halloween escape room game and hide clues in unusual places or even in padlocked boxes. The fun is as much in the making as the completing but if you aren’t feeling in a creative mood don’t worry we have done all the hard work for you with our spooky puzzle treasure hunt. We also have a Halloween secret code scavenger hunt available in store.
2. Halloween Craft Night
A great idea for creative kids, and adults. Grab the paint supplies, recycling items, card and make homemade Halloween decorations. More ideas could be to paint some spooky stones and hide them around your neighborhood, make some glow in the dark Halloween slime or some devilish bookmarks. Let your children dictate the task, I bet they have a heap of great ideas!
3. Halloween Movie Night
A lovely family activity. Make it special by decorating or watching a film somewhere unusual. You could make an indoor fort for example, or watch it outdoors on a homemade movie screen. Make some caramel apple popcorn and serve it in a witches hat. Yum. Always a winner.
This list of Halloween movies that won’t scare kids from Good Housekeeping is a great resource and will help you pick an age appropriate film.
4. Halloween Treasure Hunt
Write a list of items to find over Halloween ; these could be items indoors, outdoors or both. To spark kids imaginations try using objects or phrases that are more open ended - for example, something that makes your spine tingle, or something smooth.
As an idea you could all take it in turns to write a list of 10 items to find for each other and hold time trials to see who is the fastest Halloween treasure hunter of them all!
5. Pumpkin Carving and Eating
This may already be a family tradition of yours but if not give it a go this year. Pumpkin carving is the perfect way to bring a family together and an activity that encourages creativity and isn’t over in 5 minutes. Plus you can use some of the leftover pumpkin to try some new Halloween themed recipes. Why not try and make a starter, main and pudding? Dress the table and invite family or friends over for a taste testing dinner.
6. Make a Bonfire
Build a fire in your back garden, it doesn’t have to big big if you don’t have much space, and make smores, drink hot chocolate or Halloween (kids friendly, or not) cocktails by the fire. Bliss.
7. Family Halloween Game Night
Grab the whole family together for an evening of games. Write a trivia quiz with prizes, host your own Halloween challenges - can you eat a donut without licking your lips? Or play Halloween Family Feud.
8. Halloween You’ve Been Booed
You’ll want to get started on this one a little before Halloween. Put together some nice packages to drop on your neighbors doorsteps, or to someone who needs a lift this time of the year. You could bake them some homemade cookies, treat them to some chocolate they love, anything you can think of really. The more creative the better. The real challenge is to leave it on their doorstep and ring the bell without being noticed - can you manage?
Turn Booed in Boozed :
A great adult variation of this is You’ve Been Boozed. Inside, or alongside candy, drop a bottle of wine, a spirit or beer off with a friend for a special Halloween surprise.
9. Dress Up!
Not going out doesn’t have to be boring. Challenge each other to dress up and host a Halloween fashion show. To make things interesting give each member a theme, or some items, they have to use for a costume. Get the camera out be sure to record all the fun you have.
10. Play a Halloween Candy Game
Grab some dice and roll for candy - can you, or the kids, design your own Halloween dice game? Associate each number with an action, or a treat, and play! Here is an example ; give each player three pieces of candy to start and make a pile of the remaining treats in the middle. Take turns rolling a dice and complete the action rolled.- Roll a 1 - Pick one from the centre
- Roll a 2 - Pick two from the centre
- Roll a 3 - Skip turns
- Roll a 4 - Give one to another player
- Roll a 5 - Take one from someone else
- Roll a 6 - All players take one
First to have 15 treats in front of them is the winner!
Now you have learned this simple version try our Halloween candy game of pairs. It is full of hilarious actions and fun!
11. BONUS Idea - Trick or Treat Game
Ok, so I know you want to avoid Trick-or-Treating this year but this game is too fun not to mention. This indoor Trick or Treat game has you take it in turns to pull out a card from a bowl (you could also use a skull or pumpkin) - will you be lucky and get a treat card or will you have to perform a challenge or a trick to win a treat?
Get creative and write a good mix of challenge and tasks on cards, alongside some treat cards, and mix them all in a bowl. Here are a few ideas to get you started :
- Pretend to be a black cat until your next turn.
- Howl like a wolf in every room of the house.
- Name five Halloween objects that are round.
- Balance three pieces of candy on your head until your next go.
- Act out something you are scared of.
- Pretend the candy you are eating is rotten.
Sound fun? It is! Many more ideas are included in our best selling Halloween Trick or Treat game.
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I hope you’ll find a lot of enjoyment in this list. I’d love to know what your Halloween activities and fun ideas you have done as a family in the past? Please do comment below!
You’ll find all complete collection of Halloween games here.
