This is the Halloween that you’ve decided not to go trick-or-treating. It could be because you don’t want a bunch of candy in the house, you’re worried about germs, or your children have gotten too old. It could be you just want to stay at home, or you want to find some fun activities to do with your family leading up to Halloween. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of alternative activities that can be done at home or with a small group. Try some of these fun activities instead of or in addition to the traditional trek through the neighborhood.
Halloween candy hunt
Grab some of those left over Easter eggs and decorate them with scary faces or stickers. Then, fill them full of fun candy and some non-candy treats like stickers, tiny toys or your kids’ favorite snacks. Next, hide them in your house or around your yard, or both! This is a great tricky trek to find some great treats.
Halloween dance
Dancing around the house is always a fun activity, so why not have fun dancing to your favorite Halloween songs? Or you could even learn a Halloween Dance!
Creepy drafts
Gather up some craft supplies or make a run to the dollar store. Making some fun creepy Halloween crafts are a sure-fire way to have a fun time. Make a Candy Corn Garland with fishing line and candy corn, a lollipop ghost with a lollipop and a tissue, or a toilet paper roll bat with twine, construction paper bat wings and googly eyes. There are tons of other ideas out there for plenty of crafting fun.
Halloween photo shoot
Grad some old clothes, jewelry, scarves, hats and other accessories and have a photo shoot with wacky Halloween costumes. You can decorate an area with straw bales to sit on or just have a plain white background. All you need is a tripod, camera or your phone, and a ring light and you’ve got your own photo shoot!
Halloween themed cakes, cookies or cupcakes
Instead of trick-or-treating and getting lots of different candy, you can stay at home and make your own Halloween treats. You can gather friends, neighbors, or just your own family and make and decorate wonderful sugary treats. You can make spiders and spiderwebs, or candy corn graveyards. Let you imagination run wild!
Halloween game night
Finding Halloween games is easy and hosting your own family game night is a great way to have some fun. Try Halloween Bingo, go on a scavenger hunt, play Halloween charades, try marshmallow toss, or have a pumpkin patch stomp where you blow up Halloween balloons and see who can stomp the most balloons the fastest.
Halloween Pajama Party Movie Marathon
Toast some pumpkin seeds, pop the popcorn, and grab some candy corn. It’s time for a pajama party Halloween Movie Marathon. Some great movies to watch are: Halloweentown I, 2, & 3, Ghostbusters, Hocus Pocus, Casper, Under Wraps, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Monster House, and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Everyone has their favorite Halloween movies. Settle down with blankets, pillows, and snacks and make some great Halloween memories.
Scary stories
Telling scary stories is a Halloween tradition. Whether you like really scary stories or just want to read some fun Halloween books, telling and reading stories is another way to get in the Halloween spirit. Here are some Halloween books:
- Eek! Halloween! By Sandra Boynton
- Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
- The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
- Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
- The Widows Broom by Chris Van Allsburg
- Monster Trouble by Lane Fredrickson
Make your house a haunted house
Run to the dollar store or thrift store, grab some old Christmas lights and decorate the inside of your house to make it a scary Haunted House. Use purple lights, fake blood and other Halloween decorations—and don’t forget the Halloween music—to turn your house into a chilling Halloween horror!
Paint or carve pumpkins
Painting or carving pumpkins is a classic Halloween tradition. I you don’t want the mess, head to a craft store and get a fake pumpkin and either carve it or paint it. There are many great ideas on ways to decorate a pumpkin.
Staying home on Halloween night can create some family fun traditions. But don’t forget the old-fashioned fun traditions. Try bobbing for apples, eat donuts on a string or wrap a toilet paper roll and turn it into a mummy. Play ring toss with a witch’s hat or pin a spider on its web. There are lots of things to do if trick-or-treating is not for you this Halloween.
