Halloween’s creeping up fast, and if you’re a parent juggling work, life, and the endless quest to keep the kiddos entertained, you know that finding simple, fun, and safe activities can feel like chasing ghosts. Don’t sweat it — I’ve got your back with a bunch of awesome, easy-to-do Halloween activities for kids that’ll turn your home, school, or party into a little spooky wonderland without the usual chaos.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill crafts or games. We’re talking about stuff that kids love, that parents don’t dread cleaning up, and that makes memories — think gooey slime, glowing webs, silly monsters, and even edible fun that’s candy-free (because yes, that’s a thing). Whether you’re looking to keep your little monsters busy for a rainy afternoon or planning a big bash, there’s a little something here to spark creativity and giggles.
Let’s get this party started.
Halloween Crafts & Art Projects
1. Make Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Web Art with Just Glue and Paint
Grab some white glue and glow-in-the-dark paint to create spider webs that actually shine when the lights go out. I remember my son’s face lighting up the first time he stuck a “glowing” spider on the wall — pure magic. It’s messy, simple, and so cool to see at night.
2. Craft Puffy Paint Monsters for a Silly and Messy Art Afternoon
Puffy paint turns any art time into a tactile party. Mix your own with shaving cream and glue, then slap on monster shapes. Kids love squishing and shaping their own gooey creatures. Bonus? It dries all puffy and perfect for fridge gallery displays.
3. Paint Mini Pumpkins with Neon or Glow Paint for a Modern Twist
Forget carving if you want less mess and more bright color. Grab some tiny pumpkins and neon or glow paints for a punchy, funky vibe. My daughter loved picking colors that “pop” after dark, and we kept them as table centerpieces for weeks.
4. Make Handprint Skeletons as Keepsake Halloween Art
Handprints turn into spooky skeletons with a little paint and imagination. This one’s a classic for a reason — it’s easy, personal, and those little hands make perfect creepy bones. Plus, it’s a sweet keepsake you’ll want to hang on year after year.
5. Create Stained Glass Window Ghosts with Tissue Paper
Use black construction paper frames and colorful tissue paper scraps to make ghostly “stained glass” windows. It’s a fun way for kids to explore colors and light, and your windows get an instant spooky makeover.
6. Craft Paper Plate Zombies with Moveable Eyes and Arms
Paper plates are cheap, easy, and perfect for creating silly zombie faces with googly eyes and paper arms. My son couldn’t stop giggling making zombie poses, and these crafts make for funny decorations around the house.
7. Design Trick-or-Treat Tote Bags with Fabric Markers and Stamps
Make your own trick-or-treat bags that kids can decorate themselves. Fabric markers and Halloween stamps turn plain tote bags into personalized candy carriers. Plus, it gets the kids involved in their Halloween prep, which means less last-minute scrambling.
STEM and Sensory Halloween Activities
8. Build a Candy Corn Catapult: A Simple STEM Project for Halloween
Teach a bit of physics with a candy corn catapult using popsicle sticks and rubber bands. It’s super easy and turns science into a silly game. Our family’s pumpkin chunkin’ contest got pretty competitive last year!
9. Mix Magic Potions with Kitchen Ingredients and Imagination
Turn your kitchen into a witch’s lab. Mix baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, and glitter to make bubbling potions. My daughter loved calling out her own “magic spells” as the mixtures fizzed up — way more fun than just pouring chemicals!
10. Create Halloween Sensory Bins for Little Hands to Explore
Fill bins with dried corn, plastic spiders, fake eyeballs, and small toys for a hands-on sensory experience. My toddler’s favorite? Digging around and “finding” hidden treats without the sugar rush.
11. Make Edible Slime in Three Easy Steps (No Borax!)
Slime without the scary chemicals? Yes, please! Mix marshmallows, cornstarch, and a little food coloring for a sticky, edible slime that kids love poking and stretching. Bonus: you can eat a bit without worry.
12. Fold and Decorate Your Own Origami Bats and Ghosts
Grab some paper and learn simple origami folds to make bats and ghosts. Decorate with markers or stickers, then hang ‘em around the room. It’s calm, quiet, and kids feel like little paper magicians.
Printable & DIY Game Ideas
13. Host a Halloween Scavenger Hunt Indoors or in the Backyard
Hide spooky items or candy around your house or yard and give kids clues or a list to find them all. It’s a classic that never gets old — last year, we turned our whole backyard into a haunted maze!
14. Play Halloween Bingo with Free Printable Cards
Print out themed bingo cards and play with small prizes. It’s simple, fun, and keeps kids focused for a bit without screens. We’ve done this at school parties, and it’s a hit every time.
15. Use Printable Monster Dice for a “Roll-a-Character” Game
Roll dice that show different monster parts and create silly creatures. It’s an easy icebreaker at parties and sparks some hilarious monster mash-ups.
16. Set Up a DIY “Pin the Hat on the Witch” Party Game
A spooky spin on the classic pin-the-tail game. Blindfolded kids try to stick a paper hat on a big witch poster — chaos guaranteed, and laughter guaranteed too.
17. Try a “Minute-to-Win-It” Pumpkin Game Night
Use pumpkins for quick challenges like stacking, tossing, or balancing. It’s fast-paced fun for the whole family — perfect if you want to keep the energy high but the setup easy.
18. Create a Witch Hat Ring Toss from Cardstock and Stickers
Cut out witch hats from cardstock and stick ‘em in the yard or living room. Toss rings and rack up points. Easy to make and a blast to play, especially on a chilly fall evening.
19. Assemble Halloween Bookmarks with Custom Print Templates
Print spooky bookmarks for kids to color and take home. Great for school events or as party favors that keep on giving long after Halloween’s done.
🎈 4. Party & Group Activities
20. Host a Costume Dance Party with Halloween-Themed Playlists
Crank up the tunes and let kids show off their costumes on the dance floor. We always include “Monster Mash” and “Ghostbusters” — the classics never fail to get everyone moving.
21. Organize a Pumpkin Bowling Game Using Empty Soda Bottles
Fill empty bottles with a bit of sand or water, draw faces on them, and bowl with a small pumpkin. It’s silly, seasonal, and perfect for a party with a mix of ages.
22. Set Up a Glow Stick Ring Toss for Outdoor Evening Fun
Glow sticks make everything cooler at night. Use them for ring toss games in the yard — the glowing rings and targets add a fun spooky vibe without any scary surprises.
23. Host a Halloween Birthday Bash with DIY Game Stations
If your kid’s birthday is near Halloween, combine both celebrations with stations for crafts, games, and snacks. We did this last year and it was a total win — less stress, more smiles.
24. Race Spiders Using Straws and Cotton Balls
Blow cotton ball “spiders” across the table using straws. This silly game had my kids roaring with laughter and competing nonstop.
25. Make a Haunted House Diorama from a Shoebox and Craft Scraps
Collect old boxes and scraps to build mini haunted houses. It’s a chill, creative project that doubles as a decoration once done.
Food-Based & No-Candy Fun
26. Bake Candy-Free Spider Cookies with Pretzel Legs
These spooky cookies use pretzels for legs and raisins or chocolate chips for eyes. Baking with the kids was a blast — plus, we avoided the sugar crash.
27. Make Monster Cupcakes Without Using Any Candy
Swap candy for fun toppings like colored frosting, edible googly eyes, or nuts. My daughter loved designing her own monsters, and we didn’t miss the candy one bit.
28. Design Apple Slice “Monster Mouths” with Sunbutter and Fruit
Healthy, quick, and fun. Apple slices, a smear of sunbutter, and some fruit “teeth” turn snack time into a monster party.
29. Craft DIY Halloween Snack Mix in Decorated Paper Cups
Mix popcorn, pretzels, cereal, and raisins for a spooky snack mix. Let kids decorate their own paper cups to carry their treats — hands-on and tasty.
30. Create Banana Ghost Pops or Clementine Pumpkins with the Kids
Freeze bananas on sticks with little faces drawn on them for ghost pops, or peel clementines to look like tiny pumpkins. Cute, cold treats that kids can help make.