9 Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween at Home
Celebrating Halloween at home can be filled with spooky fun! Find easy ways to transform your home and yard into a Halloween extravaganza that your family will love. These tricks and treats will keep them feeling great about this fun holiday at home.
Set up a Spooky Obstacle Course
Why not let the kids get some of their energy out for this fall holiday? This can be a fun daytime activity for younger kids, or you can make it an evening one if you want it to be a little more spooky for older kids. Create an obstacle course in your backyard with a Halloween theme. Use items from the house and yard and drape bed sheets over them so they look like ghosts or monsters. Use simple props (use paper plates to create huge “eyes” for some of the “creatures”) and use items like pool noodles, backyard toys, and other items to create areas where kids need to go over, under, or through to complete the obstacle course. In the end, you may want to give each child a treat bag or other surprise.
Scary Family Movie Night
Nothing is better than some scary fun on one of the spookiest nights of the year, so make a list of age-appropriate family favorite movies with a spooky or Halloween theme and make it a movie night. Have fun Halloween-themed snacks and curl up in the media room with cozy and plush fleece blankets and throw pillows in your family pajamas. For some extra fun after the movies, have a round of Halloween movie trivia and see who can remember the most from the films!
Get Creative in the Kitchen for Halloween
One of the fun parts of many Halloween parties is having snacks and treats that revolve around a Halloween theme. While there are lots of traditional spooky treats (like graveyard gummies in Oreo graves and spooky pretzel witch fingers), you can also get really creative. This is a great time to let kids have fun in the kitchen while using some great educational skills - reading, math, and creativity all come together when using recipes and decorating snacks.
Learn the History of Halloween Together
As people are spending more time in their own homes, there are more opportunities for learning than ever before thanks to technology. If you or your kids have a penchant for the past, why not turn to the history of the holiday for a fun activity? Look at videos and books online that explain the history and customs associated with the holiday.
Celebrate Halloween With Artistic Expression
Family art activities can be a great experience for any holiday, and Halloween is no exception. Think of some ideas or themes and encourage everyone in the family to create a drawing or painting surrounding that theme. Or, read a Halloween-themed story or poem together and get everyone inspired to create a piece of art based on that. Once your creations are finished, hang them in the windows to decorate.
Halloween Family Dance Party
From “Monster Mash” to the “Ghostbusters” theme song, there are tons of old favorites perfect for blasting on Halloween. Put together a fun, dance-worthy playlist of Halloween tunes and get the whole family moving and grooving for a family dance party.
Virtual Costume Contest
One of everyone’s all-time favorite activities associated with Halloween is dressing up in fun costumes. Consider holding a virtual costume party or costume contests on Zoom or another video platform for family and friends. For a fun twist on a traditional costume contest, consider a unique theme, such as asking everyone to come dressed as their favorite movie star or book character, and then take turns guessing who the costumes represent during the virtual party.
Pumpkin Painting
Pumpkin carving is an oldie but a goodie, and it’s perfect for adults and families with older kids and teens. If you have younger kids or an artistic family, however, you may want to try a fun and easy alternative - pumpkin painting. Use poster paints to transform pumpkins and get creative with their “faces.” You may even want to add glue and decorations to the mix, like yarn “hair.”
Simple Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Set up a backyard or household scavenger with simple but spooky clues for family fun. Consider using Halloween-themed trivia or clues to help kids locate the items. Or, place items in regular household or yard locations, but add a Halloween twist to the clue. At the end of the party, have everyone put on their flannel shirts and gather in the backyard for a bonfire and some hot chocolate to finish off the night.
At-Home Halloween Fun
There’s no reason this fall holiday can’t be a blast for the entire family. Use some items you already have on hand to create some fun experiences for the entire family, and you’ll have lasting memories of your at-home Halloween experience.