19 Spooky Halloween Activities for Kids

Halloween Games and Activities for Kids

Halloween is not just about the best costumes or trick-or-treating; it's also a time for fun games and activities that can be enjoyed with children throughout October. From pumpkin carving to dress-up games, baking, and crafting, there are numerous spooky activities that help you get creative for Halloween. With the weather getting colder, these indoor activities are great ways to keep the little ones entertained when it might be challenging to go out in the rain and wind.

You could even swap watching a kid-friendly Halloween movie for a cozy reading session with the best Halloween books for children. Here are some exciting Halloween games and activities that you can try with your kids:

1. Pin the Spider on the Web
   This game is similar to "Pin the Tail on the Donkey," but instead of a donkey, you use a spider web. Have your little one try to put the spider in the middle of the web. It's a simple yet effective learning game for toddlers and can also be fun for older children. Replace the pin with a spider sticker for safety reasons. You can also play variations like "Pin the Tail on the Cat" or "Pin the Bowtie on the Skeleton."

2. Spider Slime
   Toddlers are often fascinated by slime. If you haven't tried it with your tots yet, Halloween could be a good time to make an exception. You can make slime yourself and add some Halloween-themed confetti in a bowl and stir, or buy some Halloween-themed slime online. The gooey texture will keep them entertained for hours.

3. Ghost Bowling
   Wrap some paper around some skittles and draw ghostly faces on them. Alternatively, stick some googly eyes onto stacked toilet rolls. Split into two teams and see who can knock the most skittles down. It's a great way to boost your toddler’s coordination skills and is lots of fun. Make sure to move anything fragile out of harm’s way before starting the game!

4. Pumpkin Drawing
   Pumpkins don’t always have to be carved! Use paint or washable felt-tip pens to decorate a pumpkin. As well as being a fun game for your toddler, the whole family can get involved with a prize for the most creative design. You can even stick stickers onto the pumpkin.

5. Dress the Mummy
   You’ll need lots of toilet roll for this—so why not take the opportunity to stock up? If you can face cleaning up the mess afterwards, a mummy-making game is great fun. Let your toddler wrap you in the paper like a mummy.

6. Pumpkin Hunt
   If your toddler is a fan of egg hunts at Easter, they'll love this. Hide a few pumpkins around the house and garden and set your little one the challenge of finding them all. You can even create some clues to help them or make a map with some treasure at the end. This is an excellent alternative to trick-or-treating if your little one is still too young. We love these mini velvet pumpkins in different shades, which can double as classy decor afterwards and are nice and soft for little ones to hold.

7. Ghouls and Ghosts Dress Up
   It wouldn’t be Halloween without spooky costumes, which is why one of the best ways to celebrate Halloween with your toddler is to offer him a massive chest filled with dressing-up options to go crazy with. They don't just have to be Halloween costumes, either; you can add in some Disney costumes too.

8. Broomstick Race
   Split into teams and see who can race on a broom from one end of the garden to the other the fastest. Throw in a few capes and some witches' brooms for added effect.

9. Bobbing for Creepy Crawlies
   Fill a bucket with water and throw in some fake creepy crawlies that your toddler can catch using a small fishing net or even just a large spoon. You can then count them together and award prizes.

10. Beastly Biscuits
    
    Using an easy-to-follow recipe, you can bake some spooky Halloween biscuits. All you'll need is a set of cookie cutters to shape the biscuits. You could even do round biscuits and decorate them with spider webs or as pumpkins.

11. Paper Plate Pumpkins
    Another easy indoor Halloween option for toddlers is to use paper plates and orange paint, allowing them to design their own pumpkin plates. These also make cute decorations for years to come. Or for less mess, get orange paper plates, googly eyes, and let the kids decorate with a black marker instead.

12. Spider Races
    All you'll need for this one is a couple of straws and plastic toy spiders. The first one to blow their spider across the finish line is the winner!

13. Halloween Heads Up
    This classic guessing game gets a spooky twist! Write down lots of Halloween-themed words or characters—think pumpkins, witches, black cats, or mummies—on sticky notes and pop them in a hat. One player picks a note (without peeking) and sticks it to their forehead so everyone else can see it. The rest of the group gives clues until the player guesses who or what they are. Simple, silly, and perfect for a family laugh. We love using Halloween-themed sticky notes to make it extra festive!

14. Bean Bag Pumpkin Toss
    Here’s a fun and easy homemade Halloween game for toddlers. Cut out two big pumpkin shapes and give each one a different-sized mouth. Stick them together (or place them side by side if they don’t balance) and let the kids see how many bean bags they can toss through the mouths. It’s brilliant for hand-eye coordination and guaranteed giggles.

15. Halloween Face Paint
    
    Halloween face paint is such a simple way to get little ones into the spooky spirit, and it’s guaranteed to be a hit with toddlers. Whether you go for a cute pumpkin, a cheeky little ghost, or add a swirl of glitter and some whiskers, it’s all about keeping it fun (and not too scary!). The best part? Face paint doubles as a quick costume fix, perfect if you don’t want to buy a complete outfit but still want your tot to join in on the festivities. Halloween face paint is fun and will get your tot into the spooky spirit in no time!

Halloween Craft Ideas

Halloween isn’t just about dressing up; there’s lots of potential for some brilliant crafting, too. All you need is some basic craft items such as paints, pom poms, and googly eyes, and a few household products you can recycle, such as toilet roll tubes and cotton balls. There are loads of cool Halloween craft kits you can buy too—like this creepy haunted house craft kit...

1. Creepy Crawly Handprint
   How to make handprint spiders
   You’ll need:

   • Orange or purple card (cut into circles if you like)
   • Black paint
   • Googly eyes
   • Glue
   • Paintbrush
   • Black marker

   Steps:
   - Paint your child’s hand with black paint (this part always gets giggles!).
   - Press the hand onto the paper to make one side of the spider’s legs.
   - Repaint the hand and press it again on the other side, overlapping the palms so they form the spider’s body.
   - Once dry, stick on two googly eyes.
   - Use a marker to add a smile, fangs, or even a web string so it looks like the spider is hanging down.

   Tip:
   For less mess, use a sponge brush to apply the paint evenly to little hands.

   Credit:
   Miss Amy's Classroom on Instagram.

2. Monster Tubes
   How to make toilet roll tube monsters
   You’ll need:

   • Empty toilet roll tubes
   • Coloured paint or card
   • Googly eyes
   • Glue and tape
   • Scissors (grown-up use only)
   • Black marker

   Steps:
   - Paint or cover the toilet roll tubes with coloured card—green for Frankenstein, orange for a pumpkin, white for a mummy, etc.
   - Cut out shapes from card (like fangs, ears, or pumpkin leaves) and glue them on.
   - Stick on googly eyes for a fun 3D effect.
   - Use a marker to draw extra details—smiles, scars, or stitches.
   - For the mummy, wrap strips of tissue or toilet paper around the tube and glue in place.

   Tip:
   Mix and match colours and accessories to create a whole family of monsters—no two need to look the same!

3. Woolly Ghosts
   How to make puffy ghosts
   You’ll need:

   • Stiff card or a cereal box
   • Scissors
   • PVA glue
   • Cotton wool balls
   • A black pipe cleaner
   • Black pompoms for eyes

   Steps:
   - Trace a ghost shape onto your card (you can make it rounded, wavy, or pointy).
   - Cut out the ghost shape.
   - Spread glue over the front of the ghost cut-out.
   - Press cotton wool balls all over, making sure there are no big holes.
   - Shape a piece of pipe cleaner into a smile and glue it on.
   - Stick on two black pompoms for eyes.

   Credit:
   Super Mommy Club on Pinterest.

4. Q-Tip Skeleton
   How to make a Q-Tip skeleton
   You’ll need:

   • Q-tips (cotton swabs)
   • Black paper or dark cardstock (for backing)
   • White glue
   • Scissors
   • White paint or a white pastel (optional, if your paper is dark)

   Steps:
   - (Optional) You can pose the skeleton — like raising the arms or bending legs — by slightly cutting or breaking Q-tips and gluing in place.
   - Trim Q-tips as needed — you’ll use full lengths and some half or shorter pieces for ribs, arms, etc.
   - Glue Q-tips vertically down the centre of your paper to form the skeleton’s spine.
   - Add horizontal pieces for ribs branching out from each side of the spine.
   - Use smaller trimmed bits for arms, legs, hands, and feet.
   - Let the glue dry fully.
   - If your backing is dark, you can highlight the edges of the Q-tips with white paint or pastel to help them stand out.

When is Halloween?

Halloween is always celebrated on 31st October; this year, it falls on a Thursday. But the fun doesn’t have to be just one night; the whole month is a chance to get into the spooky spirit with games, crafts, and seasonal activities.

Do I Need to Play Halloween Games with My Toddler?

Your child might be too young to take part in a few of the Halloween traditions, such as Trick or Treating, so playing games at home is a fun way to still take part in Halloween. They're also a fun way to keep children entertained if you're planning a Halloween party too.