50 Halloween Party Games for Kids
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Planning a Halloween Party or playdate for the kids this year? Time to crank the fun up a few notches with these 50 amazing and crowd-pleasing, Halloween Party Games for Kids that are loads of fun! (updated with even more games for 2023)
Best Halloween Games for Your Party
Our neighborhood night out is towards the end of October this year, and we decided to make it a Halloween Party! My job was to find a few fun Halloween party games to keep the kids and party guests entertained and help burn off all the candy they would inevitably eat.
I’ve searched the web for the best Halloween games for kids and have compiled a pretty good list to share with you today.
The good news is, several of these Halloween activities and games are budget-friendly DIY Halloween games, but if you’re running out of time or aren’t a do-it-yourself-er, I have also included links to pre-made Halloween Game and party supply alternatives that you can easily order from Wal-mart, Amazon, or Oriental Trading.
25+ Halloween Party Games for Kids (and adults!)
To plan the perfect Halloween party, choose a few of these hilariously spooky and fun Halloween-themed game ideas. Our parties are always geared towards kids of all ages, but I guarantee the adults will have fun too, just watching the little ones playing the games and maybe joining in too!
Whether your party is “fall-themed” or full-on Halloween, any of these classic Halloween games would be spooktacularly fun and are great for all ages!
1. Toilet Paper Mummy Halloween Game
This toilet paper game is budget-friendly (who doesn’t have toilet paper) and such a fun game, it’s sure to have everyone laughing like crazy! The way the game works is you pit several teams of 3 (one mummy, 2 wrappers) against each other, and the first team that finishes their roll of toilet paper, wins!
2. Donut Eating Race
You are missing out if you’ve never participated in a donut-eating race! You’ll want to do a little “donut testing” beforehand to ensure you’ve got a sturdy donut, but it is a great game not only for Halloween parties but birthday parties too. It’s perfect for the littlest ones and the older kids too.
If you can get the adults to participate, your stomach will hurt from all the laughing, I promise!
3. Pop Goes the Pumpkin Balloon Halloween Game
This fun game is a great one for the teenager to set up; stuff the balloons with slips of paper with prize names written on them to be claimed later. Find 5-inch orange balloons here.
4. Frankenstein Bowling (tin can bowling Halloween game)
This Halloween Game is budget-friendly and can be enjoyed by even the youngest partygoer. Save your cans and either paint them or cover them with Halloween-themed scrapbook paper. I’m not sure which is more fun, the actual bowling or decorating the cans!
If you don’t have time to paint cans, this candy corn bowling set is an adorable option for a Halloween party game.
5. Marshmallow Toss Game
Easy and fun- you can use mini marshmallows and paper cups or large marshmallows and some of those little tin buckets from the dollar store would be great too!
6. Kids Pumpkin Chuckin’ Halloween Game
Another budget-friendly DIY Halloween Game for your party. This one is especially great for toddlers. It’s easy to put together as the pumpkins are just toilet paper wrapped in felt and you can get the baskets from your local craft or Dollar Store! Get the details from B-Inspired Mama here.
7. Spider Bean Bag Tossing Game
This Flying Spider Bean Bag game from Orange Bettie is possibly an even cuter Halloween bean bag-style tossing game. See how to make the Spider Bean Bags here.
Looks fun, but don’t have time to DIY a Bean Bag tossing game? Amazon has plenty of options for pre-filled bags to make your own tossing Halloween Game.
8. Poke a Pumpkin Halloween Game
This looks like fun, similar to the balloon pop game! Possibly even easier to put together, since instead of blowing up balloons, you’re just wrapping orange tissue paper around a paper cup and securing it with a rubber band.
9. Pumpkin Patch Stomp – Kids love this game!
Any Halloween Party can be made so much better by popping a few balloons for prizes! Before blowing up the balloons, stuff them with money, slips of paper, or squish-proof candy. Find 12-inch orange and black balloons here. Another way to play the game is to blow up the same amount of different colored balloons, and the first person who pops all their colored balloons wins!
10. Pin the Tail on The Witch Cat (and other pin-the-tail Halloween Games)
You can never go wrong with a “pin the tail” type party game. Find one on Amazon here. Or make your own Pin the Tail on the Cat Halloween game as shown in this Harvest and Halloween Entertainment Book
or How about Pin the face on the Pumpkin! This one made with tissue paper is especially cute! (Here is the link for a similar pin the nose on the pumpkin game from Amazon)
Or maybe, Pin the Bow on the Skeleton. Similar Pin the Bone Halloween Game found Amazon here. These “pin the tail” games are fairly easy to make, but you can find them at your local party store and online.
11. Halloween Bingo (Free Printable)
Halloween Bingo is always a fun idea! I especially love this for classroom Halloween parties or playdates. You can find tons of free printable Halloween Bingo cards online, but if you don’t want to go to the hassle of printing cards for a large party, they are fairly inexpensive to purchase similar Bingo Cards here (Amazon) or here (etsy.)
12. Feed the Monster Halloween Game
This fun ball toss game will keep all the kids entertained! (Plus, it is super budget-friendly as it is basically made out of a cardboard box!) Just decorate however you like. It’s a perfect game for all the little monsters, lol.
13. Jack o Lantern Bag Toss
Make your own out of a box or out of pumpkins or purchase a very similar game here. I found these pre-made bean bag toss games here and here.
14. Candy Corn Guessing Game
And when the night is over, you can send the guest home with little treat bags full of candy corn!
15. Halloween Face Painting
Who doesn’t love getting their faces painted? No Halloween Game lineup is complete without a face-painting station! Even better if you can find a professional to paint faces according to the costumes. (I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories about unsafe face paint, so be sure to look for a certified organic set. I like this set – it even comes with stencils for those of us with no painting skills.)
16. Don’t forget the Halloween Pinata!
Nothing makes a Halloween Party more fun than the chance to break a pinata and be showered with EVEN MORE HALLOWEEN CANDY!!! This Pinata is DIY, but if you don’t want to make one, You can buy all sorts of different Halloween themed pinatas here. I also love this DIY version from Martha Stewart.
17. Halloween Charades
Charades is a classic word-guessing game that’s so fun to play. The basic idea is that one person acts out a word or phrase without speaking, while the rest of the players try to guess what they’re trying to convey. For the Halloween version, the guests can act out all sorts of Halloween-related words. This is an easy game to DIY (here is a printable version. But for more advanced players, (like teenagers and adults), you may want to use a store-bought version. Like this Halloween version, called Death Charades, team members act out different ways to die.
The game is typically played in teams, with each round consisting of one person from each team acting out a word or phrase. The other team members have limited time to guess what the actor is trying to convey – typically two to three minutes – and if they get it right, they get a point. Then, it’s the other team’s turn to take a crack at it. Grab the free Halloween Charades printable here or another version here.
18. DIY Treat Bag Decorating Station
Find tons of paper sacks and Halloween stickers (here and here) for the kids to make their own treat bags. Having to put together party favor bags after planning a party is the bane of my existence! My solution? A DIY Halloween Treat Bag Station. Make those kids fill their own treat bags, lol!
Are you a sewist that likes to get crafty? I have a cute DIY Halloween Treat Bag tutorial here.
19. DIY Halloween Cookie Decorating Station
Decorating Cookies or Cupcakes is always fun and perfect for a group of kids! All you need is icing, Halloween sprinkles, and maybe some eyeballs to get the party started!
20. Halloween crafts station ideas:
Lollipop ghosts, Candy Corn necklace craft, and pumpkin decorating. Another fun craft is the easy witch hats craft made from paper plates and construction paper.
22. Pumpkin Mini Golf
This is the cutest Halloween Party Game for kids idea ever! All you need is a huge carvable pumpkin, a piece of cardstock, and these little foam putters. Don’t want to make it? Amazon sells a Pumpkin Put-Put Mini Golf Set that includes clubs, balls holes.
23. DIY Halloween Version of Twister:
The kids will love this game, even if it is just a Halloween party for two.
24. Egg and Spoon Race.
We always include an egg race on our list of party games for kids! (this was our last birthday parties). It’s always a hit, especially if you use real eggs and a Halloween version would be so much fun. (amazon link to wooden spoon and egg set)
25. Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn’t love a good Scavenger hunt? This Halloween Party game is perfect for kids of all levels and Is easy to arrange! Grab the free printable here. Or another free version here.
This version you can get on Amazon has adorable pumpkin shaped cards and propts you to take selfies with the hunted items.
26. Spider Races
This one is a lot of fun for the little ones. It’s as easy as it looks to set up. All you need is a few plastic spiders and large straws. The first spider that “crosses” the finish line is the winner!
27. Pillowcase Sack races
Like a potato sack race, but with pillowcases!
28. Musical pass the Pumpkins
This classic game is similar to musical chairs, but no kids fighting over a chair and possibly getting hurt. To play this version of the game, sit the children in a circle, and have them slowly pass a small pumpkin around while music is playing. When the music stops, the child holding the pumpkin is out. Keep going til you have a winner. Here is a youtube link to the Pass the Pumpkin song.
29. Broom and Pumpkin Race
For this game, you need a small or medium pumpkin and a broom per player/team. Have each player write their name on their pumpkin. (The game can get exciting, and it is easy to mix up the pumpkins.) The game can be as simple as a straight line from starting line to the finish line, or make it more challenging for the older children by creating an entire obstacle course for the pumpkins.
Consider having a couple of extra pumpkins on hand in case things get out of control. You may also need to ask the participants to bring a broom from home.
30. Candy Corn Relay Race
A candy corn relay race is a super fun, classic Halloween party game that entertains everyone! To play, divide the players into two or more teams. The object of the game is for each team member to run from the starting line to the finish line while carrying the candy corn in a spoon, then pass the candy to the next teammate in line, continuing until everyone has had a turn. Have the participants carry the spoon between their teeth to make it even more challenging!
31. Halloween Trivia
Halloween trivia is always fun! Plus, it’s perfect for teens and adults. (It might be too hard for the little ones.) Grab the free Halloween trivia printable here.
32. Pumpkin Tic tac Toe
This game is as simple as it sounds! It can be played almost anywhere. Driveways, table tops, you name it. All you have to do is place a few strips of tape where you want the game to be played and provide cute pumpkins for the X’s and O’s. Find orange tape here and orange and white pumpkins here. (These are tiny and adorable!)
33. Oreo Races
All you need is Oreos! (Halloween Oreos, of course.) Place an Oreo on your forehead. The goal is to move the Oreo to your mouth and eat it. The catch is that you can only use your face muscles, no hands! The first person to eat their Oreo wins!
34. Pumpkin carving Contest
You can’t go wrong with an old-fashioned pumpkin carving contest. To hold a pumpkin carving contest, You’ll want to provide pumpkins and carving tools or specify what participants should bring. (like maybe their own pumpkins) Choose judges and establish rules for the contest. Provide prizes for the winners and have fun!
35. Halloween Paper Bag Puppets
This activity is more of a craft, but it is so much fun! You only need paper sacks, paint, construction paper, glue, markers, and scissors. Perfect to keep the little ones busy
36. Paper Sack Pinatas
Make Your Own personal pinata using paper bags, Halloween-themed tissue paper and glue. The kids have a blast makeing, filling and hitting their pinatas.
37. Halloween Guessing Game
This Halloween Party game is a complete DIY! All you need is an old sheet and bowls of random foods. The guests stick their hands in the holes and try to guess the food or item.
38. Ghost Bowling
This bowling game is perfect for the very little ones. All you need is some empty water bottles stuffed with something white. (Fabric, toilet paper, cotton balls, etc…) and a ball. Have the little ones roll the ball toward the water bottles to see how many they can knock over. The bottles are very lightweight and easy to knock over. (You could always make them heavier with a few rocks or marbles at the bottom.)
39. Pumpkin Drop Game
It should be called Don’t Drop the Pumpkin game, lol. Similar to the egg and spoon race or candy corn race, this relay race is played with empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls and orange ball pit balls. So fun! You can even use Sharpie markers to add pumpkin faces to the balls.
40. Murder Mystery Party
This game is more for adults, but in a murder mystery party, each player plays a specific role and character, including the victim and the killer. The game usually follows a pre-scripted storyline, which includes clues and hints to help players identify the culprit.
If you’re worried about planning a murder mystery party from scratch, a variety of pre-packaged games are available for purchase online. These games provide all the necessary materials and instructions, making it easy for even first-time hosts to execute. This looks like a good one. Here is a YouTube video on how to play the game.
41. Ping Pong Pumpkin
Super easy Halloween Party Game to DIY. All you need is a few pastic cups, battery operated tea lights, ping pong balls, a table and prizes!
42. Halloween Cornhole
Who doesn’t love cornhole? If you already have a cornhole set, you can put a Halloween spin on it with removable vinyl Halloween decals and fun Halloween-themed bags. Regulation bags, or just for fun bags. If you don’t have a cornhole set, Amazon has an inexpensive version here.
43. Spider Yo-Yo Game
The players have to throw him like a yoyo to try and capture the most insects, snagging the tokens laid out on the floor, thanks to a sticking system that uses Velcro
44. Halloween Cake Walk
Everyone loves a cake walk! You can play this several different ways. Asks you guest to bring various gooddies as prizes or provide the winning treats yourself. Grag your free cake walk printables here.
45. Zombie Eyeball Toss
This one is super fun. Attach small cup to a board and toss eyeyeball ping pong balls in to the cups for prizes.
46. Halloween Operation
Who doesn’t love the classic game of operation? How much fun would a Halloween version be? Yep, lots of fun!
47. Halloween Word Scramble
This printable Halloween Word Scramble game is a ton of fun! It’s the perfect Halloween game for kids.
48. Spider Yo-Yo Game
The players have to throw him like a yoyo to try and capture the most insects, snagging the tokens laid out on the floor, thanks to a sticking system that uses Velcro.
49. Minute to Win it Games
You can put a Halloween spin on tons of minute-to-win-it games. This game set has over 237 different 1-minute challenges in 9 different categories with everything you need in one complete package! Entertain everyone at your Halloween party with the creative and fun challenges in Minute of Fun!
50. Pumpkin Decorating Station
And last but not least, we always have a pumpkin decorating station at our Halloween parties! In the last few years, we have moved away from actual paint (just too messy) and now lean towards stickers, like these and these. You can use full-size pumpkins or mini pumpkins.
Don’t forget the food and decor for your Halloween Party!
Awesome Bubbling Cauldron tutorial:
Outdoor Halloween Decor Ideas
Halloween Decor and Food Ideas:
- Bats on the Wall (free printable bat template)
- Halloween Sidewalk Lanterns (from plastic cups)
- DIY Bubbling Cauldron
- DIY Halloween Pumpkin Candy Holder
- Easy Monster Cupcakes
- “Killer” Pumpkin Banana Cookies
- Halloween Cupcake Wrappers (free printable)
- Witch Hat Cookies
- Spooky Monster Eyes Deviled Eggs
- Graveyard Pudding Cups
Need more inspiration? Here are a few FAQ Halloween Party Questions:
How to throw a Halloween party on a budget
Halloween parties are a blast to attend, but planning can be a bit stressful, especially if your budget is tight. A few inexpensive Halloween party ideas to get you started are:
- Choose a theme. (and color scheme) Halloween is very popular; you can find tons of free printables and ideas on the internet to complement your theme.
- Many of the Halloween Game ideas found below are DIY/Budget friendly. Just choose 3 to 4 that don’t require expensive props or accessories. A few of my favorites are the egg and spoon race. (Use your own eggs and spoons,) the toilet paper game and the Balloon Popping Game.
- Have a pumpkin carving contest. Ask your guests to bring a pumpkin to carve. You provide the tools and a few printable templates. (You can find tons for free on the web.)
- Make it a potluck. Everyone knows hosting a party is a lot of work and $$$. Most people actually want to bring a dish or other item to help out. Create a list on a web-based app for people to see what’s needed and sign up. Then you fill in the holes. (I like SignUpGenius.com)
Staying home this year? How to have fun at home
Planning on a low-key family Halloween celebration at home? You can still make it fun!
- Choose a theme and create an itinerary full of fun games and activities. Several of the games listed above work great with just a few family members.
- Dress up in costumes.
- Plan a Halloween themed meal full of spooky foods and treats.
- Carve pumpkins.
- Decorate.
- Plan an age-appropriate scary/halloween movie night.
Halloween Game prize Ideas
If you have Halloween Party Games, you must have prizes! A small cash prize is always acceptable, but this is where the dollar store, amazon, and oriental traders will come in handy. You can find tons of items that work for prizes.
You can put together small prize bags in clear bags, full of age-appropriate toys, gift cards, and/or candy. Then place the prize bags in a basket and let the winners choose their prize.
outdoor decoration ideas
Need a few Halloween decorating ideas? I’ve got another post dedicated to our outdoor Halloween decoration ideas and displays. (Because we are obviously really into Halloween, lol)
Choose any one of these fun Halloween Games and let the party begin!
Pin these Halloween Game ideas for later
Now it’s your turn!! Do you have any other suggestions that we can add to our list of Halloween Party Games for Kids? If so, share in the comments below.
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These Halloween games look so fun. Plenty enough to keep the kids entertained 🙂
Outstanding! Thanks
NEEDS MORE GAMES I’M PLANNING A DISCO FOR SCHOOL!!!!!!