50 Halloween Ideas for Kids at Home: Games, Crafts and Baking by Age

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What are good Halloween ideas for kids at home?

Here are 50 screen-free ideas sorted into three groups. Pick one to match your evening, your weather and your child's age.

Games and hunts

1. Pumpkin scavenger hunt: hide ten paper pumpkins and count them back in
2. Spider web crawl: tape wool across a doorway and climb through without touching
3. Pin the smile on the pumpkin with a blindfold and sticky tack
4. Mummy wrap race: wrap a grown-up in toilet roll against the clock
5. Pass the pumpkin, like pass the parcel, with a small treat in each layer
6. Torches off hide and seek, with one 'ghost' who gives gentle clues
7. Guess what is in the feely box: peeled grapes, cooked spaghetti, a sponge
8. Bat and ball skittles with faces drawn on paper cups
9. Freeze dance to spooky music, stop and strike a monster pose
10. Indoor trick-or-treat: knock on every door in the house for a treat

Crafts and making

1. Paper plate pumpkins, painted orange with a green stalk
2. Handprint bats in black paint on white paper
3. Tissue paper ghosts tied with wool over a lollipop
4. Pasta skeletons glued into a person shape
5. Paper chain spiders with wobbly eyes (supervise small parts)
6. Salt dough pumpkins to bake and paint the next day
7. Decorate a jam jar with tissue for a glowing lantern (battery light only)
8. Egg box spiders painted black with pipe cleaner legs
9. Make a cardboard broomstick from a tube and paper strips
10. Design and colour a monster mask, cut by a grown-up

Baking and kitchen fun

1. Ghost biscuits: bake plain rounds and ice with white and two dots
2. Pumpkin faces on orange iced buns using raisins
3. Marshmallow ghosts dipped in melted white chocolate (check allergies)
4. Spider cupcakes with chocolate finger legs
5. Mandarin pumpkins with a celery stalk, a healthy snack
6. Monster toast with cream cheese and sliced fruit faces
7. Apple teeth with peanut butter and seeds (check allergies first)
8. Banana ghosts with chocolate chip eyes
9. Jelly worm cups layered in a clear glass
10. Toasted pumpkin seeds from your carved pumpkin

How to run a Halloween ideas night, step by step

1. Print the list and pick one idea together.
2. Gather what you have at home in a basket.
3. Clear a table or floor space and lay out the bits.
4. Try the activity, then tidy as you go.
5. Choose tomorrow's idea and tick off today's.

Ways to use the Halloween ideas list

• Rainy night rescue. When plans wash out, pull the list and pick an indoor idea. A family games night with a wooden family games set keeps everyone busy for an hour.
• Countdown to Halloween. Tick off one idea a day through the week. Small children love seeing the list fill with ticks.
• Party plan. String together three games, one craft and one snack for an easy class or home party. Add a simple scavenger hunt game to get everyone moving.
• Quiet afternoon. Choose a craft or a puzzle for a calm hour after lunch. Good for younger ones who tire of loud games.
• Nursery and classroom. Set up each group as a table station and rotate small groups through them with an adult at any station using scissors.

Games and gifts for Halloween and half term

These games, crafts and puzzles turn the ideas above into a whole evening of screen-free fun. Pick a few that suit your child's age and keep them out for the whole half term.

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Scavenger Hunt GameShop nowWooden Family Games SetShop nowClassic Board Game - Snakes and Ladders & LudoShop nowWooden Animal SkittlesShop nowRainbow Scratch Paper - Scratch Art PadShop nowMini Whiteboard - Educational ToyShop nowGrey Dream Catcher - DIY For KidsShop nowPirate Game - Stacking ToyShop nowGiant Dominoes - Wooden Dominoes SetShop nowGiant Playing CardsShop nowMarble Art SetShop nowTin Can Alley Game - Family Game SetShop nowSpace Torch & Projector - Space ToyShop nowPaint PensShop now

Halloween ideas by age and key stage

What children learn from Halloween activities

• Fine motor. Icing biscuits, threading pasta and cutting paper build the small hand control children need for writing.
• Counting and maths. Hunting for ten paper pumpkins or sharing treats fairly supports early number work.
• Language. Describing what is in the feely box and giving spooky clues grows vocabulary and confidence.
• Turn taking. Games night helps children wait, cheer others on and cope with winning or losing.
• Creativity. Designing masks and monster snacks lets children make choices and see their ideas come to life.

More free Christmas printables

Every one is free to print, and each has its own guide.

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Halloween Bingo CardsFree printableHalloween Scavenger Hunt ChecklistFree printableHalloween Potion Recipe CardsFree printableIndoor Trick-or-Treat CardsFree printableHalloween Games Night PlannerFree printableDesign a Pumpkin FaceFree printableSpooky Story Starter CardsFree printableHalloween Award CertificatesFree printable

Make it a Christmas tradition

The best Halloween memories come from small things done together, not big spending. Pick a couple of ideas that become yours every year, like ghost biscuits on the day or a torchlit hunt after tea. Children love the repeat, so the same old blanket fort feels brand new each October. Print the list, keep it with your decorations and add your own ideas in the margin as they grow.

Frequently asked questions

What are good Halloween activities for kids at home?

Scavenger hunts, simple crafts, baking, indoor trick-or-treat and family games all work well and need little more than things you already own.

What can we do on Halloween if it rains?

Try an indoor trick-or-treat, a blanket fort, a family games night or baking. This list sorts ideas by type and age so you can pick fast.

What Halloween activities suit toddlers and 3 year olds?

Handprint bats, paper plate pumpkins, a short pumpkin hunt and icing plain biscuits all suit little ones. Keep scissors and small parts with a grown-up.

How do I run an easy Halloween party at home?

String together three games, one craft and one snack. See the gift ideas above for games that keep a group busy.

Are these ideas screen-free?

Yes. Every idea on the list is screen-free and uses craft bits, snacks or games rather than a tablet or telly.

Do I need to buy special kit?

No. Most ideas use paper, pens, wool, snacks and bits from around the house. A few games are nice extras but not needed.

How do I keep baking safe for children?

Check for allergies before using nuts, chocolate or seeds, keep knives and the oven with an adult, and let children do the mixing, shaping and icing.

Can I use these in a nursery or classroom?

Yes. Set up each group as a table station and rotate small groups through, with an adult at any station that needs scissors or the oven.

Browse by age and type

Family gamesIndoor gamesCraft sets for kidsEducational toys for 3 to 5 year oldsWooden gamesGifts for kidsToys for 4 year oldsTraditional games

Jaques of London is Britain's oldest toy and games company, founded in 1795. We have spent over 230 years making games families play together, from chess and croquet to wooden toys for the very young.

Kids' Activities by Age | All free printable activities

Written by the Jaques of London team. Last updated 1 November 2026.