Halloween 2024 is almost here, and it’s time to undertake all the spooky fun we’ve been waiting for. Whether you’re into haunted houses that give you chills, carving out a wicked jack-o’-lantern, or hosting a costume party that’s going to be the talk of the neighborhood, this year’s got plenty of stuff you don’t want to miss. And if you’re feeling like mixing it up a bit, I’ve got some fresh Halloween traditions and activities lined up for you.
I’ve split everything into easy sections so you can jump right to what you’re looking for. Got the kids tagging along? I’ve got some fun, family-friendly stuff in here. Or, if you’re craving something with a little more edge, check out the spooky picks.
5 Halloween games activities for adults
Here are the best Halloween party activities for adults that’ll crank up the fun:
Murder mystery mayhem
Get your squad together and throw a murder mystery party. Everyone gets a character to play, and someone’s secretly the “killer.” You’ll spend the night accusing your friends, laughing at bad alibis, and solving the mystery. The more dramatic you are, the better!
Pumpkin pong
Forget regular beer pong. Grab some small pumpkins, hollow them out, and use them as your targets. It’s the same as beer pong but way more Halloween-y. Plus, spilling drinks is just part of the fun when things get competitive!
DIY escape room
Turn your house or garage into a haunted escape room. Set up spooky puzzles, locks, and traps, and challenge your friends to get out before the “ghost” gets them. It’s a race against the clock with some serious Halloween vibes.
Spooky scavenger hunt
Set up a late-night scavenger hunt in your backyard or neighborhood. Hide creepy stuff like fake skulls, spiders, and Halloween props. First team to find all the spooky treasures wins, and you can throw in some prizes or shots for extra fun.
Halloween fear factor
Got a group of thrill-seekers? Play a Halloween version of Fear Factor. Dare your friends to eat “gross” stuff like peeled grapes (eyeballs) or worms (gummy worms in jello). Throw in some blindfolded gross-out challenges and bobbing for apples in blood-red water for good measure.
5 Halloween party activities for adults
These adults’ Halloween activities will bring the energy up and guarantee your party is an unforgettable blast!
“Night of a thousand faces” costume contest
Forget your regular costume contest—throw a themed one where everyone has to dress up as a famous movie villain, mythical creature, or pop culture icon. Add categories like “Creepiest Villain,” “Hilarious Fail,” and “Best Group Look” for extra fun. Winners get something totally unexpected—like a custom trophy or a weird, spooky Halloween gift.
Haunted room escape adventure
Turn one room in your house into an epic haunted escape room challenge. Scatter eerie clues, hidden keys, and creepy surprises throughout, and see which team can crack the code before time’s up. Add spooky sound effects, dim the lights, and maybe throw in a fake ghost or two to keep everyone on edge.
Killer karaoke showdown
It’s not your usual karaoke night—it’s Halloween karaoke! Put a spooky spin on it by encouraging guests to sing dressed as their characters. Imagine someone dressed as Dracula belting out “I Want It That Way” or a werewolf taking on “Thriller.” The ridiculousness will have everyone in stitches, and the best performance gets crowned “Karaoke King/Queen.”
Pumpkin carving “art battle”
Step up your pumpkin carving game with a timed carving showdown. Give everyone 10 minutes to carve something on the spot—no pre-carving allowed! You’ll be amazed at the hilariously wonky results. Award bonus points for creativity, the weirdest face, or even the most complete pumpkin meltdown.
Mixologist madness
Set up a spooky drink station and challenge guests to create their own Halloween cocktails using creepy ingredients like black vodka, “blood” syrup, or gummy eyeballs. Everyone tastes each other’s concoctions and votes for the most creative (and possibly disgusting) drink. The winner gets a bottle of “witch’s brew” (or just a fancy drink) to take home.
5 Halloween activities for kids
Here are five super fun Halloween activities that kids will absolutely love, designed to keep their creativity and energy levels up!
Pumpkin bowling with a twist
It’s not just bowling—each pin (made from decorated plastic bottles) represents a “monster” they have to knock down to save Halloween! The bottles can be designed as goofy vampires, silly witches, or friendly ghosts. And instead of regular balls, kids use small pumpkins to knock the “monsters” down. Give it a fun storyline to get them excited: “Whoever knocks down all the monsters saves the town!”
Glow-in-the-dark treasure hunt
Turn your backyard or living room into a glowing wonderland! Hide glow sticks, creepy glow-in-the-dark toys, and candy in the dark. Give kids UV flashlights to make it even more fun and mysterious as they search for hidden treasure. They can team up and race to find the most glowing items, and you can even throw in special “spooky items” worth extra points, like glowing skulls or skeleton keys!
Create your own monster lab
Set up a “monster lab” where kids get to design and build their own creatures using playdough, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and more. Give them silly backstories like “What’s your monster’s favorite food?” or “What does your monster do on Halloween?” It’s a fun, hands-on way to let them be creative, and they get to take their monster creations home to play with.
Spider web obstacle course
Turn a hallway or small room into a “spider web” maze using string or yarn. Kids have to crawl, duck, and sneak through without touching the “web.” For extra fun, you can tape paper spiders along the course, and kids have to collect as many as they can without getting stuck. It’s a perfect way to burn off some energy while keeping them in the Halloween spirit!
Monster talent show
Instead of just dancing, how about a Monster Talent Show? Kids dress up as their favorite monsters and show off a silly “talent” like growling, spooky dance moves, or telling the funniest ghost jokes. Give them a stage (even if it’s just a spot on the floor) and let them perform their monster talents for applause. Everyone gets a fun certificate like “Best Growl” or “Creepiest Dance Moves” to take home.
5 Halloween activities for nursery
Try those Halloween activities for nursery-aged kids that go beyond the usual and are designed to engage their creativity and senses:
Wiggly worm dig
Fill a sensory bin with cooked spaghetti dyed green or orange to look like squirmy worms. Hide small plastic bugs, bats, or mini pumpkins in the “worms,” and give the kids little scoops or tongs to find and dig them out. It’s a fantastic way for them to work on fine motor skills while having a blast getting messy in a spooky (but not too spooky) way!
Floating ghost bubble fun
Create “ghost bubbles” using a bubble machine or just blowing bubbles manually. Add a little twist by drawing tiny ghost faces on some bubbles with whiteboard markers, or cut out paper ghost shapes and attach them to the bubble wands. Watch the kids chase and pop the floating “ghosts” as they float around. It’s pure joy and movement, and the ghost faces make it even more Halloween-y without any scares.
Mystery Halloween feel box
Create a “mystery box” where kids reach in to feel different spooky textures. Use things like peeled grapes for “eyeballs,” cold spaghetti for “witch’s hair,” and cotton balls for “ghost fluff.” Make sure they can’t see inside the box, so it’s all about their sense of touch. You can talk about each item afterward, making it a fun and educational guessing game.
Pumpkin patch sensory walk
Set up a little “pumpkin patch” with different textures for the kids to walk on barefoot. Lay out soft fabric pumpkins, bumpy foam, squishy mats, and even a little bit of sand to represent dirt. As they walk through the “patch,” they can feel the different surfaces beneath their feet, creating a sensory experience that’s both calming and fun.
Friendly monster handprints
Turn a classic handprint activity into something spook-tacular! Have the kids dip their hands into colorful, washable paint and press them onto paper. Once dry, help them turn the handprints into friendly monsters by adding googly eyes, fun hair, and silly smiles. Let them give their monsters names and backstories, so it becomes a storytelling and craft activity in one.
5 craft activities for Halloween
Here are five Halloween craft activities with a fun, laid-back vibe that’ll keep the kids busy and let them get creative:
Monster mash-up masks
Skip the basic masks and let the kids make some wild mash-up monsters! Lay out paper plates, yarn, markers, glitter, and a bunch of googly eyes. The fun part? They get to mix and match—maybe a vampire with werewolf ears, or a witch with bat wings. Let their imaginations run wild. The crazier the combo, the better! Each kid walks away with a totally unique monster mask to rock.
Potion bottles with silly spells
Turn the kiddos into little wizards by having them make their own magic potions. Grab some empty bottles, glitter, colored water, and mini Halloween trinkets like spider rings or eyeballs. They fill the bottles up and come up with their own funny spell to go with it—like “turn Dad into a chicken!” Tie the spell around the bottle with some string, and boom—they’ve got their own potion and magic spell to take home.
Pumpkin stick puppets
Popsicle sticks, orange felt, and googly eyes—time to create some pumpkin puppets! Let the kids glue on stems with green pipe cleaners and draw goofy or spooky faces. Afterward, they can use their puppets for a little show, creating their own pumpkin patch stories. It’s simple, creative, and gets their imaginations going.
Spider web marble art
Here’s a fun, mess-free painting idea: give the kids a black sheet of paper and a few marbles. Dip the marbles in white paint and have them roll them around in a shallow tray. The marbles will make a cool spider web design all over the paper. When it dries, they can stick on little spider cut-outs or draw their own. It’s like making art by playing a game—super fun and easy.
Haunted house jar lanterns
Grab some old jars and black construction paper, and let the kids design their own haunted house lanterns. They can cut out creepy windows, doors, or ghosts from the paper, then wrap it around the jar and glue it on. Drop in a battery-operated tea light, and you’ve got a glowing haunted house lantern. These will look awesome lined up for Halloween night!
5 art activities for Halloween
These Halloween art activities don’t just stick to the basics—they give kids the freedom to get messy, creative, and make something totally unique. Every activity is designed to feel fresh and hands-on, turning their imagination into the coolest Halloween artwork around.
Pumpkin splatter art
Skip the usual pumpkin carving and let the kids go wild with splatter painting! Lay out some mini pumpkins and grab a few paintbrushes and Halloween-colored paints (black, orange, purple). The fun part? Let them flick and splatter the paint Jackson Pollock-style all over the pumpkins. It’s messy, it’s colorful, and each pumpkin ends up looking like a crazy abstract masterpiece. They’ll love the chaos, and you’ll love the no-knives-needed approach!
Shadow box spooky scenes
This isn’t your average drawing project—give the kids small cardboard boxes, like shoeboxes, and let them create 3D Halloween scenes inside. They can draw, cut, and color their haunted houses, ghosts, or creepy forests, and then attach them inside the box with tape or glue. Add a tiny flashlight or LED light to create eerie shadows, and you’ve got yourself a mini haunted diorama!
Monster mashup masks
Forget basic monster masks—let the kids make monster mashup masks by combining different monster parts into one wild creation. Think vampire teeth with a Frankenstein head and werewolf ears. Provide paper plates, yarn, feathers, googly eyes, and whatever else you can find. Once they’re done, have a mini fashion show so the kids can strut their unique monster looks. The wackier, the better!
Glow stick skeleton art
Here’s one they’ll definitely remember. Use glow sticks to create life-sized skeletons on a large sheet of black paper or a poster board. The kids can lay down and trace their bodies, then stick glow sticks in place for the bones. It’s like drawing, but way cooler when the lights go out and the glowing skeletons pop up! Perfect for adding a little “spooky science” to your Halloween crafting.
Creepy creature clay sculpting
Get some air-dry clay and let the kids sculpt their own creepy Halloween creatures. They can mold anything from goofy monsters to tiny witches and ghosts. Once the clay dries, have them paint their creations with bright colors or even glow-in-the-dark paint. You can even turn it into a little “creature contest” where everyone shows off their spookiest (or silliest) sculpture.
The bottom line
And there you have it—30 killer Halloween activities and traditions to make this year a blast. Whether you’re into haunted houses, carving up pumpkins, or just chilling with some horror movies, there’s plenty here to try. I’ve done a few myself, like pumpkin pong (it got intense) and a DIY escape room with friends, and they’re always a hit. So, grab a few ideas, have some fun, and make this Halloween one for the books! Enjoy!
