Looking for creative ideas so that Halloween won’t be hollow this year? We have your back. This is how we boo this year! From decoration to sweet treats in the kitchen to great new traditions.
The last couple of years have been a little different, but fear not! So much fun is still to be had. So, turn up the volume on this monster mash and bring in all the boo-it-yourself fun! It’s time to recharge your batteries this Halloween and unleash all the creepy magic.
It’s time to upgrade your decorations this October.
First stop? The decoration station!
Think of Christmas, but a lot more creepy. Visit your local store (or open your Amazon cart) and grab all the orange and black construction paper you can. Help the kids cut out Halloween symbols like witch hats, spiders, ghosts, black cats, and bats.
You can also go the easy route and use printable templates like this one! You could also try making a sweet corn garland using paper plates, some paint, and some string.
If you’re looking for something a little simpler, make Halloween-colored paper chains to drape around the room. To add a little extra spooky look for black, orange, and purple lights that line up around railings and doors.
How to create a creepy staircase
Would you like to take that decorating party outside? Dress up your front door like a mummy or spice up your steps with a couple of jack-o’-lanterns.
Consider decorating a tree or two with lights and cobwebs. This way everyone in the neighborhood can enjoy your spirit. We have a full article on how to create the perfect creepy staircase, check it out!
Next station? In the kitchen, we’re going!
Do Delicious treats that are scary and tasty.
Serve hearty dishes and sweet treats all month long to get the kids in the Halloween mood. Try out-of-the-box dinner ideas like mummified hot dogs, mummy mini pizzas, jack-o-lantern quesadillas, or spaghetti and “eyeballs”.
For something sweeter, try making ghost cupcakes, chocolate-coated pretzel squash, or a delicious hot chocolate with pumpkin spice.
Consider adding a spooky twist to some of the Christmas classics. Decorate bat and pumpkin shaped biscuits or transform a gingerbread house into a haunting masterpiece. Also, click here for the best Tabitha Blue hot chocolate recipe from Rookie Mom Squad! It’s a Dream.
With a little imagination, the possibilities are endless! Check out these creepy candies for more inspiration. Now let’s celebrate!
Create new traditions- 10 Creepy Activities for Kids of All Ages!
Of course, a traditional trick or treating is a must, but you can also take advantage of this season with a whole list of activities to do throughout the month! Here are some great ways to keep you and your little one busy.
1. Boo
Keep the neighborhood (safely) involved with this fun little guessing game! Booing is a great way to spread Halloween fun by leaving little tricks and treats anonymously on the neighbour’s doorstep.
Check out this guide to make your own boo!
2. Trunk-or-Treat
Be on the lookout for local trunk-or-treat events. This is a great way for your kids to dress up and fix their candy while staying safe and socially distant, trick or treating from car to car. If you are concerned about safety, have adults (equipped with hand sanitizer) distribute the candy on each car.
Consider organizing your own trunk-or-treat in your neighborhood! Increase the competition by turning it into a suitcase decorating competition! Do you need inspiration for the design of your trunk? Check out our trunk-or-treat guide!
3. Pumpkin hunt glowing in the dark
Rely on an Easter tradition and organize a pumpkin hunt in the dark. You can buy small pumpkins from your local grocery, craft store, or farm. Let the kids have fun and decorate the pumpkins with glow-in-the-dark paint. Hide them in the yard (or in the neighborhood) and have a night search party!
You can just keep the designs scary or get creative all over the place. For a little more fun, you can get different prizes or candy for each pumpkin you find.
4. Halloween pinata
There’s no doubt that kids look forward to their candy fix every October. You can buy (or make) a Halloween pinata and fill it with your child’s favorite candy. It’s the perfect addition to a Halloween party. Make sure you add a few varieties that mom loves too!
5. Virtual costume party
As a kid, one of the best parts of Halloween is showing off your costume to your friends. If they can’t be together this year, consider throwing a virtual costume party. Turn up the scary soundtrack and throw a dance party. Better yet, make it a guessing game. See if the kids can guess who’s behind the masks and face-paint.
Check out some great costumes under $ 20 here!
6th film marathon
Grab the monster munch and turn off the lights! Select a night (or more) to see some of your family’s favorite scary stories on screen. From Hocus Pocus to It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, there are plenty of Halloween movies for all ages. Check out this movie cheat sheet that categorizes Halloween movies by age.
Do you want to take it to the next level? Grab a projector and some good speakers to create a drive-in in the back yard! If your yard is big enough, feel free to invite some of your child’s friends to safely enjoy the show. If you have connections to town, see if the school or local library is ready to have a movie night in their parking lot for everyone to enjoy.
Our favorite Halloween movies for the family
- It’s the big pumpkin, Charlie Brown
- Monster Inc.
- Hotel Transylvania
- Nightmare before Christmas
- Hocus-pocus
7. Scary Science
This is a perfect way to add a little Halloween fun to distance learning. Get creative with the classic vinegar and baking powder volcano and try the experiment inside a pumpkin. Mix the same ingredients in a water bottle to inflate a balloon spirit. Slime is another great experiment, and there are plenty of DIY slime recipes out there. Scare your slime by adding some food coloring, Halloween confetti, or (plastic) creepy creatures.
8. Face mask decoration
Why keep the fun at home? This is a great activity to do in the weeks leading up to Halloween so your kids can spread Halloween joy everywhere. Alternatively, you can buy one of these Halloween masks to get scary!
With the growing presence of masks in our lives, this is an opportunity for your children to stay safe while showing their spirit.
9. Choose an adorable family Halloween costume and do a photo shoot
Here is my theory; You and your kids can have as many Halloween costumes as you want! Why not go all out? One for the virtual costume party, one for the work zoom, another for trunk-or-treating.
However, I recommend that you come up with at least one family costume idea because looking back at photos like this is so special!
Here’s some inspiration from the Rookie Mom Squad:
10. Get creative with your pumpkins!
See this post on Instagram
Of course, you can always do the traditional carving, but decorating the pumpkins tends to be a little easier with the little ones. We love the creative idea above from our Rookie Mom Squad mum, Chrissy Powers!
11. Go on a Halloween scavenger hunt
If you don’t want to go door to door but are looking for a way to get outside in your costume, a scavenger hunt is the perfect idea! You can look for various Halloween-inspired items like skeletons, orange lights, jack-o-lanterns, and cobwebs.
You can make your own list or just find a print template to walk you through it. Click here for a printable option that we love!
How are you going to celebrate this year?
If you or your children are anything like me in terms of tradition, all of the changes the past few years have brought have been a tough adjustment. After taking a deep breath, I saw an opportunity in this madness. For most, traditions offer a sense of comfort and joy. Use this as an opportunity to teach your children the power of resilience (and remind yourself of it) and show them how change can lead to new traditions that can be just as fun, if not more,.
Who knows? The kids might be having so much fun they ask you to make these activities a staple of your annual Scary Year celebration.
You may also like:
Call Dibs early for your Halloween costume! [The Cutest Options Under $20 from Target]
Halloween costume ideas for babies & toddlers (the guide)
10 costume ideas for baby’s first Halloween
Pin for later – Halloween Guide 2021!
