How Do You Throw a Halloween Party?
Throwing a Halloween party is easier than you think when you break it down into simple steps.
- Start with the basics: Pick a date and send invitations at least two weeks early. Choose a theme like spooky monsters or costume party to guide your planning.
- Plan food and activities: Keep snacks simple with themed treats like “mummy” hot dogs and Halloween cookies. Pick 5-7 games and crafts that match your guests’ ages and energy levels.
- Set the spooky mood: Decorate with fake cobwebs, carved pumpkins, string lights, and creepy music. Homemade decorations work just as well as store-bought ones.
- Prepare on party day: Set everything up a few hours early. Arrange activity stations, put out food, and test your music and lights. Keep a loose schedule so things flow naturally.
- Relax and enjoy: Your energy sets the tone for everyone. Don’t stress about perfection, Halloween parties thrive on creativity, laughter, and a little spooky chaos.
Classic Halloween Party Activities
These classic fun Halloween games never go out of style because they’re simple, fun, and get everyone involved.
1. Pumpkin Carving Contest
Give everyone a pumpkin and carving tools to create the scariest or silliest jack-o’-lantern.
Set a time limit and let guests vote on their favorite designs.
Display all the carved pumpkins with candles inside for a spooky glow. Award prizes for categories like “Most Creative” or “Spookiest Face.”
2. Apple Bobbing
Fill a large tub with water and floating apples. Players must grab an apple using only their mouths, no hands allowed.
This classic Halloween game gets messy and fun, so have towels ready. The first person to catch an apple wins a prize.
3. Costume Parade
Let everyone show off their Halloween costumes with a fun parade around the party space.
Play spooky music as guests walk and strike poses. Have categories like “Scariest,” “Funniest,” or “Most Creative” for awards.
This gives everyone a chance to shine and get compliments on their outfits.
4. Trick-or-Treat Exchange
Set up stations around your space where guests collect candy or small treats. Each person gets a bag and visits different spots to fill it up.
You can theme each station differently, like “Witch’s Corner” or “Vampire’s Vault.” It brings the trick-or-treating fun indoors.
5. Haunted House Walkthrough
Transform a room or hallway into a scary haunted house experience.
Add spooky decorations, dim lighting, sound effects, and volunteers dressed as monsters. Guests walk through and face their fears with jump scares and creepy surprises.
Make it age-appropriate based on your crowd.
6. Spooky Storytelling Circle
Gather everyone in a dimly lit space for spine-chilling ghost stories. Let guests take turns sharing their scariest tales or reading from spooky storybooks.
Use a flashlight under the chin for ean xtra creepy effect. This quiet activity balances out the high-energy games.
7. Halloween Dance-Off
Crank up spooky songs like “Monster Mash” or “Thriller” and let guests show their best dance moves. Hold elimination rounds where the crowd votes off dancers one by one.
The last dancer standing wins a prize. It’s a great way to burn energy and get everyone laughing.
8. Pumpkin Bowling
Set up plastic bottles or pins decorated like ghosts and use small pumpkins as bowling balls.
Guests roll the pumpkins to knock down as many pins as possible.
Keep score and see who gets the most strikes. This outdoor-friendly game works great for all ages.
9. Mummy Wrapping Race
Divide guests into teams of two and give each team rolls of toilet paper.
One person wraps their partner from head to toe like a mummy as fast as possible. The first team to completely wrap their mummy wins. It’s hilarious, messy, and makes for great photos.
10. Pin the Hat on the Witch
This Halloween twist on “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” has blindfolded players trying to place a hat on a witch poster.
Spin each player around three times before they try. The person who gets closest to the right spot wins a prize.
11. Ghost Piñata Smash
Hang a ghost-shaped piñata filled with candy and small toys.
Blindfold players one at a time and let them swing at it with a bat or stick.
When it breaks, everyone scrambles to collect the treats that fall out. It’s exciting and sweet at the same time.
12. Monster Freeze Dance
Play Halloween music and have everyone dance like monsters, zombies, or witches. When the music stops, everyone must freeze in place.
Anyone caught moving is out, and the last dancer remaining wins. It’s simple, energetic, and perfect for kids.
13. Witch Hat Ring Toss
Set up witch hats on the ground at different distances. Players toss rings and try to land them on the hat points.
Give different point values based on distance to make it more challenging. The player with the most points after several rounds wins.
14. Glow-in-the-Dark Scavenger Hunt
Hide glow sticks, glow-in-the-dark toys, or UV-painted items around a darkened space.
Give guests flashlights or glow bracelets and send them hunting. Create a list of items to find or just let them collect as many glowing treasures as possible.
15. Spooky Musical Chairs
Arrange chairs in a circle with one fewer than the number of players. Play creepy music while everyone walks around the chairs.
When the music stops, everyone races to sit down; one person is always left out. Remove a chair each round until one winner remains.
16. Jack-o’-Lantern Decorating
Provide pre-carved pumpkins or foam pumpkins along with paints, markers, stickers, and glitter.
Guests can decorate their pumpkins without the mess of carving. This craft activity works great for younger kids or anyone who wants a creative break from games.
17. Halloween Cookie Decorating
Set up a decorating station with plain sugar cookies shaped like pumpkins, ghosts, and bats.
Provide orange and black icing, sprinkles, candy eyes, and other toppings. Guests create edible masterpieces they can eat or take home. It’s tasty and creative.
18. Spider Web Maze
String yarn or ribbon across a hallway or room to create a tangled web maze. Players must crawl through without touching the strings.
If you want more challenge, add jingle bells so any touch makes noise.
19. DIY Face Painting Booth
Set up mirrors, face paints, and brushes for guests to transform into creatures. Offer stencils for easy designs like spider webs, bats, or cat whiskers.
Have an adult or skilled painter available to help with trickier requests. Everyone leaves looking extra spooky.
20. Halloween Bingo
Create bingo cards with Halloween images like pumpkins, ghosts, candy corn, and witches instead of numbers.
Call out the images randomly and players mark their cards. The first person to get five in a row shouts “Bingo!” and wins a prize.
21. Guess the Gross Food Challenge
Fill bowls with normal foods that feel weird when you can’t see them, like peeled grapes (eyeballs) or cold spaghetti (worms).
Blindfolded players reach in and guess what they’re touching. The reactions are priceless, and it’s perfectly safe despite being gross.
22. Candy Corn Counting Jar
Fill a clear jar with candy corn and have guests write down their best guess for how many pieces are inside.
At the end of the party, reveal the actual count. The person with the closest guess wins the jar of candy.
23. Skeleton Puzzle Relay
Divide guests into teams and give each a skeleton puzzle or paper skeleton to assemble.
Teams race to put all the bones in the right places first. You can make it harder by having them run back and forth to collect pieces.
24. Halloween Trivia Game
Prepare questions about Halloween history, spooky movies, monster facts, and candy trivia. Split guests into teams and ask questions, awarding points for correct answers.
The team with the most points at the end wins prizes. It’s educational and competitive.
25. Horror Movie Marathon
Set up a cozy viewing area with blankets, pillows, and dim lighting. Screen age-appropriate scary movies back-to-back with popcorn and snacks.
Choose classics like “Hocus Pocus” for families or scarier films for teen and adult crowds.
26. Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe
Create a large tic-tac-toe grid on the floor with tape. Use mini pumpkins and gourds as game pieces in two different colors.
Players take turns placing their pieces, trying to get three in a row. It’s a simple game with a Halloween twist.
27. Mystery Box Challenge
Cut holes in decorated boxes and fill them with weird-feeling items like fake spiders, slime, or rubber eyeballs.
Players reach in without looking and describe what they feel or guess what it is. The suspense and surprise make this game unforgettable.
28. Creepy Cupcake Contest
Provide plain cupcakes and lots of decorating supplies like colored frosting, candy, and edible decorations.
Guests compete to create the spookiest or most creative Halloween cupcake. Everyone votes on winners, then enjoys eating their creations.
29. Witch’s Brew Drink Station
Set up a self-serve drink station with “potions” in different colors. Use juices, sodas, and punch with dry ice for a foggy effect (handled by adults only).
Label drinks with spooky names like “Vampire Blood” or “Swamp Juice.” Add gummy worms or candy eyeballs for extra creepiness.
30. Ghostly Photo Booth
Create a photo area with Halloween-themed backdrops and props like witch hats, fake fangs, and broomsticks.
Guests can take silly or scary pictures to remember the party. Print photos on the spot or share them digitally after the event.
31. Candy Apple Making
Set up a station where guests can make their own candy or caramel apples. Provide apples on sticks, melted coating, and toppings like nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate chips.
Show everyone how to dip and decorate their treats safely. They’re delicious and fun to make.
32. Haunted Treasure Hunt
Hide Halloween-themed items or candy around your space and give guests clue cards to find them.
Make clues spooky with riddles about ghosts, monsters, or creepy locations. The person or team who finds the most items or solves all clues first wins.
33. Costume Fashion Show
Set up a runway area where guests can model their costumes individually.
Play dramatic music and let each person strike poses while others cheer. Have a host announce each costume with funny commentary. Everyone gets their moment to feel like a star.
34. Halloween Charades
Write Halloween-related words and phrases on cards like “flying witch” or “carving pumpkins.” Players act out their cards without speaking while their team guesses.
Set a timer for each round and keep score. It’s hilarious watching people mime being zombies or vampires.
35. DIY Trick-or-Treat Bag Craft
Provide plain bags, fabric markers, stamps, stickers, and Halloween stencils.
Guests decorate their own personalized trick-or-treat bags to use during the party or for actual Halloween. This craft doubles as a party favor they can take home.
36. Glow Stick Dance Party
Turn off the lights and hand out glow sticks, glow bracelets, and necklaces to everyone. Play upbeat music and let guests dance in the dark with their glowing accessories.
The neon colors create an awesome party atmosphere that feels magical.
37. Bonfire & Ghost Stories
If you have outdoor space, gather around a bonfire for the perfect ending to your party. Roast marshmallows for s’mores while taking turns telling ghost stories.
The crackling fire and dark surroundings create the ideal spooky mood for sharing scary tales.
Tasty Treats to Serve at Your Halloween Party
Great Halloween party food should look spooky and taste amazing. Focus on treats that are easy to make and fun to grab between games.
- Savory snacks like hot dogs wrapped in dough, pizza bites shaped like monsters, and veggie trays arranged like spider webs keep guests satisfied. A spooky charcuterie board with cheese and crackers always disappears fast.
- Sweet treats steal the show. Decorate cookies shaped like ghosts and pumpkins, top cupcakes with candy eyes and gummy worms, or dip pretzel rods in chocolate for “magic wands.”
- Dips and candy stations round out your menu. Serve spinach dip in a bread “coffin” and let guests mix their own candy bags to take home. Keep it simple, shareable, and perfectly spooky!
The Bottom Line
With these Halloween activities, you’re ready to throw an unforgettable party.
Mix and match games based on your space, guest ages, and party style.
Don’t try to do everything; pick your favorites and let them shine. Balance high-energy games with quieter crafts so everyone finds something they enjoy.
Most importantly, have fun with it! The best Halloween parties come from laughter, friendly competition, and shared experiences.
Now get planning and prepare for a good time!
James McLaren, with a rich background in architecture from the University of Manchester, has been contributing his expertise to the world of creative construction and home innovation for over 20 years. His journey began as a project manager for a leading construction firm, where he honed his skills in bringing complex designs to life. James joined our platform as a freelancer in 2019, quickly becoming a favorite for his insightful and practical advice. He has been a pivotal force to our wing ever since, bringing our readers a blend of technical know-how and creative flair. Beyond his professional life, James is an avid woodworker and enjoys restoring vintage furniture, a hobby that complements his professional insights beautifully.
