Every once in a while, I like to get crafty – usually because, as a parent, I am required to get crafty. Sure, I have walked away from a few volunteer events with battle wounds like back pain from spending way too long painting props and a permanent “street cred” scar from that time I pillaged my way into a plastic glitter container with a flat-head screwdriver. (Ouch!) Luckily, no glitter is required to put together any of the following fun DIY Halloween games for kids.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure page.
One of the most enjoyable ‘forced’ volunteer events for me is Halloween. If our school isn’t organizing a Fall Festival, I’m always ready to step up and host a Halloween party for the kids. It’s a time filled with excitement and fun, and I can’t help but get into the spirit.
I love the costumes, the pumpkin bread, the ways to decorate pumpkins, the dollar store DIY decorations, the porch decor, and did I mention the stunning DIY Halloween decorations???
Yeah, I may have a full-on monkey on my back – which is to say I have gone bat crap crazy for Fall.
Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite fun DIY Halloween games for kids. Do not feel pressured to go overboard. You can go as elaborate or simple as you want; kids do not care. Here are 29 of the most creative and fun Halloween games for kids of all ages to help inspire you or get you through this year.
Pumpkin Golf
Pumpkin Golf is a fun Halloween game for kids in the classroom, at a fall festival, or at a trunk or treat event! Learn all about how easy it is to DIY this activity at A Girl and A Glue Gun!
Mummy Wrap Race
This one gets loud, and it’s supposed to. Split kids into teams and see who can turn a teammate into a mummy first. It’s a toilet paper free-for-all, and the photos are priceless.
- Ages: 4+
- Players: Teams of 2 or 3
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: 1 roll of toilet paper per team (the cheap, thin kind tears less and wraps faster than the fancy stuff)
- How to play: Each team picks one person to be the mummy. On “go,” the others wrap their mummy from head to toe, leaving the eyes, nose and mouth clear. The first team to use up the whole roll, or the team with the best-wrapped mummy when time runs out, wins. When the timer ends, let the mummies “come alive” and walk like zombies across the room.
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones, skip the race and just let them wrap a grown-up. For older kids, give them 60 seconds and let the adults judge the “most frightening mummy.”
Mummy Bowling
Bowling pins + Cottonelle Triple Roll + creativity = a fabulously fun and easy Halloween game via Giggles Galore.
Pin the Spider on the Web
This sweet Halloween game comes with a free Pin the Spider on the Web printable! Grab yours at Ella Claire Inspired
Monster Freeze Dance
If you have toddlers or preschoolers at the party, start here. It’s freeze dance with a spooky twist, and it’s a great way to burn off sugar before snack time.
- Ages: 2+
- Players: Any number
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: Spooky music (search “Halloween songs for kids” on any music app)
- How to play: Play the music and let everyone dance like a monster. When the music stops, everyone freezes in their scariest monster pose. Anyone who wiggles sits out until the next round. Keep going until you have one frozen monster left standing.
- Make it easier / harder: For toddlers, don’t make anyone sit out, because freezing is the fun part. For older kids, call out a monster when the music stops (“Freeze like a vampire!”) and they have to hold that pose.
Pumpkin Chuckin’ Halloween Game
This one is one of my favorite Halloween games for kids because it’s easy to put together and the kids can help-the pumpkins are toilet paper rolls wrapped in felt! Kids love the activity part-I’ve learned any time you tell a kid they can throw something it’s going to be a good time:)) Get all the details for this DIY on B-Inspired Mama
Eyeball Spoon Race
A creepy take on the classic egg-and-spoon race, and a lot less messy. Kids love drawing the eyeballs as much as they love racing with them.
- Ages: 4+ (ping-pong balls are a choking hazard for little ones, so keep this one for older kids)
- Players: Teams or individual racers
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: Ping-pong balls, a red and black Sharpie, and 1 spoon per player
- How to play: Draw an eyeball on each ping-pong ball: a black circle for the pupil, with red squiggly lines for creepy veins. Set a start and finish line. Racers balance an eyeball on a spoon and walk to the finish line without using their other hand. Drop it and you go back to start. For teams, run it as a relay and hand off the spoon.
- Make it easier / harder: Little ones can use a bigger spoon or a small plastic bowl. Older kids can hold the spoon in their mouth or walk around an obstacle course.
Bobbing For Apples With A Twist
Bobbing for apples is one of the classic Halloween games for kids, but let’s face it-it’s not the most sanitary thing in the world. Luckily, there are a few spins you can put on this Halloween game for kids to make a bit more hygienic without taking the fun factor away.
Witch’s Broom Relay
Every witch needs to practice her sweeping. This relay is simple to set up and works great for classroom parties because the whole group can cheer each other on.
- Ages: 5+
- Players: 2 teams
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either (outdoors, it’s best on a flat, calm day)
- You’ll need: 2 brooms, orange balloons (blow up extras, because a few will pop), and 2 cones, buckets or chairs
- How to play: Line the teams up at the start. Place a cone for each team across the room or yard. The first player sweeps a balloon to the cone, around it, and back to their team, then hands the broom to the next player. The first team to finish wins.
- Make it easier / harder: For younger kids, use a small hand broom and a shorter course. For older kids, add a second cone to weave around or make them sweep two balloons at once.
- Safety note: Pick up popped balloon pieces right away. They’re a choking hazard for younger siblings.
Individual Pail Style – Pen + Paper Flowers Inc
Glow Stick Ring Toss
Wait until it gets dark for this one. The glowing rings flying through the air look magical, and kids will keep playing long after the party’s over.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: Any number, taking turns
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either (best outside or in a dark room after sunset)
- You’ll need: Glow stick bracelets and glow necklaces with connectors, plus your targets: 4 to 6 large witch hats or mini pumpkins with tall, sturdy stems
- How to play: Snap and shake the glow sticks, then connect them into rings. Set your witch hats or pumpkins in a row or a triangle on the ground. Kids stand a few feet back and toss the rings, trying to ring a target. Give each player 3 tosses and count the ringers.
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones, use witch hats or big necklace rings, since those are the easiest to ring. For older kids, use pumpkins and the smaller bracelet rings, which have to catch on the stem. Move the throwing line back each round.
- Tip: Glow sticks are brightest for the first couple of hours, so snap them right before you play.
Pass the Pumpkin
Hot potato, but make it Halloween! It takes 30 seconds to set up, so it’s the perfect game to pull out when the party lulls.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: 5 or more, sitting in a circle
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: A mini pumpkin (or an orange ball) and Halloween music
- How to play: Everyone sits in a circle. Start the music and pass the pumpkin around as fast as you can. When the music stops, whoever is holding the pumpkin is out. Keep going until one player is left, and they’re the Pumpkin King or Queen.
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones, nobody’s out. Whoever is holding the pumpkin just does a silly Halloween move (“Cackle like a witch!”). For older kids, pass it with feet only, or add a second pumpkin going the other direction.
Feed the Monster Halloween Game
This DIY Halloween game for kids from Vanessa at Tried & True is easy to put together even if you aren’t seasoned crafter! And kids ADORE “feeding the monster” at classroom parties & fall festivals! Get all of the details on Tried & True.
Pumpkin Patch Stomp – Delia Creates
Halloween Tin Can Bowling
Upcycle the tin cans you were going to trash into fabulous works of art with this crafty Halloween game for kids from Maggy at RED TED Art! Kids can help paint the cans and be a part of this Halloween DIY from start to finish-making this project one they won’t forget! Find out exactly how to do it here
Ghost Bottle Bowling – No Time for Flashcards
Skeleton Says
It’s Simon Says with a spooky twist, and it needs zero supplies. It’s a great one to keep in your back pocket for classroom parties or anytime the kids need to burn off energy.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: Any number
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: Nothing!
- How to play: One person is the Skeleton. The Skeleton gives commands, but players only follow them if the Skeleton says “Skeleton says” first. “Skeleton says rattle your bones!” means everyone shakes. “Fly like a bat!” with no “Skeleton says” means anyone who flaps is out. The last player standing becomes the next Skeleton.
- Command ideas: Rattle your bones, fly like a bat, stir the cauldron, cackle like a witch, walk like a mummy, howl like a werewolf, float like a ghost, stomp like a monster.
- Make it easier / harder: For toddlers, drop the “out” rule and just play follow-the-leader. For older kids, speed up the commands.
Pumpkin Toss
Meghan, the creative genius behind Playground Parkbench, came up with this idea for a Halloween game for kids with a little inspiration from her youth. Ok, fine. She was inspired by beer pong. Anyway, the result is a fabulous inexpensive DIY game for kids that’s fun and helps build fine and gross motor skills! You learn more on Playground Parkbench
Pumpkin Toss Game – Better Homes & Gardens
Halloween Feel Boxes
This is one of those classic touch and feel sensory Halloween game for kids-complete with peeled grape “eyeballs” and baby carrot “mummy toes” It’s so much fun to watch the expressions on their faces!
Ghost in the Graveyard
A classic for good reason. It’s part hide-and-seek, part tag, and totally thrilling at dusk. Save it for the end of the party when it starts getting dark.
- Ages: 6+
- Players: 5 or more
- Indoor / Outdoor: Outdoors, at dusk
- You’ll need: A yard and a “home base” (a porch, tree or step). A flashlight is optional.
- How to play: One player is the Ghost and hides while everyone else stays at home base and counts together: “One o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock…” all the way to “Midnight! Ready or not, here I come!” Then the group heads out to find the Ghost. Whoever spots the Ghost yells “Ghost in the graveyard!” and everyone races back to home base before the Ghost tags them. The first person tagged is the next Ghost.
- Make it easier / harder: For younger kids, keep the hiding area small and play before it’s fully dark. For older kids, play after dark with flashlights.
- Safety note: Set clear boundaries before you start, stay away from the street, and have a grown-up outside.
Candy Corn Relay
Claire from The Inspired Treehouse brings us this candy corn themed Halloween game for kids perfect for the classroom or a fall festival! You can also easily switch it up to a minute to win it game for multiple players! Get all the details over on The Inspired Treehouse
Witch’s Hat Ring Toss
Always a hit! Everyone loves playing this Halloween game for kids and this DIY ring toss from Sometimes Creative is a fabulous idea for a classroom party or minute to win it game!
Halloween Bucket Toss – Gets Bored Easily
Pumpkin Memory Game
A Halloween version of the classic matching game, with no printer needed. Kids flip pumpkins to find matching stickers underneath, and it’s a great quiet game for when the party needs to settle down.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: 2 to 4
- Indoor / Outdoor: Indoors (a table or the floor)
- You’ll need: Orange construction paper or cardstock, scissors, and Halloween stickers (2 of each design)
- How to play: Cut out 12 to 20 pumpkin shapes (trace a cup or cookie cutter for easy, same-size pumpkins). Put a sticker on the back of each one, making sure every sticker has a match. Mix them up and lay them face down in rows. Players take turns flipping over two pumpkins. If they match, the player keeps the pair and goes again. If not, flip them back over, and it’s the next player’s turn. When all the pumpkins are matched, the player with the most pairs wins.
- Make it easier / harder: For toddlers, start with 6 pumpkins (3 pairs) and play together as a team. For older kids, use 24 or more pumpkins.
- Tip: Make a set with the kids the day before the party, so it doubles as a Halloween craft.
Halloween Bingo Game
These Free Printable Bingo Cards are the perfect classroom Halloween games for kids-rain or shine from Amber at Crazy Little Projects!
The Spider Race Game
The complete guide to the most popular Halloween Game for kids via Kid-Friendly Things To Do
Another Spider Race
Every kid gets a spider, and the first one to reel theirs in wins! It’s quick to set up, and it’s a sweet one for little hands.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: 2 to 6 racing at once
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either (a long table or hallway floor works great)
- You’ll need: Plastic spiders, yarn or string, tape, and 1 pencil or paper towel tube per player
- How to play: Cut a piece of string about 6 to 8 feet long for each player. Tie or tape a spider to one end and the other end to a pencil or paper towel tube. Stretch the strings out side by side with the spiders at the far end. On “go,” kids wind the string around their pencil as fast as they can to reel their spider in. The first spider to reach the finish wins.
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones, use shorter strings and paper towel tubes, which are easier to grip. For older kids, make the strings longer, or have them wind with only one hand.
- Another way to play: Have kids blow their spider across a table through a straw. The first spider to fall off the other end wins.
Pin the Eyes on the Monster – Amanda’s Parties To Go
Halloween Punch Game
This one is part game, part surprise. Kids punch through tissue paper to find a treat hidden inside. It makes a great party centerpiece, and it’s easy to make the night before.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: Any number, 1 punch per kid (or more if you make extras)
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: 12 to 20 plastic cups, orange and black tissue paper, rubber bands, a piece of poster board or foam board, hot glue or strong tape, and small wrapped candy or toys
- How to play: Put a small treat in each cup. Cover the top with a square of tissue paper and hold it tight with a rubber band. Glue the cups to the poster board in rows, with the tissue paper facing out. Prop the board up, and let each kid pick a cup and punch through the paper to win whatever’s inside.
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones, use a single layer of tissue paper so it’s easy to punch through. For older kids, hide one “grand prize” cup, or write a question on each cup that they have to answer before they punch.
- Tip: Number the cups and draw numbers from a bowl if you want to keep things fair (and avoid a stampede).
Halloween Concentration
A fun Halloween game for kids of all ages. Let them put their memory skills to work with this activity from Saltwater-Kids that includes a free printable.
Spider Web Halloween Game – Thrifty Fun
Halloween I Spy
No supplies, no setup, just a spooky twist on a game every kid already knows. It works anywhere: at the party, in the car on the way to trick-or-treating, or while waiting for the pizza to arrive.
- Ages: 3+
- Players: 2 or more
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: Nothing! (A room with some Halloween decorations makes it even more fun)
- How to play: One player secretly picks something they can see and gives a clue: “I spy, with my spooky eye, something orange and round!” Everyone else takes turns guessing. Whoever guesses right gets to be the next spy.
- Spooky clue ideas: “Something that says boo,” “something with 8 legs,” “something a witch would wear,” “something that glows,” “something that’s black like a cat.”
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones, stick to colors and shapes (“something orange”). For older kids, use trickier clues (“something that starts with the letter B,” or “something a vampire would be afraid of”).
- Take it outside: Play I Spy while trick-or-treating and look for decorations in the neighborhood (“I spy a skeleton on a porch!”).
Halloween Hunt
One of my favorite Halloween games for kids! The Halloween scavenger hunt! You can this do all sorts of different ways, but I love this one from Kate at Pickle Bums-she even offers a free printable! So awesome and nice!
Super Easy Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt keeps kids busy and moving, and you can make it with nothing but paper and a pen. Hide the clues around the house or yard, and put a treat at the end.
- Ages: 5+ (younger kids can play with a reading buddy)
- Players: Solo or teams of 2 or 3
- Indoor / Outdoor: Either
- You’ll need: Paper and a pen for the clues, a small treat bag or bucket for the final prize, and a stretchy spiderweb decoration if you want a spooky “prize spot”
- How to play: Write each clue on a slip of paper and hide it where the clue before it points. Hand kids the first clue and let them follow the trail to the prize.
- Sample clues:
- “I keep things cold, it’s true, so open me up for your next clue!” (fridge)
- “Brush your fangs and wash your face, your next clue is in this place!” (bathroom sink)
- “Where you rest your sleepy head, look beneath the pillow on the bed!” (bed)
- “Wet clothes go in, dry clothes come out, your next clue is hiding about!” (dryer)
- “Knock, knock! Who’s there? A clue for you, if you dare!” (front door)
- “Spooky treats are waiting here, you found the prize! Let’s give a cheer!” (the prize spot)
- Make it easier / harder: For little ones who can’t read yet, use picture clues (draw or snap a photo of the next hiding spot). For older kids, add more clues, or hide them outside with flashlights after dark.
Halloween Charades
This Halloween Charades activity comes with a free printable making it an easy to put together Halloween game for kids for the classroom or fall festival.
Halloween Games for Kids FAQ
What are the best Halloween games for a classroom party?
Pick games the whole class can play at once or that move quickly through turns. Candy Corn Relay, Witch’s Broom Relay, Halloween Bingo, Skeleton Says and the Halloween Punch Game all work well with 20 or more kids. Most room moms plan 2 or 3 games plus a craft and a snack, rotating groups every 10 to 15 minutes.
What Halloween games can toddlers play?
Toddlers do best with simple games that don’t have a “loser.” Try Monster Freeze Dance, Bobbing for Apples for Toddlers, Pumpkin Patch Stomp, Pass the Pumpkin (with no one out) or Halloween I Spy with colors and shapes. Skip small items like ping-pong balls and balloon pieces, which are choking hazards for kids under 3.
How can I do Halloween party games on a budget?
Most of the games on this list use things you already have at home: toilet paper, empty water bottles, paper, yarn, spoons and a broom. Skeleton Says, Halloween I Spy, Monster Freeze Dance and Ghost in the Graveyard need nothing at all. For the rest, the dollar store has mini pumpkins, plastic spiders, glow sticks and googly eyes.
How many games do I need for a Halloween party?
For a 2-hour party, plan 3 to 5 games plus a craft or snack break. Have 1 or 2 no-supply games (like Skeleton Says or Pass the Pumpkin) ready to fill any gaps. Kids usually want to play their favorite game again, so you’ll rarely get through everything you planned.
What are good outdoor Halloween games for kids?
Pumpkin Golf, Glow Stick Ring Toss, Witch’s Broom Relay, Pumpkin Toss and Ghost in the Graveyard are all great outside. Save Glow Stick Ring Toss and Ghost in the Graveyard for dusk, when the glow and the spooky vibes are at their best.
What Halloween games can I play indoors on a rainy day?
Mummy Bowling, Cobweb Crawl, Pumpkin Memory Game, Pin the Bow Tie on Mr. Bones, Halloween Bingo and a Halloween Scavenger Hunt all work great inside. Cobweb Crawl turns any hallway into a spooky obstacle course in about 5 minutes.
Are these games okay for kids who don’t like scary things?
Yes! These games are “cute spooky,” not scary. For sensitive kids, skip Ghost in the Graveyard and the Halloween Feel Boxes, and stick with games like Pass the Pumpkin, Pumpkin Memory Game and Mummy Bowling.
Well. I hope you’ve found a new Halloween game or were inspired in some way today. Thank you for reading my words. While you’re here, please check out these Halloween favorites.
Don’t Miss These Halloween Favorites!
25 Awesome DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids
35 of the Best DIY Halloween Decorations-Fabulous & Frugal Decor Hacks
40 Stunning Dollar Store Halloween Decoration Ideas & Crafts That Look High End On the Cheap
30 Easy Halloween Cookies For Kids That Are Popular On Pinterest
Super Easy & Healthy Pumpkin Bread
28 Dollar Store Activities Kids Love
If you enjoyed this collection of fun DIY Halloween Games for Kids, please share it on Pinterest!
