9 Fun Halloween Activities for the Whole Family

Apr 16, 2016

Halloween is a special time for families since it’s all about unique family traditions, and fun and precious memories. Even if you are not passionate about Halloween, which is rather doubtful, having your own family traditions and activities is important to your children. Halloween is also a great opportunity for adults to indulge their inner child and to recollect their own childhood. Here are a few fantastic Halloween activities for the whole family.

1 A mystery gift for your neighbors

Halloween is incomplete without pranks and mischiefs, which can quickly get your family in the spirit of the holiday! When I was a child, my parents prepared a package full of various treats and goodies and sent me to our neighbors. But I couldn’t give it to them; I just had to leave it in the doorstep. The instruction inside said that the receiver should pass the Halloween box to another neighbor.

Apart from sweets, the package contained a cute tiny trifle, which the receiver hung in the front window of the house to show that they received the package. I was always curious about how long it would take before our house received the same package. Gradually, the entire neighborhood was signed with those cute Halloween symbols and nobody could guess the initiator. But this is the tradition of my childhood and you can opt for something different. Just make sure your pranks are harmless to anyone’s well-being and property.

2 Halloween fashion show

While most people rack their brains for catchy costumes for Halloween, you can create tens of costumes in just one day. If your kids have a huge collection of smart clothes, arrange a Halloween showcase right in your drawing-room. Transform any room of your house into a dressing room and let your children walk down an improvised catwalk and show off their creations and showy costumes.

Make the task more complicated for older kids by using game cards. Prepare a heap of cards with various professions written on them such as an artist, driver, cooker, fitness instructor or police officer. Let them pick out cards from the pile and give them 3 minutes to create the outfit. Don’t forget a camcorder or camera to capture those fun moments.

3 Go to a pumpkin patch

This can be a great alternative to a usual celebration of Halloween. Most pumpkin farms also offer hay rides, corn maze and animal excursions. Before the adventure set rules with your children like no going out of your sight and no fights. Most probably your kids will be curious to learn interesting facts about how to grow and choose pumpkins.

When choosing pumpkins, remember that pumpkins for carving and cooking are different. When you need a pumpkin for a pie you should pay attention to the texture and taste, but if you choose a pumpkin for carving, pay attention to its size, shape and ripeness. Always pick pumpkins with dry stems. Examine the pumpkin for spots and bruises thoroughly, because even the smallest rottenness can quickly spoil the whole vegetable. Teach your kids these simple rules, take plenty of photos and have fun!

4 Go crafting

Creating decorations with your kids is an awesome Halloween activity. You don’t have to waste money on costly supplies since everything you need you probably already have at home. You can try to convert your home into a haunted house or just decorate it with some basic Halloween attributes like carved pumpkins, cobweb, paper ghosts and strings of colored light.

To begin with, you’ll need scissors, glue, some bright fabrics and colored paper. Show your kids how to sew felt ghost toy pumpkins or felt Jack O’ Lanterns. Make a Halloween moon and place it in your child’s room so that it scares away all the evil spirits. You can also cut bat-shapes out of black paper and let your child glue it chaotically to a round silvery basis. A large cardboard box converted into a haunted cabin will be great for the little kids. Your children will never forget this kind of experience.

5 Roast pumpkin seeds

Whenever we use pumpkins for cooking or decorating, we usually throw seeds away. But pumpkins are extremely versatile vegetables, which means you can use everything from the peel to the seeds. Get your children involved in roasting pumpkin seeds and making some delicious desserts. Show your kids how to separate the seeds from the pulp and have them rinsed thoroughly. Seeds should get absolutely dry so let them sit overnight.

The next day spray the seeds with garlic, salt and butter and place them in the oven for half an hour. Your family will fall in love with the salty, crispy flavor of this dainty and they will surely look forward to cooking it again in a year. Chances are this unpretentious Halloween activity will turn into the strong family tradition.

6 Get equipped with aprons

Who says cooking is for moms only? Along with your children and husband, the process of cooking can turn into one of the most fascinating Halloween activities in your kitchen. Let sugar and baking soda fly around the kitchen while you and your kids make spooky cut-out cookies like bats, graves, ghosts and pumpkins. Caramelized apples are another easy dessert you can make with your kids. If you are going to have a festive full-fledged dinner, vary it with horror-themed dishes such as eyeball soup, bloody spaghetti and cobweb cupcakes.

Your kitchen will look a bit messy and cluttered, but this is not the biggest thing. You will have to share kitchen space with those tiny hands and smiles and that will create an extremely strong bond between all the family members. Before the cooking marathon, stock up on aprons and chef hats.

7 Sort out the loot

What should you do with all those goodies your child will bring in a pillowcase? Of course, you should sort it out together! This way you’ll toss out homemade sweets or unwrapped candies or something that just looks suspicious. When you sort out the treasures into different piles such as chocolate bars, lollipops, hard candies, candy corns, soft candies, it’ll become easier for your children to find what they want instead of pawing through the full pillowcase of sweets.

Don’t forget to stash some bars or candies for yourself. The process of sorting out is much more interesting than you think. During trick-or-treating children usually receive cute knickknacks, accessories, small toys and school gear apart from traditional candies and treats. Prep some bright colorful baggies for the piles when you finish with the process.

8 Sing, read and watch

With the wealth of movies, ghost stories and creepy songs you can get into the spirit of Halloween much earlier than on October 31. Family-friendly cartoons like Monsters, Inc., Corpse Bride or Monster House will suit even the most conservative preferences and tastes. Treat your kids to your homemade Halloween cupcakes and cookies and some spooky drinks. You can also set a play. Choose the story, divide the roles and help your kids to learn their part. When you are ready with costumes and setting, invite your kids’ friends and your neighbors to enjoy the performance. Unforgettable memories are guaranteed!

9 Game time

When it comes to Halloween games, apple bobbing usually comes to our mind first and for good reason. Kids of all ages love this game. Another fun game idea to try with your family is scavenger hunt. I adored this game when I was a child and I still love it. I enjoy running and bustling around when everybody tries to get as many items as possible. You can get some exercise with pumpkin bowling on your backyard or in the nearest park. Use little pumpkins and empty bottles filled with sand and decorated with felt, and follow the usual bowling rules. If your toilet paper supplies and the number of family members are enough, opt for mummy racing. Split up into two or more teams and play rock-paper-scissors to find out the victim. Be sure to have indelible family time with these great Halloween games.

With plenty of Halloween activities that are good for teens or small kids, these activities will help you enjoy the holiday with no one left out of the fun. Smashing Halloween celebration will make you closer with your kids and enhance your family relationship. Do you know any other Halloween activities for the whole family?

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