When it comes to Halloween parties, spooky decorations and eerie music set the atmosphere, but the games are what truly bring the fun. If you’re planning a Halloween celebration for kids, adults, or a mix of both, incorporating creative and festive games will ensure your guests have a blast. Below are some Halloween games ideas that are easy to set up, affordable, and perfect for all ages. These will turn your gathering into an unforgettable spooky fest!
1. Pumpkin Bowling
Transform regular bowling into a Halloween-themed game by using pumpkins and spooky “pins.” Here’s how to set it up:
- What you need: Small pumpkins (without stems), empty plastic bottles, or tall Halloween-themed items to use as pins. You can decorate the bottles with spooky faces or ghosts.
- How to play: Set up your “pins” at one end of a hallway or open space. Roll the pumpkin like a bowling ball and see how many pins your guests can knock over. For added fun, use glow-in-the-dark bottles and pumpkins for a nighttime challenge!
2. Pin the Hat on the Witch
A Halloween twist on the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” game.
- What you need: A large poster or drawing of a witch (without her hat), paper cut-out witch hats, and blindfolds.
- How to play: Blindfold each guest and have them attempt to “pin” the paper hat onto the witch’s head. The guest who places the hat closest to the correct spot wins a small Halloween prize!
3. Mummy Wrap Race
This is a perfect game for kids and adults alike. It’s a fun, fast-paced activity that will leave everyone laughing!
- What you need: Toilet paper or crepe paper streamers.
- How to play: Divide guests into pairs. One person in each pair is the “mummy,” and the other is the “wrapper.” On “Go!”, the wrapper wraps the mummy with toilet paper as fast as possible. The first team to completely wrap their mummy (without tearing the paper) wins!
4. Halloween Scavenger Hunt
This game works for indoor or outdoor parties and keeps guests entertained while exploring for spooky treasures.
- What you need: A list of Halloween-themed items (e.g., small pumpkins, plastic spiders, fake bats, or candy), small prizes for the winners, and bags for collecting items.
- How to play: Hide the items around your home or yard. Give each player a list of the items to find, and whoever finds the most wins a prize. Add clues or riddles for older participants to increase the challenge.
5. Bobbing for Apples
Bobbing for apples is a classic Halloween game that remains a favorite for kids’ parties. It’s simple, messy, and always a hit.
- What you need: A large tub or bucket filled with water, and plenty of apples.
- How to play: Fill the tub with water and float several apples on the surface. Players must try to grab an apple using only their mouths, with their hands behind their backs. The first person to successfully grab an apple wins a prize!
6. Witch Hat Ring Toss
Turn a traditional ring toss game into a witchy Halloween version!
- What you need: DIY witch hats (you can make these from construction paper or cardboard cones), plastic rings or glow-in-the-dark bracelets.
- How to play: Place the witch hats at different distances, assigning points based on difficulty. Players stand at a line and toss rings to try and land them on the hats. The player with the highest score wins.
7. Spooky Bingo
This is a perfect game for younger children and can be customized with Halloween-themed visuals.
- What you need: Bingo cards featuring Halloween symbols (like ghosts, witches, pumpkins, and bats), markers, and small prizes for the winners.
- How to play: Just like regular bingo, but instead of numbers, the cards have Halloween pictures. Call out the symbols, and the first player to get a row of marked pictures shouts “Bingo!” and wins.
8. Pumpkin Carving Contest
While pumpkin carving is more of an activity than a game, turning it into a contest can make it extra fun.
- What you need: Pumpkins, carving tools, and an adult to supervise younger participants.
- How to play: Provide guests with a pumpkin and carving tools, and let their imaginations run wild! You can judge the pumpkins on categories such as “Scariest Design,” “Funniest Pumpkin,” or “Most Creative Carving.” Offer small prizes for each category to encourage participation.
9. Zombie Tag
Turn a classic game of tag into a zombie apocalypse scenario.
- What you need: A large playing area (preferably outside), and a designated “zombie” to start the game.
- How to play: The game starts with one person being the “zombie.” The “zombie” tags other players, turning them into zombies as well. The last person left as a human wins. For an added challenge, the humans can use “anti-zombie” defenses like throwing soft items (pillows or small balls) to slow the zombies down.
10. Eyeball Relay Race
This game will bring out the laughs and test your guests’ balance and speed!
- What you need: Spoons, ping-pong balls painted like eyeballs (or you can buy eyeball-themed balls), and a flat race area.
- How to play: Divide players into teams. Each player has to race from the starting point to the finish line while balancing an “eyeball” on a spoon. If the eyeball falls off, they must return to the start and begin again. The first team to finish wins.
11. Guess the Gross Food
A creepy food guessing game that is perfect for a Halloween party. Blindfold guests and let them guess “disgusting” foods by touch or taste.
- What you need: Cooked spaghetti (brains), peeled grapes (eyeballs), mashed bananas (guts), and other soft foods. Label them with gross names for effect.
- How to play: Blindfold each guest and have them touch or taste each food item without seeing it. The goal is to guess what the “gross” item actually is. The player with the most correct guesses wins a prize.
12. Monster Freeze Dance
A simple game that combines dancing and Halloween fun.
- What you need: A Halloween-themed music playlist (think “Monster Mash” and “Thriller”) and space for dancing.
- How to play: Play the music and have all the players dance like monsters. When the music stops, everyone has to freeze. Anyone caught moving after the music stops is out. The last monster dancing is the winner.
13. Skeleton Puzzle Race
Test your guests’ speed and puzzle-solving skills with this skeletal challenge.
- What you need: Several skeleton cut-outs (each disassembled into pieces), and a table or flat surface for each team.
- How to play: Divide players into teams. Give each team a disassembled skeleton and challenge them to race to see who can correctly assemble the skeleton first. The team that finishes fastest wins.
14. Spooky Piñata
For a fun, candy-filled activity, a Halloween-themed piñata is always a crowd-pleaser.
- What you need: A Halloween-themed piñata (shaped like a pumpkin, ghost, or bat), a bat or stick, and candy to fill it.
- How to play: Just like a traditional piñata game, blindfold the players and have them take turns trying to break open the piñata to release the candy. This game is always a hit with younger guests!
Conclusion
These Halloween games ideas are sure to add fun and excitement to your party, whether you’re hosting kids, adults, or a mix of both. From classic activities like bobbing for apples to modern twists like zombie tag, there’s something for every type of partygoer. Make sure to offer prizes, take lots of photos, and keep the spooky atmosphere alive throughout the event. With these games, your Halloween party will be a night your guests will never forget!