With the COVID-19 pandemic in full effect and flu season on the horizon, many parents are opting to skip the traditional fall activities this year and stay home instead. Sure, there may not be trick-or-treat or costume parties at school, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the season just as memorable! These at-home Halloween ideas will ensure that October 31 is sufficiently spooky and special, even when nothing else seems normal.
- Make it Special with Treats – One of our favorite things to do on Halloween at home is to make and share yummy gourmet Halloween candies. Surprise the kids with a delivery of Halloween chocolate treats or a spectacularly spooky Chocolate Pizza piled high with holiday-themed candies and sprinkles. Get the whole family engaged and make your own one-of-a-kind dessert creations with chocolate molds and frosting.
- Play Halloween Games – Who doesn’t love classic Halloween games? Some of our favorites include bobbing for apples and pin the spider on the web. If you want to get really creative, try creating a Halloween mystery box to stump and delight every member of the family. This game involves filling a dark box with gross things — cauliflower “brains,” tortilla “skin” and grape “eyeballs” for example — and having participants guess what’s inside without looking into the box.
- Tell Spooky Stories – It wouldn’t be Halloween without scary stories. Put on your favorite eerie music, flip off the lights and pass around the flashlight, inviting everyone in the house to tell their favorite hair-raising tales. A fun way to take scary story night to the next level is to have each member of the family write and direct their own spooky skit. Add a competitive element and reward the winner with gourmet Halloween candy.
- Watch Halloween Movies – Parents can break out the kid-friendly classics to share with their little ones. From “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to “Hocus Pocus,” there’s no better way to get everyone in the Halloween spirit without leaving the living room. We always love pairing movie night with a bowl of fresh-popped popcorn, and you can take it up a few notches with old-school Halloween popcorn balls!
- Do Seasonal Crafts – Break out the construction paper and school glue to create homemade Halloween decorations that get the whole family geared up for All Hallows’ Eve. Some fun and simple Halloween-themed crafts for the whole family include bat garland, paper jack-o’-lanterns, paper plate spiders and spooky Halloween slime. Oh, and don’t forget to carve a pumpkin or two!
Getting in the Spirit
Where our kids once overtook the neighborhood during trick-or-treat and dressed in costumes for classroom parties, this year they’re staying close to home and showing off their costumes via Zoom. But that doesn’t mean they can’t celebrate! Organize a few of these Halloween activities at home and watch as the kids and grown-ups alike get in the spirit!
