Updated on: Feb 16, 2024
Before we take a look at these fun Halloween party ideas we want to give a fun fact! Halloween originated from an ancient festival called “Samhain” where people would wear costumes to scare off ghosts. Originally called “All Hallows Eve,” this spooky holiday was later given its modern-day name. Besides trick or treating, the best part of a kid’s Halloween is going to a Halloween party.
Need some help discovering new Halloween party ideas? We can help you add to your party checklist! If you want to have a fun party, within your budget, take a look at 36 ways to have fun at a Halloween party that are sure you wow your guests!
Halloween Party Decorations
1. Mummy Doors
Another one of the greatest Halloween party ideas is making mummies! By using just toilet paper and a couple of large googly eyes, a host can transform every door in their home to creepy murmuring mummies!
2. Fake Spiders
Making cute crotchet spiders could be a great addition to your Halloween party decorations! Or you can purchase spiders online. Adding these spiders can increase the comfortability of younger guests while also providing comfort for the adults.
3. Ghosts!
By taking a white trash bag and cutting three holes, (two for the eyes and one for the mouth), a host can put a black balloon inside of the bag and release the bag. The "Ghosts" will float up to the ceiling and spook all of the guests. These ghosts can be a great Halloween party decoration as well as cool Halloween party favors!
4. Spider Webs
Placing spider webs along the doorways, doors, and also along tables can give the room a much more spooky vibe. Spider webs could also be used to hang smaller decorations around your home. Using cutouts of bats can also increase the overall ambiance of the Halloween party!
5. Photo Booth Wall
Decorating a designated wall with extra spooky Halloween-themed pieces is a great way to increase the vibe of the entire party. Adding spider webs, ghost cutouts, and offering handheld pieces for photos is a great way to remember the party for years to come! This designated area could be used one couple at a time to increase the theme of a Halloween party.
Halloween Party Favors
6. Make it Glow
Glow sticks are always a good Halloween party favor. You can get creative with the sticks by placing them inside balloons. With these balloons, you can have the kids draw Jack-o-lantern faces on them as well.
7. Tiny Pumpkins
Mini pumpkins come in all different shapes and sizes; it is up to you to figure out which ones fit the party best. These tiny pumpkins can either be used for carving or as great Halloween party decorations.
8. Fangs
Fangs are sold across stores during the month of October. They are very cheap to buy and are a good accessory for pictures. There are also edible fangs that come in multiple flavors which could make for great Halloween party favors.
9. Candy!
Candy is a necessity for Halloween and a great favor for any season. Instead of just handing it out to your guests, create a candy table and supply paper Halloween trick-or-treat bags. Then your guests can explore the candy that’s on the table and decide which kind they want. If you go for this interactive option, make sure to place limits on the amount of candy every guest takes. Another option for your social distance Halloween party could be to include those chocolate eyeball candies in your goody bags.
10. Stickers
Kids love stickers! The stickers could be spooky as well as cute. For example, having some stickers for the younger guests could include popular monsters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolfman!
11. Severed Fingers
Add some scare to goody bags with these fake fingers. Plastic spiders and bugs are another gross-out item kids love to hate! Hide them at the bottom of their bags for a taste of treat AND trick! Depending on the age group of course, you could incorporate other spooky items as well!
12. Bouncing Balls
Purchase some bouncing balls-- bonus points if they glow in the dark! This would be a nice small item for the kids to play with during a party. Giving the kid's a bouncy ball to engage and play with at a social distance Halloween party is a great way to keep the six feet apart rule!
13. Punch Balloons
With these neon punch balloons, the kids will be able to entertain themselves by repeatedly punching these colorful balloons.
14. Pins
Having Halloween-themed pins gives people an opportunity to decorate their bags, shirts, hats, or fridges (if they’re magnetic). Keep a piece of the party with you all the time no matter where you travel.
15. Slime
Oozy & ooey-gooey: slime is an excellent Halloween favor!
Halloween Party Menu Ideas
16. The Meal
Some of the best Halloween party ideas include food. The Halloween dinner could include an array of spooky-themed platters. Some of the options could include Dracula's Ribs, Spider artichoke dip, Spaghetti and meatballs! All of these platters could prove to be great choices for a Halloween dinner. All of the guests could be seated separately and each table would be decorated accordingly.
17. Cocktails
Some Halloween cocktails ideas for adults can be Dracula's Timeless Mimosas or the Witches Heart, Halloween Cocktail. These can be served in Halloween glasses to add more spook!
18. Kid Friendly Drinks
The beverages offered throughout the night could be basic drinks with funky, yet spooky names. Instead of Shirley temples, serve spooky temples! A Halloween punch can be served as well.
19. Themed Cookies
Halloween-themed cookies are the perfect addition to your party. You can make your own, or buy premade ones to make things easier.
20. Themed Cakepops
Cakepops are a fun and unique dessert. Ghosts, mummies, and pumpkins can all be represented with yummy balls of cake.
Halloween Party Ideas Activities
21. Pumpkin Hunt
Holding a pumpkin hunt is a great way for kids to compete without being too aggressive or getting hurt. Purchase some artificial styrofoam mini pumpkins and scatter them across your yard/ an open space outside. This is a greag activity for a social distance Halloween party. This also allows kids to go their separate ways while searching, so they will be able to have their space while also having a lot of fun. To spice up the game, give out little prizes to the kids who collect the most pumpkins. Halloween for kids has been very different because of COVID, so giving them the chance to enjoy themselves a little bit more is great!
22. Bobbing for Apples
To avoid everybody using the same bucket while bobbing for apples, kindly ask guests to bring their own buckets and apples (the bucket can be any size.) Have the contestants fill their own bucket with water and place 3 apples in each. The first person to get all three apples will be crowned the winner! To make the game last longer, you can make a bracket to determine the true champion!
23. Pin the Nose
Find a poster or large picture of a witch, get some pins, and have everybody bring their own blindfold. Find a picture of an ugly nose online, and make a copy for every kid in attendance. Everyone should get their own pin. Have the kids tie their blindfolds themselves (demonstrate yourself, if they find themselves confused.) This variant of pin the tail on the donkey should end up being plenty of fun!
24. Tiny Halloween Scarecrows
Children and adults attending a Halloween party can participate in making tiny scarecrows. The scarecrows can be made from basic craft materials, these materials can include popsicle sticks, glue, and some straw. There's nothing better than leaving a party with some souvenirs! (Be sure to advise guests to bring their own supplies to avoid cross-contamination). To remain a social distance Halloween party, guests can be seated farther away from one another. The scarecrows could double as great Halloween party favors.
25. Halloween Mini Haunted Houses
Here's another cool Halloween party idea that could be used as Halloween party favors! Using recycled materials, guests can create their own, unique haunted houses. Materials such as cardboard, glue, pipe cleaners, etc. can be used in creating the houses. Other materials could be of importance when decorating!
26. Costume Contest
One of the oldest Halloween party ideas is a costume contest. Ask guests prior to arrival, to come in their scariest, funniest, or cutest costumes. The more guests who participate increases the more excitement of the party. Offering incentives such as a prize for the best dressed is also another great idea to increase the amount of guests participating. Offer a themed trophy to the winner! If it's more of a kids' Halloween party, encourage the themes to be appropriate. Some adult Halloween party ideas could include encouraging guests to wear more of a sexy or an extra scary costume.
Halloween Party Supplies
27. Table Cloth
Not only is a table cloth great for protecting your table from stains, but it also adds even more decoration to your party! There are so many Halloween-themed tablecloths that you can choose from!
28. Plates
Plates are definitely essential for eating any treats and food you plan to serve. Add to the festivities with Halloween plates.
29. Napkins
Just like plates, you're going to need napkins when your guests are eating. Why not make them match the party theme? You can even get custom napkins created to impress your guests!
30. Utensils
Utensils cannot be forgotten about for your party. Purchase some Halloween-colored utensils to keep your festiveness going.
31. Candy
Even though candy was already listed as a party favor, candy is still a must-needed supply. Purchase a variety of packs of candy to please all your guests. Place candy throughout the party for snacking throughout the event!
Halloween Party Invitations
32. Digital Invitation
You can keep your invitations simple by sending them digitally. This is the quickest and easiest way. Collect your guests' emails and send out a mass invite.
33. Coffin Invite
Mailing invitations have always been the preferred method of delivery. You can design your own invitations online and print them out or even put your artistic skills to use and draw them! Alternatively, there are tons of options for invitations you can order online straight to your house. A box resembling a coffin is a fun idea to send your invites!
34. A Rhyme
Talking about the fun of trick or treat, a rhyme can get your guests interested. Come up with a short rhyme or get inspired from one online to invite your guests to celebrate with you!
35. Magnets
You can order customized magnets online with all of your party info! Send them in the mail and your guests and place them on their fridge. This way, they'll keep getting a reminder when they pass their fridge.
36. Give out Tickets
Want to be even more creative with your invitations? Give out tickets to your guests. Customize them with all your event information! If you want your guests to bring friends, let them know by providing extra tickets. This will add an element of fun to your party.
Halloween Party Ideas: Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed these Halloween party ideas and take our advice on applying some of these steps to your own party. We can help you with ideas for any kind of holiday party. A nice tip to remember is to plan ahead and acquire as many products as you can to be able to use all of these great Halloween party ideas!
Written by Chelsea Muzar, Jessica Santos, Nathan Rogers and Isabel Tenney; Contributors: Tiawnie Castrejon and Jamie Murtha