30 kids Halloween party ideas for a spooktacular time

Parenthood has enough spookiness to last all year round (Halloween or not), but that doesn't stop our kids from itching for an October celebration.

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The thought of a Halloween party might stir up blurry memories of late nights in your teens when ‘costumes’ were a matter of hot-or-not, but there is a way to make these events wholesome and kid-friendly.

From party themes to creative invites, DIY activities, and spooky snacks, here are our tried and true Halloween party ideas for kids of all ages. (In other words, no risk of accidentally traumatising 6-year-olds).

Creative Halloween party themes

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1. Murder mystery party

This theme needs a bit of lateral thinking, so we suggest it for the older kids.

Murder mystery parties are all the rage right now. They’re creative, playful, silly, and the perfect way to let the theatre kids shine.

Guests take on character roles in a fictional whodunit storyline. You’ll hand out character descriptions and clues, starting with an introduction to the plot. The night kicks off with an intro to the plot, then it’s all about mingling, sharing info, and trying to figure out who the culprit is. At the end, everyone makes their guesses, and the host reveals who did it and how they pulled it off.

Expect crazy accusations, impassioned defences, and, most importantly, a ton of memory-making.

Night of Mystery has kid-friendly murder mystery games for all the fun without any ‘adult themes’. Or, if you have the time, you can devise one yourself!

2. Scavenger hunt

Set up a spooky-themed scavenger hunt to keep little ghouls busy and entertained.

This Halloween party theme involves hiding Halloween-related items around your home and giving guests clues or riddles to help them discover each treasure.

You can hide things like:

• Fake spiders and critters
• Mini pumpkins (real or fake)
• Ghost decorations
• Witch hats
• Skeletons
• Vampire teeth
• Monster toys
• “Potion” bottles
• Glow-in-the-dark items

You can also add bonus challenges, like taking photos with certain decorations or performing a silly Halloween dance at each stop.

3. Scary movie night

Nothing gets kids in the Halloween spirit like a spooky movie night. Dim the lights, grab some snacks and pull out blankets for a cosy evening.

There are different ‘tiers’ to a scary movie, so make sure to do the research and get each parent’s “okay” on the movie choice.

We’ve put together a very thorough list of kid-friendly Halloween movies for every age to help you out.

4. Pumpkin painting party

Aussie Halloween celebrations don’t often involve pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns – but that doesn’t mean we can’t join in on the fun.

For this theme, set up a designated space with tables covered in newspaper or plastic to catch any paint spills. Have a variety of pumpkins handy – small, medium, and even mini ones – so everyone can choose their favourite to decorate.

Stock up on paints in bright colours, brushes, sponges, and fun accessories like glitter, stickers, and googly eyes to help bring their designs to life. You can also set a theme for the paintings, like spooky faces, fantastical creatures, or abstract art, or let everyone’s imagination run wild.

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Unique Halloween party invite ideas

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1. Message in a bottle

Sure, sending a quick test to your mother’s group is the easier option (and one we’ve grown used to) but it’s not the most exciting.

Instead, create a ‘message in a bottle’ invite. Get some small glass or plastic bottles and write out the party details – date, time, location, and RSVP info—on aged paper or colourful cardstock. Roll the paper up and secure it with twine or a ribbon before placing it inside the bottle. You can add a bit of sand or Halloween confetti at the bottom for a fun touch. Seal it with a cork or cap, and maybe label it “Spooky Invitation.”

You can drop these off at the lucky guests’ homes and build some eager anticipation.

2. Wax-sealed envelopes

Nothing beats getting a letter in the mailbox, especially a party invite.

Choose some decorative envelopes in spooky colours like deep purple, black, or classic orange. Note your party details on nice cardstock or parchment paper. Once your invites are ready, fold them neatly and slide them into the envelopes.

For the finishing touch, melt some coloured wax (you can find wax sticks at craft stores) and drip it onto the envelope flap, then press a fun Halloween-themed stamp or seal into the wax.

It’s a bit of work, but the glamorous feel pays off.

3. Glow-in-the-dark cards

Here’s a more playful take on your Halloween party invites:

Start with black cardstock or any dark paper as your base. Use white or neon gel pens to write out the important details so they really stand out. For an extra spooky feel, add glow-in-the-dark stickers or stamps featuring ghosts, bats, and pumpkins to make your invites pop. Once you’ve finished, charge them up in the light before handing them out.

4. Scratch-off invites

Choose this idea for the element of surprise.

First, craft your invites on colourful cardstock with all the essential info. Next, use a scratch-off sticker or make your own by covering a piece of the invite with clear tape and a mix of acrylic paint and dish soap. Once it’s dry, guests can scratch off the area to reveal the party details hidden underneath!

To stick to the Halloween theme, decorate the invites with spooky designs.

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Creative kid-friendly Halloween party decorations

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1. Paper bats

Does anyone remember that vine of a kid sitting in front of some bat decor and saying, “It’s fricken bats…I love Halloween.” Well, channel that energy.

Simply cut out bat shapes from black construction paper or cardstock, and use scissors to create fun wing details. Attach them to walls, ceilings, or doorways with tape or string to give the illusion that they’re flying around.

2. Fake spider webs

We’re stressing the word ‘fake’ here – this isn’t an excuse to give your weekly clean a miss. Fake spider webs can be a perfectly eerie touch to a Halloween-themed party. Stretch synthetic spider web material across furniture, in corners, or around door frames. You can even pop in some fake spiders for a tiny scare.

3. Glow in the dark decor

Every Halloween party needs a lights-off portion. That’s when the ghosts and ghouls come out…

Use glow-in-the-dark paint to create spooky designs on walls, pumpkins, or even stones. You can also buy glow-in-the-dark stickers in fun shapes like ghosts, stars, and skeletons to sprinkle around the party space.

4. Hanging skeletons

You can find inexpensive plastic skeletons at craft stores, or make your own using paper or cardboard. Hang them from door frames, ceilings, or trees so it looks like they’re coming to life.

To make the skeletons seem more fun than scary, have them posed in silly positions or dressed in accessories like hats, scarves, or goofy sunnies.

5. Witch hat decorations

Cast a spell on your Halloween guests with adorable witch hat decor. Create your own hats using black construction paper, cutting out triangles and folding them into conical shapes.

You can then decorate the hats with colourful ribbons, glitter, or stickers (it’s a little extra clean-up but a lot of fun). Hang them from the ceiling or place them on tables as fun centrepieces.

6. Balloon bouquets

Whether you buy them pre-arranged or DIY your balloon bouquet, they can be a super fun piece of Halloween decor.

Choose balloons in classic Halloween colours like orange, black, and purple, and see if you can find designs with pumpkins, ghosts, or bats. Then, arrange the balloons in clusters and tie them with festive ribbons for eye-catching displays at entryways, tables, or corners of the room.

7. Friendly jack-o’-lanterns

The best way to signal a Halloween bash is a line-up of jack-o’-lanterns. You can grab these from the store, or make them yourself.

Instead of traditional scary faces (lest any kids get nightmares), carve or paint cute and cheerful expressions on the pumpkins. You can even let kids help by drawing faces with markers or using stickers to decorate their pumpkins.

8. Fairy lights

Fast-track a magical atmosphere with some fairy lights. Drape sparkly strings around doorways, along walls, or around tables for the most charm. Choose lights in classic Halloween colours like orange and purple, or opt for white lights as a safe bet.

Fun Halloween party games and activities

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1. Mummy wrap relay

Divide the kids into teams and give each team a roll of toilet paper. One player from each team will be the “mummy,” while the rest will race to wrap them up in the toilet paper. The first team to fully wrap their mummy wins!

2. Pumpkin ring toss

This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but here are some points. Use small pumpkins as your targets and create rings using glow sticks or plastic rings.

Place the pumpkins at different distances to vary the difficulty (and arm lengths). Players take turns tossing rings to see how many they can land on the pumpkins. To keep the fun going, have a craft station where kids can decorate their own rings or pumpkins.

3. Halloween bingo

Sometimes, you just need to keep it simple. Halloween bingo is the perfect easy activity.

Create bingo cards filled with Halloween-themed images or words, like ghosts, bats, and candy. As you call out items, players mark their cards. The first person to get a full line shouts “Bingo!” and wins a prize (or just a handful of lollies).

4. Face painting station

If you’re an artsy parent, this can be a great option – otherwise, you can always outsource!

Set up a table with face paint, brushes, and stencils so kids can transform into their favourite Halloween characters – whether that’s a cute pumpkin, a spooky ghost, a fairy princess, or a “fierce” monster.

5. Candy guessing game

Fill a jar with various types of Halloween candy and have kids write down their guesses for how many pieces are inside. The one who gets the closest without going over wins the jar of candy! This game is simple and works well for all ages.

6. Halloween charades

Bring a Halloween twist to this all-time classic. Start by writing down spooky and fun prompts on slips of paper (like “vampire,” “witch,” or “zombie”) and place them in a bowl. Split the kids into teams, and one player from each team will draw a slip and act it out without speaking while their team guesses.

7. Decorate your own trick-or-treat bags

Why not kill two birds with one stone and get kids to make their trick-or-treat bags? All you need to supply is plain cloth or paper bags, along with markers, stickers, stencils, and other fun craft supplies. Then, just let the kids do their magic.

8. DIY Halloween masks

Grab some plain masks (paper or fabric) and a bunch of decorating supplies – think paints, stickers, feathers, and more. Let the kids go wild (so to speak) as they design their own spooky or silly masks. Once they’ve finished their masterpieces, host a fun “mask parade” where everyone can show off their creations.

9. Monster sock puppets

Here’s another crafty activity to add to the list. For this one, collect mismatched socks and a colourful mix of craft supplies – googly eyes, felt scraps, yarn, and buttons. Kids can use their creativity to turn ordinary socks into funny monsters.

10. Ghostly glow jars

Set up a crafting table with clear jars, glow-in-the-dark paint, and paintbrushes. Kids can paint ghostly faces, spooky designs, or even fun patterns on the jars. After they’ve let their creativity shine, place a battery-operated tea light inside each jar to illuminate their designs

Halloween party food and drinks

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1. Spooky sandwiches

With so many activities ahead, your tiny guests will need some fuel.

Use cookie cutters in Halloween shapes—like bats, pumpkins, or ghosts—to cut sandwiches into festive designs. Fill the sandwiches with classic favourites like ham and cheese, cheese and vegemite, or chicken, cheese and avocado.

2. Witch’s brew popcorn

If you’re putting together a movie marathon, this is a must-have treat.

Start with freshly popped popcorn and toss it with melted white chocolate for a sweet treat. Then, mix in fun additions like Halloween-themed candy corn, gummy worms, and chocolate-covered pretzels

3. Monster cupcakes

Do your kids love to bake? Whip up a batch of cupcakes in your favourite flavour and top them with colourful frosting in shades of green, blue, or purple. Use candy eyes, gummy teeth, and chocolate sprinkles to create playful monster faces.

4. Cauldron punch

All this partying will make kids thirsty, so we recommend a kid-friendly punch served in a large bowl or ‘cauldron’ (should you have one handy). Mix together your choice of fruit juices – like orange, apple, and pineapple – and add some sparkling water for fizz. To make it extra festive, toss in gummy worms, floating eyeball candies, or even slices of fruit.

For more Halloween-themed food and snacks, check out our guide here.

Wrapping it up

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Now it’s time to get the parted started! These Halloween party ideas should give your kids and their friends a spooky night to remember.