Halloween party games for kids at home: 9 that need almost nothing

A Halloween party at home works with a few games, a clear order and a snack table. Nine games follow. Six need only things from your house; three need paper, and for those you can print what we made.

Games that need no printing

1. Mummy wrap. Split into teams of three or four. One child is the mummy, the others wrap them in toilet paper in three minutes. The tidiest mummy wins. Fine from about age 5.

2. Eyeball race. Draw an eye on a ping-pong ball with a marker. Children carry it on a spoon across the room, round a chair and back. Ping-pong balls roll away, so use a spoon with a deep bowl.

3. Spider web. Stand in a circle with a ball of wool. The one who holds the ball says a Halloween word, keeps hold of the end and throws the ball across the circle. When the ball is gone, you have a web.

4. Monster freeze dance. Play music and let the children dance like monsters. When you pause the music, everyone freezes. Anyone who moves sits out one round and comes back after.

5. Ghost in the graveyard. One child is the ghost and hides. The others search together; whoever spots the ghost shouts and runs back to base before the ghost tags them. Play it in the garden or a hall, not in a cluttered room.

6. What is in the cauldron? Put cold spaghetti, peeled grapes and other soft things into covered bowls. Children feel with one hand and guess. Tell them before they put a hand in, and let anyone skip a bowl.

Games that use paper

7. Picture bingo. Pictures instead of numbers, so children who cannot read yet can play. Halloween picture bingo: 30 different cards for kids has 30 different cards of pumpkins, bats and ghosts and calling cards to cut out; you need something to cover the squares, such as candy corn or buttons.

8. Picture charades. Halloween charades for kids: 40 picture cards is 40 cards, each with a picture and an action to act out, in three levels from easy to tricky. Rules for teams or single players and a page of blank cards are included.

9. Scavenger hunt. The game that keeps a group busy longest. Halloween scavenger hunt for kids: rhyming clues for indoors and outdoors has 10 indoor and 10 outdoor clue cards in rhyme, a checklist for each, a certificate and an answer key. There is a separate guide on how to run a Halloween scavenger hunt at home.

For the quiet corner

If one child needs a break from the noise, Halloween activity pack for kids aged 6 to 9: 25 activities and a picture bingo gives them 25 puzzles for ages 6 to 9, with word searches, mazes, sudoku and spot the difference, and a picture bingo for the family. For a party with teens or adults, Halloween party games for teens and adults: bingo with 30 cards, quiz, charades and more is aimed at older players, with a 30-card bingo, a quiz and charades. If you want all three packs, the Halloween party bundle: party games, scavenger hunt and activity pack for kids holds the party games, the scavenger hunt and the activity pack.

A simple order for the afternoon

1. Arrival game that needs no explaining: the spider web or freeze dance.
2. One active game: mummy wrap or the eyeball race.
3. Snacks, with the cauldron game on the side.
4. The scavenger hunt, with the treat at the end.
5. Picture bingo while parents arrive.

What the PDFs are

Each pack is a PDF you download after paying and print at home. Nothing is posted. The files are US Letter; on an A4 printer choose "fit to page". They are for your own household, so please do not share or resell them.

Frequently asked questions

How many children can play these games?

Mummy wrap, spider web and freeze dance work from four children up. Bingo and the scavenger hunt work for any group, since you can print more cards or run teams.

What age are Halloween games for kids at home suited to?

The games above start at about age 5 with an adult helping. The activity pack is written for ages 6 to 9, and the party games pack for teens and adults.

How do I keep it from being too scary?

Pick friendly themes, keep the lights on and let anyone sit out a game. Our picture bingo and charades use pumpkins, ghosts and bats in a cute style.