30 Halloween Activities For Kids (2023)
Are you looking for some fun Halloween learn and play activities for your kids?
Halloween is my favorite holiday to plan lessons for. All the pumpkins and Halloween decorations just make my soul happy.
In this article, you will see 30 not so spooky Halloween learning, art, play, and party planning ideas for kids.
Let’s get started!
Halloween Learning Activities
Pumpkins. Spiders. Skeletons. Googly Eyes. Candy.
Sign all the kids up! They will be so excited to see any of those items out on the table, trust me.
Kids are always more engaged in learning when they are doing activities that excite them! These Halloween themed learning activities are sure to be a hit!
Activity #1: Spider Counting
Does anyone else’s little one love everything that creepy? My little guy is seriously obsessed with everything when it comes to Halloween.
This spider craft is great to do with preschoolers and even older elementary-aged kiddos!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Colored cardstock paper, black cardstock paper, small colored pom-poms, and googly eyes.
2. Set-up: Create several circles on the black cardstock with a round object like a small cup. Create little legs out of the other colored construction paper. You can have your kids help put the legs on the spiders, or you can do it.
Do specific colors on each spider, or you can do multi-colored for some fun! Let the legs dry before moving onto the activity.
3. Activity: Your kids can sort the pom-poms by color into small bowls. They will glue the googly eyes on the spider, and then they will match the color pom-poms to the color of the legs on the spider. Tell them a specific amount of poms to place on each spider, or you can put moveable numbers near each spider.
RELATED: HOW TO TEACH YOUR TODDLER NUMBERS
Activity #2: Halloween Writing Trays
Writing trays are an inviting way to practice handwriting skills for younger kids. When you add sand or cookie sprinkles, it instantly makes an activity better!
For this writing tray, I decided to use Crayola Play Sand; it was perfect for Halloween time since it’s green!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Crayola Play Sand, a paintbrush, my Halloween letter and number traceable, and plastic spiders.
Upper Case Tracible Letter Cards
Lower Case Tracible Letter Cards
2. Set-up: Dump some sand into a tray (I suggest using one that has sides, so the sand doesn’t fly out)—print off the letters and numbers that you want to work on. Place one at the top of the tray! Add in black spiders for fun.
3. Activity: Your child will use the paintbrush to create the letter/number. Once they complete one, try some others! It doesn’t have to be perfect since it’s in the sand; just have them try their best. Let them play with the sand and the spiders when they are all finished.
RELATED: FUN HANDWRITING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Activity #3: Pumpkin Learning Activity Pack
When you add pumpkins onto a worksheet, it instantly becomes “cool” for kids to do.
When I create my worksheets, I try to make them as appealing as I can for kids to do! I LOVE creating these fun resources for your kids. I try to make them as interactive and jam-packed with learning as I can.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: My Pumpkin learning packet, crayons, a pencil, scissors, and glue.
Pumpkin Learning Packet
Included in this learning pack is the lifecycle of a pumpkin activity, parts of a pumpkin activity, color by number, alphabet upper and lower case matching, pumpkin shape count, and alphabet writing activity.
2. Set-up: Print off the pages and get your materials ready!
3. Activity: Choose one or two worksheets to do with the kids each day. Unless they are having SO much fun and want to keep doing them. Depending on the activity you choose for the day that’ll depend on what supplies you need.
Activity #4: Alphabet Freeze Game!
I like to get my kids moving when they learn! They like these activities more, and they are always more willing to keep doing the activity for longer periods if they are active.
This simple set-up is perfect for practicing the alphabet/phonics!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Foam pumpkins and a Sharpie.
2. Set-up: Write the letters of the alphabet on the foam pumpkins and place them in a circle formation on the floor.
3. Activity: Play some Halloween music while they are playing this game! When the music starts, have your kids start walking around the circle. When the music stops, have them stop on the pumpkin, they are nearest to. Have them say the letter. For older kids, you can ask them the letter, what sound it makes, and also to come up with a word beginning with that letter.
My daughter even came up with Halloween themed items for each letter, which I thought was so creative of her!
Want to extend the learning a bit more? You can have your kids find the letters of their name and put those pumpkins together to spell their name. Also, you work on word building skills with kindergarten and up!
RELATED: AT-HOME GAMES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Activity #5: Tally the Bones
Tally the bones is an excellent way to introduce the concept of tally marks. It’s also fantastic because it uses a supply that you probably already have on hand!
When introducing tally marks to your kids, start with small numbers. In this picture, you see several pieces of foam dice. If you have a younger one, start with only one piece of dice. To challenge older ones, add in more pieces of dice to work on addition skills!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Foam dice, q-tips, and black cardstock paper.
2. Set-up: Gather the materials you need!
3. Activity: Have your child roll the dice. Have them count up the dots or see if they can add them together if they are old enough. Then, have them place that amount of Q-tips on the black cardstock paper as tally marks. Emphasize that the 5th Q-tip will need to go across the other 4 to form the number 5.
Try this activity several times till they get the hang of how to create tally marks!
RELATED: ADDITION ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS!
Activity #6: Halloween Candy Graphing
Our absolute favorite part about trick-or-treating is dumping all the candy out! Do you love that too?!
We love going through the candy and separating them based on chocolates, gummies, hard candy, etc.
After the trick-or-treating is all day the next day, we LOVE to graph our candy.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: My FREE Candy Graph, Halloween candy, crayons, and markers.
Trick Or Treat Graph
2. Set-up: Sort all the candy by type (gummies, chocolate, hard candy, lollipops, sour candy). If you have WAY too much candy, just grab 2 handfuls or so.
3. Activity: Count up the candy in each category and color in the amount of the graph of what they have. Talk about what group has the most, the least, and if any are the same!
Activity #7: Halloween Activity Learning Book
Want some learning activities that you can use over and over that are festive for the holiday?
You need to check out my excellent busy book that you can create using the digital download that I made for you!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: My Halloween Busy Book download, a 1″ binder, sheet protectors, scissors, velcro circles, ziplock bags, a laminator (unless you want to get it laminated), and laminating sheets.
Halloween Activity Book
2. Set-up: This does take some set-up but believe me, it’s well worth it! Laminate only the sheets that need it (these are the pieces). The other main sheets can go in sheet protectors inside the binder. Cut out the pieces once laminated. If it’s an activity that would need velcro circles, you can add those on there and on the binder so they will stick together.
3. Activity: Your little one can complete the activities over and over again! This is a great way to practice new skills as well as work on recognition!
I just bought this laminator for my house! I love having my own laminator because I can laminate all the activity sheets that I want to do repeatedly. It saves so much on ink and paper.
Activity #8: Counting Monster’s Teeth
These monsters aren’t so scary, are they?! I love the addition of candy corn to this activity. I’m not the biggest fan of how candy corn tastes, but my kids LOVE it.
These cute little monsters work on counting and number recognition skills!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Moveable numbers, candy corn, reusable folders, and my FREE Monster Printable.
Monster Counting Mats
2. Set-up: Print off the worksheets and grab the other materials you need. Place the monster sheets inside the reusable folder so you can do this activity repeatedly.
3. Activity: Place a certain amount of candy corn inside the monster’s teeth. Have your little ones count the teeth and write the answer on the line provided. You can use a dry erase marker if you have the reusable folders. You can also have the kids use the moveable numbers to tell you how much there are!
RELATED: TEACHING RESOURCES ARTICLE
Activity #9: Pumpkin 10 Frames
Who doesn’t love pumpkin seeds? The best part is digging into those pumpkins to grab the seeds out, right?!
One way you can put those pumpkin seeds to use is by using 10 frames! 10 frames are one of the ways that your child will learn how to subitize.
Subitizing is the ability to be able to tell how many objects are in a group without needing to count them!Â
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: My pumpkin seed 10 frame activity worksheets, pumpkin seeds, pom-poms, mini erasers, or do-a-dot markers!
PUMPKIN SEED 10 FRAME
2. Set-up: Print off the worksheets that you want to do and grab a bowl of pumpkin seeds.
3. Activity: Have your little ones create the numbers that are on top of each sheet. To challenge older kiddos, make sure to grab by addition and subtraction 10 frame activities as well! Have them count out the correct amount of seeds that need to go on each mat!
RELATED: KINDERGARTEN READINESS ACTIVITIES
Activity #10: Halloween Word Search
I LOVE creating giant word searches for my oldest. It’s one of her favorite activities to do as well! She’s learning how to read, and she loves the challenge of being able to find the special words in the word search.
It works best by using easel paper since it’s larger and longer paper. I have also used a large piece of cardboard as well for this activity; if you don’t have easel paper, that will work just as well!
I have also done this activity for practicing sight words! This is a fun and engaging way to practice sight word recognition!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Easel paper, painter’s tape, and a marker.
2. Set-up: Write out what words you want to use on a piece of paper. Make sure to include those words in the search! Mix in a bunch of different letters throughout the words you create.
3. Activity: Challenge your little one to find all the words that are on the list that you created on the piece of paper. They should use a marker to circle the words. They can cross off the words on the other piece of paper once they find them!
RELATED: ENGAGING SIGHT WORD ACTIVITIES
Activity #11: Pumpkin Print Patterns
Have you ever tried apple stamping before? I’ve always seen people’s pictures on the internet of it, but I never did it with my kids until now!
The kids get to learn about patterns, use a different method to paint, and use googly eyes! Yes, the googly eyes are the best part :).
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Apples, a knife, washable paint, glue, googly eyes, and easel paper.
2. Set-up: Cut the apples in half for the kids to use. Make sure it’s smooth, so the stamps turn out good on paper.
3. Activity: Start by creating a pattern on the paper. The kids should continue the pattern by dipping the apple in the paint. In the end, let the kids add googly eyes to each of the pumpkins! They can glue them on, or if the paint is wet, they can stick them on the paint!
I also did this as an apple-themed activity earlier in the fall season!
RELATED: 50 Fall Activities For Kids
Activity #12: Tactile Number Boards
These tactile boards are TOO much fun to make, and they are great for working on counting skills, number recognition, and fine motor skills!
Don’t you love it when there are so many learning skills brought into one activity? It gets me excited :).
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Cardboard, a Sharpie, colored clothespins, Halloween stickers, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, confetti, or other small Halloween manipulatives.
2. Set-up: Cut a piece of cardboard into several smaller pieces. On the bottom of each piece, write 3 numbers to choose from. You can either hot glue the pieces on the cardboard, or you can just place them on.
3. Activity: Your child will count how many objects are on each board. They will use the clothespin, open it up, and place it on the correct number of how many objects are on each board!
Activity #13: Straw Skeletons
Were you looking for a STEM activity to do with your kids this Halloween?
Building straw skeletons is a PERFECT way to tie in STEM education.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Plastic straws, black cardstock paper, and a skeleton head!
Skeleton Head Download
2. Set-up: Print off the skeleton head, cut, and paste it on the cardstock paper. Cut the straws in smaller pieces so they can create the body on the piece of paper.
3. Activity: Kids will use the straws that you give them to create a body! Younger kiddos may need some assistance with this activity to know where to place each straw. Challenge older children to do this on their own! Talk about the different bones in the body while doing this activity.
RELATED: HANDS-ON STEM TOYS FOR KIDS
Activity #14: Witch’s Brew Recipe Cards
Witch’s stew is a counting activity that involves LOTS of fun Halloween goodies.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: A plastic organizing tray, Halloween mini erasers, ping pong eyeballs, toy spiders, toy bones, vampire’s teeth, my Witch’s Stew Cards, and a large cauldron.
Witch’s Brew Activity Cards
2. Set-up: Separate each item that you have in the organizing tray and print off my cards!
3. Activity: Have your little ones follow the directions of each card. They should create the recipe by counting out each item and placing them into the cauldron. You can also add in some tweezers, so they have to use those to drop the objects in.
RELATED: NUMBER RECOGNITION ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Activity #15: Bone Letters
This is a twist on an activity that I did before with popsicle sticks!
Using bones instead of the sticks is a perfect way to bring in the Halloween theme. It also is a fun way to practice letter building, letter recognition, and pre-writing skills.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Letter Bone Cards and toy bones or Q-tips.
Bone Letter Cards
2. Set-up: Print off the letters that you want to work on with your little ones and get your other materials ready.
3. Activity: Place the card in front of your child and have them create a specific letter using the bones or the q-tips. If you have an older child, you don’t have to use the cards; they can just try to build the letter on their own!
RELATED: FUN HANDWRITING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Halloween Play Ideas
These actually were my FAVORITE activities to do out of this entire article. I enjoy shopping, planning, and implementing the process of these Halloween activities.
There are just so many fun ways to play with Halloween objects. I could have made this article even longer (it will happen at some point).
Activity #16: Popsicle Crafts
I really enjoy a good popsicle stick activity! Whether it be learning or play related, popsicle sticks are one of the most versatile supplies out there.
How cute are these little guys? The kids loved creating them!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Colored popsicle sticks, glue, googly eyes, stickers, and markers.
2. Set-up: Decide what Halloween characters that you want to create. Grab those colored popsicle sticks, or you can even paint them (use tempera/acrylic paint). Glue the sticks together before getting this ready for your kids.
3. Activity: Depending on what character you choose to create, you’ll make the faces with markers, googly eyes, stickers, or paint! There is no wrong way to do this activity, let the kids have fun, and use their creativity!
Activity #17: Haunted Hands
In the summertime, we got really into playing with ice since it was SO hot outside.
We wanted to continue the ice play fun during the fall by doing a haunted hands ice play activity!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: clear gloves, Halloween pom-poms, toy spiders, googly eyes, food coloring, squirt bottles, and salt.
2. Set-up: Inside the clear gloves, place the Halloween themed objects that you want. Also, fill the gloves up with water and add food coloring (optional). Tie the gloves together at the end. Place in the freezer overnight.
3. Activity: Run some hot water over the gloves in the morning to dethaw it a little bit so that the ice mold will pop out! Place the molds inside a sensory bin. I suggest taking this play outside to avoid a large mess inside! Fill up the squirt bottles with warm water. Dump a little salt on top of the ice molds (this makes it easier for the ice to melt).
Have the kids squirt the warm water on the ice molds! They will love watching the objects start to appear! They can dig them out using toy tweezers!
Activity #18: Halloween Spider Play-Doh
Play-Doh play trays are so much fun to put together, and the kids go crazy for them. This tray I created was a create your own spider invitation to play!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: a plastic organizing tray, spiders, Halloween colored Play-Doh, pipe cleaner, and googly eye set.
2. Set-up: Set up your organizing tray with all the materials you need!
3. Activity: Your little ones can get as creative as they want to create their spiders! They can use all the materials that you place on the tray to make their spiders look, however they want!
Activity #19: Spider Racing
Got a little one who loves a little friendly competition? This spider racing game is simple to do, and it’s a blast.
We got really into this activity as a family. My kids’ raced against each other, my husband and I raced against each other, and we raced the kids!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: plastic straws and toy spiders and painters tape.
2. Set-up: Grab your materials! Create a start and an ending line with the painter’s tape.
3. Activity: When someone says GO! Have the kids start blowing their spiders using the straws. The first one to have their spider cross the finish line wins that round. Continue to play with different players racing against each other!
RELATED: ENTERTAINING INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Activity #20: Googly Eye Soup
Looking for a simple but FUN Halloween sensory activity for your kids?
Googly Eye Soup is bound to be a hit. Honestly, anything with googly eyes seems to be a hit around here!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: A sensory bin, water, food coloring (purple, orange, green or black), and googly eyes, small caldrons, and ladle.
I mentioned earlier that I got this sensory table from IKEA. If you aren’t interested in a full table, these plastic bins work great for both storage and sensory activities!
2. Set-up: In a sensory bin, add some water and a few drops of food coloring. Dump in the googly eyes and mix it around.
3. Activity: Let the kids have fun playing with the concoction. They can use the measuring cups/ladle to dump the liquid into the small caldrons. This works on scooping and pouring skills, which are fantastic practical life skills!
Activity #21: Colored Pasta Sensory Play
This specific colored pasta sensory tray was the FIRST ever sensory tray I put together for the kids.
I’ve been hooked ever since. This was a massive hit with the kids because it’s so slimy and perfect for Halloween time.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Spaghetti noodles, orange food coloring/liquid watercolors, a medium-sized pot, colander, toy spiders, mini erasers, eyeball ping pong balls, any other Halloween themed item you want to add in!
2. Set-up: Cook the spaghetti noodles like you would usually. Drain them using the colander and run cold water over it, so it cools down. Inside a ziplock bag, add a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolors. Close the back and shake it until it gets all over the spaghetti noodles.
Typically, you want to let it dry, but in this case, I believe the activity is better when the noodles are wet.
3. Activity: Let the kids explore the spaghetti! This is such a fun Halloween themed sensory activity since it’s slimy. Talk about the consistency with your kids. You can even add in a plastic play-doh knife or scissors so they can practice cutting skills!
RELATED: FUN FINE MOTOR ACTIVITIES
Activity #22: Pumpkin Fizz Science Experiment
STEM activities involve the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and math. They are great activities to teach problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
This pumpkin fizzing activity is a science experiment involving the use of baking soda and vinegar. Kids can get hands-on experience with a chemical reaction when using these ingredients.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Baking soda, orange food coloring/liquid watercolors, small Halloween objects, green pipe cleaners, vinegar, and art tray.
2. Set-up: In a bowl, mix 2 cups of baking soda, a few drops of orange liquid watercolors, and 2/3 cup of water. Mix until it becomes like a paste. Gather a little ball together and place a small Halloween object inside, then cover it up! Cut a green pipe cleaner to look like a stem and place on top.
Let these dry for 24 hours!
3. Activity: Drizzle dish soap on a plastic art tray. In squeeze bottles, add some vinegar inside. Have the kids squirt the pumpkins with the vinegar, and they will be able to find the hidden Halloween objects through the fizz!
Activity #23: Magic Pumpkin Experiment
This is like the classic experiment with Skittles to make a rainbow in the middle!
I put a different spin on it to create a pumpkin! The kids were amazed to see the results. It’s so neat to watch the colors come to the middle!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: A plate, orange, and green Skittles, and water.
2. Set-up: On a plate, create a pumpkin shape with the Skittles.
3. Activity: Pour warm water on the Skittles and watch the colors slowly start to move towards the middle to create a pumpkin!
Activity #24: Invitation to Create Monsters
Creating your own shape monsters is such a FUN activity, and it’s a great way to involve some learning into a craft.
I have a bunch of FREE learning packets in the Teaching Resources section of my website. If you haven’t checked that out yet, you need to!
It’s always more exciting for the kids to do worksheets when you involve some craft or play set-up to go along with the work.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Cardstock paper, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, glue, my FREE Monster-Themed learning packet, and crayons/markers.
Monster Learning Packet
2. Set-up: Place all your materials into a plastic organizing tray. Create the shapes on cardstock and cut them out for the kids.
3. Activity: Let the kids have a blast creating their monsters! I love crafts like this because there is no wrong way to do this. They can put on as many eyes, legs, or arms as they want :). Talk about the shapes of each monster. After they are done creating the monster, they will complete the learning worksheets!
RELATED: SHAPE ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Activity #25: Ghost Sticky Wall
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that my son is OBSESSED with ghosts and especially the Ghostbusters.
I knew this ghost sticky wall activity was going to be an instant hit when he saw it!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Contact paper, cotton balls, a Sharpie, and painter’s tape.
2. Set-up: Cut a long piece of contact paper and tape it to the wall using painter’s tape. With a Sharpie marker, draw a ghost shape and create eyes and a mouth.
3. Activity: Give your children cotton balls and have them stick them on the ghost! They are trying to fill in the entire ghost using the cotton balls. It is so much fun for them to stick the cotton balls on the contact paper!
Activity #26: Pumpkin Spice Sensory Bin
Are you ready for the best sensory bin ever? I’m not kidding when I say this either.
Pumpkin.Spice.Sensory.Bin.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Pumpkin cake mix, Starbucks/Dunkin cups, measuring cups, spoons, IKEA sensory bin, mini red cups, whipped cream, and cinnamon.
2. Set-up: Follow the directions to make the cake and let it cool once made. Break it up and scoop into your sensory bin. Add in the coffee cups. In the mini red cups, put some whipped cream and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.
3. Activity: Have your kids make a PSL! This is the best edible sensory bin I have ever done. It smelled and tasted amazing. They can use the measuring cups and spoons to scoop the cake mix and whipped cream.
Activity #27: Colored Rice Sensory Bin
Colored rice sensory bins are one of my favorite sensory fillers! It’s really simple to pull off as well.
You only need to do two colors for this sensory bin.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Rice, black food coloring, ziplock bag, parchment paper, baking sheet, mini jack-o-lanterns, toy bones, eyeballs, and mini skeletons.
2. Set-up: Color the rice by dumping two cups of uncooked rice into your ziplock bag. Add in a few drops of black food coloring, close the bag and shake it until it gets ALL over. On a baking sheet, put some parchment paper down and dump the rice and spread it out to dry.
Once dry, add the rice into the sensory bin and all your other Halloween goodies you grabbed to create this fun bin!Â
3. Activity: The kids can practice scooping and pouring skills using the mini jack-o-lanterns! They can create fun concoctions inside the jack-o-lanterns with the other materials that you put inside. My kids loved seeing how many items they could stuff inside each one! Make sure to talk about descriptive words when using this sensory bin so kids can practice building vocabulary skills.
Activity #28: Sensory Bottles
Sensory bottles are my latest obsession. This is the first time that I have tried creating sensory bottles, and let me tell you, I’m hooked.
Watching the objects move through the bottles is so calming. It’s also really cool to see the differences in how the objects move in each one.
This is a great sensory activity for toddlers and babies because they can’t put anything in their mouths. You can also glue them shut to make sure the top won’t come off!Â
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Sensory bottles, clear glue, hair gel, water beads, Halloween confetti, googly eyes, and gems.
2. Set-up: In the sensory bottle, dump 3/4 of the clear glue into the bottle and fill the rest of the bottle up with water. Leave a little room at the top so the items can move around. Drop-in your objects and shake it all up. See how the glue and water interact to make the objects slow down. You can also use hair gel to see if there is a difference in how fast it goes.
3. Activity: Shake and flip around to watch the objects move around! This activity is great to help calm and relax kiddos!
Activity #29: Spider Web Obstacle Course
Need to plan a FUN indoor activity? I capitalize fun because this is so much FUN.
Your kids will love the challenge of making it through this spider web obstacle course.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: White streamer and tape.
2. Set-up: Tape up the steamers in a hallway in your home.
3. Activity: Have the kids maneuver themselves through the steamers to get through the “spider web.” See if they can do it without knocking down any of the steamers. If it accidentally happens, just tape it back up. This is a great way to work on spatial awareness!
Activity #30: Halloween Jell-O Excavation
When you think of Halloween sensory activities, the best ones are the slimy ones, right?
The best thing about this slimy sensory bin is that your kids don’t have to touch it unless they want to!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Halloween colored Jell-O, gummy worms, eyeballs, toy bones, skeletons, spiders, and fine motor tools.
2. Set-up: Make two packets of Jell-O and dump into a tray. Add in all the fun Halloween accessories you have. Put in the refrigerator and wait till it’s ready.
3. Activity: Have your children use fine motor tools like scoop scissors or tweezers to pull out the Halloween items! They can place what they found in another tray or bowl! Count how many things they found.
RELATED: FUN FINE MOTOR ACTIVITIES
Party Planning Ideas
For the past 2 years, we have put on our own Fall Field Day party at our home with our family and friends! It has been something that I look forward to each year, and I plan on continuing this tradition!
I have been a physical education teacher for the past 10 years, so I have run our school’s field day each year! I like to mimic the set up to our fall field day party as I do at school!
I am going to be sharing with you the stations that we have done over the past few years. I change a few things up every year, but some activities are always a hit that we do each year.
Activity #21: Corn Pit Sensory Play
So you saw a corn sensory activity above, and I mentioned that typically at events, corn pits are HUGE and can be something kids can actually dive into.
Our corn pit is a hit every year! Toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids love this sort of sensory activity!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: a baby/dog pool, tons of corn (I would get several bags depending on how large your area is), and sand toys.
2. Set-up: Dump the corn into the pool and add in the toys! It couldn’t be easier.
3. Activity: Let the kids have fun! Like I said earlier, corn is a fantastic sensory filler. When it’s something that the kids can sit inside of and play with, it’s even better. Have them use shovels and pails to fill the buckets up!
Activity #22: Haunted Candy Search
Other than the inflatable because I mean, it’s hard to top that… this is the station that the kids can’t wait for.
We have some woods in our backyard, so we hide a bunch of ghosts around in different spots along our trail we have.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Hanging ghosts, Halloween candy, and Halloween bowls.
2. Set-up: Hang ghosts up around your house or backyard area. Underneath each ghost, set a bowl with candy out under it.
3. Activity: Once the kids see a ghost, they can grab a piece of candy from the bowl and place it in their Halloween bag!
Activity #23: Pumpkin Bowling
Pumpkin bowling is a classic activity that is always a really big hit with the kids. Getting to roll a pumpkin to knock down toilet paper rolls is exciting for kids!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: toilet paper rolls, a Sharpie, painter’s tape, small pumpkin (pie pumpkins work great), and a rug (optional).
2. Set-up: On 12 toilet paper rolls, draw some ghost faces with a Sharpie. Set them up stacked up on top of each other. Place a rug down underneath the toilet paper rolls. Create a line with painter’s tape on the rug, so the kids know where to stand.
3. Activity: The kids will start at the line and attempt to roll the small pumpkin to knock down the toilet paper rolls. They get two chances, just like in real bowling. Then, the next child can have a turn. Kids can practice counting how many rolls they knocked down!Â
RELATED: AWESOME EXERCISES FOR KIDS
Activity #24: Mummy Wrapping
There’s just so much toilet paper involved in my fall field day! This mummy wrapping activity is a blast, and it’s a fun way for kids to learn how to work together.
Your kids will LOVE this activity to get wrapped like a mummy. This activity is perfect for younger and older kids.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Toilet paper rolls
2. Set-up: Get a whole bunch of rolls ready!
3. Activity: Have kids’ work together, or even a parent can do with this their child! They will wrap their partners up from head to toe as much as they can with the toilet paper rolls. You can give them a limit of how many rolls they can use.
RELATED: FIELD DAY ACTIVITIES
Activity #25: Gummy Worm Challenge
This gummy worm challenge will have everyone smiling! This is a challenge because the kids can’t use their hands in this activity.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Paper plates, gummy worms, and whip cream.
2. Set-up: On a paper plate, squirt some whipped cream and add in 5 gummy worms.
3. Activity: On the GO signal, all of the kids’ will do this activity at the same time! They will not be allowed to use their hands to eat the gummy worms. They have to bend down and just eat the gummy worms. The first one to complete the challenge is the winner! All the kids can continue until they are done.
Activity #26: Mask Making
I love adding in some art projects in my party planning! Kids always enjoy creating something to be able to take home with them.
I always grab a bunch of different options for them to choose from! It’s an easy project to set up.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Wooden masks with handles and markers, glitter glue, and stickers.
2. Set-up: Set up the masks and sort them if you have different options for them to choose from.
3. Activity: Let the kids create their masks; however, they want! They can use glitter glue to stick the feathers on the masks. They can use the other supplies to color in the mask.
Activity #27: Trick or Treat Race
Got some older kiddos heading over for a party? This is the PERFECT way to keep the kids active and excited!
Candy always is going to be a winner, even for us adults!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: At least 2 trick or treat bags, a bunch of Halloween candy, at least 2 bowls and cones.
2. Set-up: Places cones at the start and the end lines. Dump a bunch of candy in at least two bowls, depending on how many kids you will have coming; you can separate them in 2 or more teams. If you have more teams, you need more bowls and trick or treat bags.
Separate the kids evenly up into teams! Have the teams start at the same spot.
3. Activity: On the GO signal, the first person in line will run down to the bowls, a parent will be standing there, to get a piece of candy, they have to say Trick or Treat! Then they will get the candy, put it into the bag, and head back to their team. They will hand off the bag to the next person in line, and they will go. This is a relay activity. The first team to have an empty candy bowl is the winner!
Activity #28: Pumpkin Painting
Aren’t mini pumpkins just the cutest little things? Painting these mini pumpkins is WAY too fun.
It’s also really simple to set up, and the kids love getting the chance to be creative and mix colors around on the pumpkins.
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: mini pumpkins, acrylic paint, bowls, paintbrushes, cups for water, and a table or hay bale.
2. Set-up: Dump the paint in the bowls. Get out the paintbrushes and put them in pile for the kids to grab. Fill up a few cups of water. Set up a table or use a hay bale (to be festive) for them to set their pumpkins on to dry.
3. Activity: The kids will get their creative juices flowing by painting the pumpkins however they want! They can use one color or mix as many colors as they want. They can then place them on the table or hay bale to dry and take home when they leave the party!
Activity #29: Face Painting
I’m so thankful that my sister is a great artist because adding face painting into the mix last year was a huge hit.
She drew a variety of pictures that the kids wanted on their hands, face, and cheeks!
How to do this activity:
1. Materials you need: Face paint kit
2. Set-up: Set out the kit and grab a cup of water and towel.
3. Activity: You or someone else can be the face painter! You can have a couple of options ready for the kids by drawing a quick sketch on a sheet of paper, or you can just let them choose!
Activity #30: Inflatable
The fan-favorite at our party is the inflatable that we get. We rent out a jumping inflatable with a slide on it for the kids to play on.
It’s a great thing to add to an outdoor party for kids because it is the main station for the kids to keep coming back to.
Some of the activities that you saw above have specific times where all the kids do the activity at the same time. Other ones are just open for them to go to whenever they want, like this one.
The adults even get in on the action with the kids during the party in the inflatable. It’s a great time for everyone!
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Wow, that was a lot of activities! I will say that I loved doing ALL these activities with my kids. They were so much fun to do.
I hope you get a chance to do some of these festive activities with your kids. Grab some of the worksheets to get some learning in as well!
Do you have a favorite Halloween activity that you like to do with your kids? I’d love to hear from you! Please let our community know about what you love to do with your kids during the Halloween season. I always love hearing about new ideas.
Happy Learning!
