Costumes can only carry a Halloween party so far. Somewhere along the line you need something more for entertainment.
When the candy has been eaten and everyone has admired everyone else’s outfit the room will start to go a bit quiet and the kids (or the adults, let’s be honest) start bouncing off the walls. A couple of good games is what you need and what turns a bowl of candy and some cobwebs into a party people will remember.
So here are 28 Halloween party games including fun options for kids, fast minute to win it rounds, games that even teens will like, grown up games for adults and some of timeless classics everyone likes. Most cost next to nothing and use stuff you’ve already got in the cupboard.
Halloween Party Games for Kids
Little ones want to move, laugh a lot and win a prize — they don’t want anything too scary. These are the ones that keep a room full of sugar charged kids happy.
For the full plan our Halloween party ideas for kids work great with these.
Pumpkin Bowling
Halloween Candy Corn Pumpkin Bowling Set for Kids
Line up empty bottles or toilet roll “ghosts” and roll a small pumpkin to knock them down. Simple to setup, play and lots of fun.
How to play: Set up ten “pins”, take turns rolling a small pumpkin, most knocked down wins.
You’ll need: A small round pumpkin, plastic bottles or cardboard tubes.
Donut on a String
Hang donuts from a string and let kids eat them with no hands. Messy and hilarious. The photos are brilliant too.
How to play: Tie donuts along a line at mouth height, hands behind backs, first to finish wins.
You’ll need: Donuts, string, somewhere to hang it.
Pin the Spider on the Web
Pin The Spider on The Web Game for Kids
The Halloween twist on pin the tail. Blindfold, spin and stick your paper spider closest to the middle of the web.
How to play: Blindfold each kid, spin them around (gently!) and closest spider to the center wins.
You’ll need: A drawn web poster, paper spiders, tape, a blindfold.
Halloween Bingo
Cards filled with Halloween pictures — bats, pumpkins, ghosts, black cats. Call them out and mark them off.
How to play: Hand out cards, call images at random, first to a full line shouts “boo-ingo”.
You’ll need: Printed bingo cards and markers.
Candy Corn Guessing Jar
Guess How Many Candy Corn Jar Halloween Candy Corn Game
Fill a jar with candy corn and have everyone guess how many. Closest guess wins the jar — you’ve got the prize sorted instantly.
How to play: Everyone writes a guess, reveal the count, closest number takes the jar.
You’ll need: A jar, candy corn, paper and pens.
Best for: A calm down game while other things are being set up.
Monster Freeze Dance
Dance like a monster until the music stops — then freeze mid pose. Anyone caught moving is out and the last monster standing wins.
How to play: Play spooky music, pause it at random, out goes anyone who so much as twitches.
You’ll need: A playlist and someone on pause duty.
Best for: Burning off energy before the sugar hits.
Halloween Minute to Win It Games
These are fast, silly and about a minute each so they work for any age and get the everyone up and off the sofa. A Halloween party games kit bundles most of the props if you’d rather skip all the preparation.
Candy Corn Straw Race
Move candy corn from one bowl to another using only a straw and suction. Harder than it looks with cold fingers.
How to play: Suck a piece onto the straw, carry it across, drop it. Most moved in a minute wins.
You’ll need: Candy corn, straws, two bowls per player.
Eyeball Spoon Race
Balance a ping pong “eyeball” on a spoon and race across the room without dropping it. Draw an iris on it to make it extra creepy.
How to play: Spoon in hand (or mouth for older kids), walk fast, drop it and go back to start.
You’ll need: Ping pong balls, spoons.
Stack the Pumpkins
Race to stack a tower of small plastic pumpkins (or clementines) before the timer runs out. One wobble and the games over.
How to play: Build the tallest freestanding stack in 60 seconds.
You’ll need: Mini pumpkins or clementines.
Witch Hat Ring Toss
Halloween Witch Ring Toss Kit with Scoring Backdrop Banner
Toss glow rings or hoops over a witch’s hat set on the floor. Move it back a step each round to make it harder and more exciting.
How to play: Three tosses each, a point per ringer, farthest successful toss wins.
You’ll need: A witch hat, glow bracelets or plastic rings.
Bat Blow
Blow a paper bat across the finish line using only a straw — no hands, no touching.
How to play: Line up paper bats, blow through a straw, first bat over the line wins.
You’ll need: Paper bats, straws, a flat table.
Unravel the Mummy
Race to wrap a teammate head to toe in toilet paper before the roll (or the clock) runs out. It’s a classic that everyone always loves.
How to play: Teams of two, one wraps, one stands still, best mummy in two minutes wins.
You’ll need: A few rolls of cheap toilet paper.
Best for: All ages — the results are always ridiculous.
Funwares Minute of Fun Halloween Edition, 100 Challenges, 2-12 Players
Halloween Party Games for Teens
Teens want something a bit more exciting and a lot of “don’t make me do something embarrassing”. These games a more dark and competitive as well as being fun. Our Halloween party ideas for teens is a good place to set the scene for all of them.
Ghost in the Graveyard
A backyard classic. One “ghost” hides in the dark while everyone counts down then the hunt is on — and whoever spots the ghost yells to send everyone running for base.
How to play: Ghost hides, group counts to a set number and searches, first to shout “ghost in the graveyard” triggers the run to safety.
You’ll need: A dark yard and a safe base.
Best for: Outdoor parties after dark.
Flashlight Scavenger Hunt
Hide spooky items or clues around the house and yard, kill the lights and send teams hunting with flashlights against the clock.
How to play: Set a list or a clue trail, teams race in the dark, first to finish wins.
You’ll need: Flashlights, hidden items, a clue list.
Wink Murder
One secret “murderer” takes people out with a sly wink while everyone tries to catch them in the act before they get the whole room.
How to play: Draw roles secretly, the murderer winks to “kill”, anyone winked at dramatically dies, spot the killer to win.
You’ll need: Slips of paper for roles.
Guess the Scary Sound
Play a mix of creepy sound effects – creaking doors, howls, footsteps – and have teams write down what each one is.
How to play: Play 15 sounds, teams guess, most correct wins.
You’ll need: A speaker and a spooky sounds playlist.
Would You Rather: Halloween Edition
Rapid fire creepy dilemmas — would you rather spend a night in a haunted house or a graveyard? Works well as a filler game while food’s cooking.
How to play: Read a prompt, everyone picks a side and defends it.
You’ll need: A list of prompts.
Halloween Party Games for Adults
Grown up Halloween is a bit about nostalgia but also gives adults an excuse to be competitive with a drink in their hand. The following games will keep an adult Halloween party alive and kicking.
Halloween Movie Trivia
Test the room on horror and Halloween classics — the films, taglines, “which movie is this from” quotes. Split into teams and keep score.
How to play: 15 to 20 questions, teams write answers, highest score wins.
You’ll need: A question list, pens and paper.
Pumpkin Carving Contest
Hand out pumpkins and tools, set a timer and let everyone carve. Vote on categories — scariest, funniest, most impressive etc.
How to play: Everyone carves within a time limit, group votes by category, winners take a prize.
You’ll need: Pumpkins, carving tools, newspaper for the mess.
A pumpkin carving kit or two saves everyone from fighting over the one good knife.
Halloween Charades
Halloween Fun Charades – Halloween Game for Kids 6+
Act out horror movies, monsters and Halloween phrases — no talking and no props. Simple to set up and always a laugh.
How to play: Draw a card, act it out silently, your team guesses before time’s up.
You’ll need: A list of Halloween prompts.
Guess That Horror Movie
Read out a famous line (or play a short clip) and race to name the film. A little harder and a little more competitive.
How to play: Read the quote, first correct answer takes the point.
You’ll need: A list of movie quotes.
Pass the Pumpkin
Halloween version of hot potato. Pass a small pumpkin around while spooky music plays — whoever’s holding it when the music stops does a dare or drops out.
How to play: Pass on the beat, freeze when the music cuts, last one in wins.
You’ll need: A small pumpkin, music and someone on pause duty.
Costume Contest with Awards
Not just “best costume” — hand out silly categories so more people win. Scariest, funniest, laziest, most last-minute, best couple.
How to play: Announce categories, do a runway, group applause decides each winner.
You’ll need: A few prizes and a category list.
Best for: Getting everyone involved early in the night.
Spooky Sensory and Guessing Games
These are gross out games that get some big screams — perfect for kids and for adults who like to pretend they’re too cool to flinch.
Mystery Feel Boxes
Boxes with a hand hole and a spooky label. Reach in and feel “brains” (cold spaghetti), “eyeballs” (peeled grapes), “guts” (jelly) and guess what they really are.
How to play: Blindfolded or box hidden, feel each one, write down your guess. Most correct wins.
You’ll need: Boxes and the grosser the fillings the better.
Guess the Candy Blindfolded
Blindfold players and have them identify Halloween candy by taste alone. Trickier (and funnier) than anyone expects.
How to play: One candy at a time, taste and guess, most correct wins the leftover bag.
You’ll need: An assortment of candy and blindfolds.
What’s in the Cauldron
A blacked out “cauldron” full of mystery objects. Reach in, feel around and guess what you’ve grabbed before you pull it out.
How to play: Feel and guess each object, a point per correct call.
You’ll need: A big pot or bucket and an assortment of odd objects.
Classic Halloween Games
The ones your grandparents played but everyone still loves. If you only set up two games all night make it these.
Bobbing for Apples
Apples floating in a tub of water, hands behind your back, grab one with your teeth. Soaked faces guaranteed.
How to play: No hands, first to bite and lift an apple out wins the round.
You’ll need: A large tub, water, apples and towels (lots of towels).
Best for: Outdoors or a kitchen you don’t mind getting wet.
Apple on a String
The dry cousin of bobbing – apples hung from a string, eaten hands-free. Kinder to everyone’s hair and easier indoors.
How to play: Hang apples at mouth height, hands behind backs, first to eat theirs wins.
You’ll need: Apples, string, somewhere to hang them.
Printable Halloween Party Games
If you want zero prep, printables are the shortcut — print, cut and hand out. Great for classroom parties or keeping kids busy while the food’s in the oven.
- Halloween Bingo — picture cards for all ages.
- Halloween scavenger hunt — a clue trail for indoors or the yard.
- Would You Rather: Halloween — quick and no setup.
- Halloween trivia sheets — pre-written so you can play too.
- Word search and puzzles — calm-down activities for younger kids.
Tips for Running Halloween Party Games
A game only works if the party’s set up for it. So a little planning goes a long way:
- Match the game to the age group — save the dark, spooky games for teens and adults, keep it silly for the little ones.
- Have props sorted before guests arrive. Nobody wants to watch you hunt for straws in the middle of the party.
- Keep prizes cheap – candy, glow sticks and dollar store trophies get the same reaction as anything expensive.
- Use categories for contests so more people win and nobody feels left out.
- Read the room. Offer the game, let those who are keen ones take the lead and let everyone else cheer from the side.
Pull the Whole Night Together
Games are the engine of the party but they’re still only one piece of the puzzle. For the full plan — food, decor, themes and timing — start with our complete Halloween party ideas or go to the version thats right for your crowd, be that kids or teens.
Need the words to go with it? We’ve got invitation wording to get people through the door and Halloween greetings for the cards.
Pick four or five of the games featured here, get your props ready and you’ve turned a bowl of candy into a party they’ll still be talking about next October.
Sally Gibson is the founder of Someone Sent you a Greeting, a holiday/celebration website. Sally’s writing work has been mentioned in Woman’s World, Yahoo, Women’s Health, MSN and more. If you have any questions get in contact with one of the team via the about page.