By Hannah · former primary-school teaching assistant & mum of two · 9 October 2026
Quick answer
20 Halloween games for kids: pass the pumpkin, mummy wrap race, ghost freeze, a Halloween treasure hunt and more — indoor and outdoor ideas by age.
Key takeaways
- The best Halloween games for kids are classics with a spooky twist: pass the pumpkin, mummy wrap race, ghost freeze, apple bobbing and a Halloween treasure hunt.
- Keep it spooky, not scary for under-7s — friendly ghosts, silly monsters and lots of light.
- Plan 5–6 games for a 2-hour party, with the treasure hunt as the main event and a calm activity (biscuit decorating) to finish.
- Supervise apple bobbing and anything involving water, candles or the dark.
Short on time? Our printable Halloween Treasure Hunt is spooky-but-friendly and ready to print tonight.
10 Indoor Halloween Games for Kids
- Pass the pumpkin: Pass a small pumpkin (or a beanbag ghost) round the circle while spooky music plays; whoever holds it when it stops is out.
- Mummy wrap race: Teams wrap one player in loo roll from head to toe. Fastest mummy wins — and the clean-up is part of the fun.
- Ghost freeze: Musical statues, but everyone moves like a ghost. Wobble when the music stops and you’re out.
- What’s the time, Mrs Witch?: The classic Mr Wolf with a broomstick. At “Midnight!” the witch chases everyone back.
- Sleeping zombies: Sleeping lions, Halloween-style: everyone lies still while the hunters try to make the zombies giggle.
- Witch’s cauldron feely box: Cold cooked spaghetti ‘worms’, peeled grapes ‘eyeballs’ and jelly ‘brains’ in covered bowls. Guess what you’re touching!
- Pin the hat on the witch: Draw a big witch on a sheet of paper and play blindfolded.
- Doughnut on a string: Hang ring doughnuts from a washing line and eat them without hands.
- Halloween charades: Act out a vampire, a black cat, a pumpkin, a skeleton — no talking allowed.
- Monster freeze dance: Dance like a monster, freeze in the scariest pose when the music stops. Best pose wins.
Hannah’s tested tip: Lily wanted “properly spooky” and Oscar wanted “not too spooky”. The feely box solved it: the big ones enjoyed the shrieks, the little ones knew it was only spaghetti because they’d helped make it.
10 Active and Outdoor Halloween Games
- Apple bobbing: Apples in a washing-up bowl of water, hands behind backs. Always supervise, and keep the water shallow for little ones.
- Pumpkin bowling: Mini pumpkins and ten loo-roll ‘pins’ — or plastic bottles with ghost faces.
- Eyeball and spoon race: The egg and spoon race with ping-pong ball ‘eyeballs’.
- Broomstick relay: Ride the broom to the cauldron and back, then pass it on.
- Spider’s web obstacle course: Criss-cross wool across a hallway and crawl through without touching the ‘web’.
- Ghost in the graveyard: Hide-and-seek in the garden at dusk: one ghost hides, the rest count to midnight and go looking. Torches only, and stay in the garden.
- Monster tag: Whoever is ‘it’ is the monster. Tagged players become monsters too.
- Halloween scavenger hunt: A tick list of pumpkins, bats, spiders and a witch’s hat around the house or the street.
- Halloween treasure hunt: Clues lead from station to station to a treasure — the perfect main event for 4 to 9 year olds.
- Toffee apples or biscuit decorating: A calm station to finish: decorate biscuits as pumpkins and ghosts (grown-ups only for hot toffee).
For the full trail version, see our Halloween treasure hunt ideas, and the scavenger hunt ideas for kids guide has more tick lists.
Halloween Games by Age
| Age | Best games | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | Ghost freeze, pass the pumpkin, sleeping zombies, pumpkin bowling | Friendly costumes, lights on, no masks that scare |
| 6–8 | Mummy wrap race, feely box, What’s the time, Mrs Witch?, a Halloween treasure hunt | Spooky-ish is fine; keep a grown-up nearby |
| 9–12 | Ghost in the graveyard, a detective or escape-room mystery, charades | They’ll want it scarier — a murder mystery game works well |
Halloween Treasure HuntRelight the ghosts’ lanterns — spooky-ish, never scary. 8 stations, ages 4–9.View the hunt · £12.99 →
Witch & Halloween Treasure HuntCosy autumn magic with Alvara the friendly witch. Ages 4–9.View the hunt · £12.99 →
Escape Room: Breakout from the Prison That Must Not Be NamedFor older kids and grown-ups: break out of the wizard prison. Ages 12+.View the hunt · £25.99 →
A Simple Halloween Party Plan
- Arrivals (15 min): biscuit decorating or colouring while costumes are admired.
- Lively games (30 min): ghost freeze, pass the pumpkin, mummy wrap race.
- Spooky food (30 min): ‘witches’ fingers’ (breadsticks), ‘monster’ sandwiches, satsuma pumpkins.
- Calm game (5 min): sleeping zombies.
- Main event (30 min): a Halloween treasure hunt in small teams.
- Goodbyes (10 min): party bags, glow sticks for the walk home.
More party ideas: our full list of children’s party games.
Common mistakes (and easy fixes)
- Too scary for the little ones: Fix: friendly characters, lights on, and let them help make the props.
- Unsupervised apple bobbing: Fix: shallow water, one child at a time, a grown-up beside the bowl.
- Candles near costumes: Fix: battery tea lights only.
- Running in the dark: Fix: torches, clear boundaries, garden only.
Frequently asked questions
What are good Halloween games for kids?
Pass the pumpkin, mummy wrap race, ghost freeze, What’s the time, Mrs Witch?, a witch’s cauldron feely box, apple bobbing, pumpkin bowling and a Halloween treasure hunt.
What Halloween games can you play indoors?
Mummy wrap race, ghost freeze, pass the pumpkin, sleeping zombies, the feely box, pin the hat on the witch, doughnut on a string and Halloween charades.
How do you make Halloween games less scary for young children?
Use friendly characters, keep the lights on, avoid frightening masks, and let children help make the props so they know what’s behind the spooky names.
What Halloween games suit older kids?
Ghost in the graveyard, a detective or escape-room mystery, a murder mystery game and Halloween charades — older children enjoy a bit more suspense.
Is apple bobbing safe?
With supervision, yes: keep the water shallow, let one child go at a time and have a grown-up beside the bowl.
What is a good main activity for a Halloween party?
A Halloween treasure hunt with a story and stations, played in small teams. Printable kits include clues, a map and certificates.
Written and play-tested by Hannah — a Yorkshire mum of two and former primary-school teaching assistant. Last reviewed October 2026.
About the author
Hannah is the mum behind Riddlelicious — a former primary-school teaching assistant who tests every printable hunt on her own two before it reaches the shop.
