Halloween is a magical time filled with costumes, spooky décor, and candy galore! But if you’re a parent, you might be on the hunt for family-friendly activities that balance a little spooky fun without being too scary for young kids. Whether you're hosting a party for toddlers, school-aged children, or the whole neighborhood, creating a family-friendly Halloween bash that everyone can enjoy is easier than you think. Here's how to throw the ultimate Halloween party with activities, games, and treats that will make this year's celebration unforgettable!

When it comes to Halloween decorations, you don’t have to go over-the-top spooky. Choose playful, whimsical themes like pumpkins, friendly ghosts, black cats, and witches with bright colors to give the party a festive feel without being too scary for little ones. String up orange and purple lights, hang DIY paper bats, and scatter faux spider webs around the space. Don't forget a Halloween photo backdrop! Complete the photo op with fun props like oversized witch hats and skeleton hands.

Tip: Let the kids help with the decorating! They’ll love creating their own jack-o-lanterns, hanging bats, or painting pumpkins.

What’s Halloween without costumes? Encourage all the little ones to dress up in their favorite spooky (or not-so-spooky) outfits. Create a fun "costume parade" where everyone can show off their costumes. You can even hand out awards like “Silliest Costume,” “Most Creative,” or “Best DIY.” The costume parade gives kids the chance to feel special, and it sets the tone for a festive day of fun.

Tip: For parents who may not have had time to prepare costumes, provide a costume station with simple, easy-to-make accessories like capes, masks, and headbands that kids can craft at the party.

No Halloween party is complete without games! Be sure to organize age-appropriate activities that all kids can enjoy.

Pumpkin Bowling: Set up "pins" made from empty cans or bottles and let the kids roll small pumpkins to knock them down.

Witch Hat Ring Toss: Make a witch hat from construction paper or buy one, then let kids toss rings or hula hoops onto the pointed tip.

Ghostly Bean Bag Toss: Create a fun, ghost-themed bean bag toss with a cardboard cutout. Kids can throw bean bags into the ghost's mouth to score points.

For older kids, consider a scavenger hunt or spooky relay races with mini obstacles like jumping over "graveyards" (pillows or foam tombstones) and crawling under "spider webs" made from string.

A Halloween party wouldn’t be complete without festive food! Serve up some kid-friendly, spooky-themed snacks like:

• Mummy Hot Dogs: Wrap crescent roll dough around hot dogs and bake until golden brown. Add little dots of mustard or ketchup for eyes.
• Ghostly Fruit Cups: Fill small cups with yogurt or vanilla pudding and add chocolate chips or raisins for ghost eyes and mouths.
• Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes: Decorate cupcakes with orange frosting and mini pumpkin candies or sprinkles.

For healthier options, try apple slices with caramel dip, “monster” veggie platters, or peeled clementines decorated to look like mini pumpkins.

Kids love crafting, and setting up a Halloween craft station is a perfect way to entertain them while also giving them something special to take home. Simple craft ideas include:

• DIY Trick-or-Treat Bags: Provide plain canvas or paper bags, markers, and Halloween-themed stickers for kids to decorate their very own trick-or-treat bags.

• Pumpkin Painting: Instead of traditional pumpkin carving (which can be difficult for younger kids), set up a pumpkin painting station where kids can decorate mini pumpkins with paint, glitter, and stickers.

• Spider Web Art: All you need is paper, glue, and glitter. Have the kids draw spider webs with glue and sprinkle glitter on top for a sparkly Halloween craft.

You can also check out our blog on kid-friendly Halloween activities HERE.

End the party with a cozy movie session! Set up a family-friendly Halloween movie screening with blankets and pillows on the floor for an indoor “drive-in” movie experience. Some fun, non-scary movie suggestions include:

• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

• Hocus Pocus (for older kids)

• The Nightmare Before Christmas

• Room on the Broom (for younger children)

Keep some popcorn, candy corn, and warm cider on hand for the perfect movie night treats.

You can also check out our blog on kid-friendly Halloween movies HERE.

Send your little partygoers home with goodie bags full of Halloween fun. Instead of filling them with just candy, you can include items like Halloween-themed pencils, stickers, temporary tattoos, or mini toys. You could even provide some of the crafts they made at the party, like their painted pumpkins or trick-or-treat bags.

Tip: Personalized goodie bags are a thoughtful touch, and you can make them feel extra special with each child’s name on their bag!

If trick-or-treating is off the table, consider hosting a "candy hunt" in your backyard or house. Much like an Easter egg hunt, hide small bags of candy or toys around the area, and let the kids search for their Halloween loot. To keep things safe, especially with toddlers, mark off a defined area, and give older kids a few more challenging hiding spots to make it fun for everyone.

Hosting the ultimate family-friendly Halloween party is all about creating a fun, safe, and spooky environment where kids of all ages can enjoy themselves. With these ideas for décor, games, crafts, and food, you’re sure to have a memorable event that both kids and parents will enjoy. This Halloween, focus on fun, laughter, and creating lasting memories with your loved ones!

Want more hosting tips and tricks? Find inspiration for your next event with our  Ultimate Summer Party and Backyard BBQ Checklist, Guide for a Memorable Thanksgiving Celebration, and the Ultimate Football Party Guide!