Family Fun for Halloween

Candy, costumes, jack-o-lanterns, haunted houses — it’s no wonder so many kids list Halloween as their favorite holiday. An occasion, all ages can enjoy, Halloween gives families an incentive to get creative, cut loose, and have some fun. What’s your family doing this Halloween?

Whether you’ve had your costumes and festivities planned out for months or only just realized the day is fast approaching, your family can have a blast this Halloween with these family fun ideas.

Spook-ify Your House

We can’t tell you how to spook-ify your yard, exactly, because that would take away the fun. For fun as a family, you can head to the store for a few props — fake cobwebs, rubber bats, strobe lights — but try putting on your thinking caps, and make something spectacular (or at least a little spooky) with what you have on hand. A few items to consider are tin cans, flashlights, music, a broomstick, cotton balls, and old pots and pans.

Family Ghost Story

Turn your lights down low and cozy up with a blanket and cup of hot cocoa to create your own family ghost story. One person starts off with the first few lines, someone else adds to it, and your family keeps going until everyone has had a few turns — and your story comes to an end. For instance, one person starts with: “No one ever visited the house at the end of the street.” Another adds: “In fact, the only light anyone ever saw came from the attic window.” Someone else continues: “And it was only visible on Halloween night.” Then another person says: “Until one Halloween, just as trick-or-treaters headed out to knock on doors, it wasn’t the attic light that turned on — it was the front porch light.”

Keep a book of your stories to reread year after year.

Play Ghost in the Graveyard

Remember this classic game from your own childhood? Let us refresh your memory. After the sun sets, one family member plays the role of ghost and hides in the yard. All others stand on base, counting out loud to midnight (“one o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock,” and so on). When you reach “twelve o’clock,” shout: “Midnight. Hope I don’t see a ghost tonight!” Then make your way, ever so stealthily, around the house and back to base. If the ghost spots and tags you, then you become a ghost — and can now tag people, too. Once everyone is either tagged or back on base, the round ends. And the first one tagged becomes the next ghost.

Have a happy and safe Family Halloween!