Looking for creative ideas to keep Halloween from being hollow this year? We’ve got your back. Here is how we are out boo-ing ourselves this year! From the decor to sweet treats in the kitchen and awesome new traditions.

The last couple of years have been a little different, but fear not! So much fun is still to be had. So, turn up the volume on that Monster Mash and bring on all the boo-it-yourself fun! It’s time to kick up the energy this Halloween and bring on all the spooktacular magic. 

It’s Time to Level-up Your Decorations This October. 

First stop? The decoration station!

Think Christmas, but a whole lot spookier. Hit up your local store (or open your Amazon cart) and grab all the orange and black construction paper you can. Help the kids cut out Halloween symbols like witch hats, spiders, ghosts, black cats, and bats.

You can also take the easy route and use printable templates like this! You could also try your hand at making candy corn garland out of paper plates, a little paint, and some string.

If you’re looking for something a little simpler, make Halloween-colored paper chains to drape around the room. To add a little extra spook, look for black, orange, and purple lights to string around railings and doorways.

Here’s How to Create a Spooky Stoop

Want to take this decorating party outside? Dress up your front door to look like a mummy or jazz up your steps with some jack-o-lanterns.

Consider decorating a tree or two with some lights and cobwebs. That way, everyone in the neighborhood can enjoy your spirit. We have a full article on how to create the perfect spooky stoop, check it out!

Next stop? To the kitchen, we go! 

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Make Tasty Treats that are Spooky and Scrumptious. 

All month long you can serve up savory dishes and sweet treats to help get the kids in the Halloween spirit. Try out-of-the-box dinner ideas like mummified hot dogs, mummy mini pizzas, jack-o-lantern quesadillas, or spaghetti and “eyeballs”. 

For something on the sweeter side, try making ghost cupcakes, chocolate-covered pretzel pumpkins, or some yummy pumpkin spice hot chocolate.

Consider putting a ghoulish twist on some Christmas classics. Decorate bat and pumpkin-shaped cookies or turn a gingerbread house into a haunting masterpiece. Also, be sure to click here for the best hot chocolate recipe from Rookie Mom Squad’s Tabitha Blue! It’s to die for.

With a little imagination, the possibilities are endless! Check out these spooky sweets for more inspiration. Now, let’s get to celebrating!

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Create New Traditions- 10 Spooktacular Activities for Kids of All Ages!

Of course, traditional trick or treating is a must but you can also make the most of this season with a whole list full of activities that can be done throughout the month! Here are some great options to keep you and your little ones busy.

1. Booing

Get the neighborhood (safely) involved with this fun little game of guess who! “Booing” is a great way to spread Halloween fun by anonymously leaving little tricks and treats at your neighbor’s doorstep.

Check out this guide to doing your very own boo! 

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2. Trunk-or-Treat

Keep an eye out for local trunk-or-treat events. These are a great way for your kids to dress up and get their candy fix while staying safe trick or treating from car to car. If you’re worried about germs, have adults (equipped with hand sanitizer) hand out the candy at each car. 

Consider organizing your very own trunk-or-treat in your neighborhood! Step up the competition by making it a trunk decorating contest! Need some inspiration for decking out your trunk? Check out our Trunk-or-Treat Guide!

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3. Glow in the Dark Pumpkin Hunt

Put a spin on an Easter tradition and organize a glow-in-the-dark pumpkin hunt. You can buy small gourds at your local grocery store, craft store, or farm. Let the kids in on the fun, decorating the gourds with glow-in-the-dark paint. Hide them around the yard (or neighborhood) and have a nighttime search party! 

You can keep the designs simply spooky or go all-out creative. To add a little extra fun, you can have different prizes or candy rewards for each pumpkin they find. 

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4. Halloween Piñata

There’s no doubt that kids look forward to their candy fix each October. You can buy or make a Halloween-themed piñata and fill it with your kid’s favorite candy. It makes the perfect addition to a Halloween party. Make sure to toss in a few varieties that Mom loves too!

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5. Virtual Costume Party

As a kid, one of the best parts about Halloween is showing off your costume to your friends. If you can’t get all your friends and family together,  consider hosting a virtual costume party. Turn up the spooky soundtrack and have a dance party. Better yet, make a guessing game out of it. See if the kids can guess who is who behind the masks and face paint. 

Check out some great costumes under $20 here!

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6. Movie Marathon

Grab the monster munch and turn off the lights! Pick a night (or several) to watch some of your family’s favorite spooky stories play out on the screen. From Hocus Pocus to It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, there are plenty of Halloween movies appropriate for every age. Check out this movie cheat sheet, categorizing Halloween movies by age.

Looking to bring it to the next level? Grab a projector and some good speakers to create a backyard “drive-in”! If your yard is big enough, feel free to invite some of your kid’s friends over to safely enjoy the show. If you have any connections in town, see if the school or local library is willing to host a movie night in their parking lot for anyone to enjoy.  

Our Favorite Halloween Movies for the Family

• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
• Monsters, Inc.
• Hotel Transylvania
• Nightmare Before Christmas
• Hocus Pocus

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7. Spooky Science

This is a perfect way to weave a little Halloween fun into remote learning. Get creative with the classic vinegar and baking soda volcano and try the experiment inside a pumpkin. Mix the same ingredients in a water bottle to inflate a balloon ghost.

Slime is another great experiment and there are plenty of DIY slime recipes out there. Spookify your slime by adding some food coloring, Halloween confetti, or (plastic) creepy critters. 

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8. Choose an Adorable Family Halloween Costume & Have a Photo Shoot

Here’s my theory; you and your kids can have as many Halloween costumes as you would like! Why not go all out? One for the Virtual Costume Party, one for the work zoom, and another for trunk-or-treating.

However, I do recommend you do at least one family costume idea because looking back on photos like this is so special!

Here’s some inspiration from the Rookie Mom Squad!

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9. Get Creative with Your Pumpkins!

A post shared by Chrissy Powers, LMFT ? (@chrissyjpowers) on Sep 23, 2020 at 5:57pm PDT

Of course, you can always do the traditional carving, but with a little one decorating the pumpkins tends to be a little easier. We love the creative idea above from our Rookie Mom Squad mama, Chrissy Powers!

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10. Have a Halloween Scavenger Hunt

If you don’t want to go door to door, but you are looking for a way to get outside in your costumes, a scavenger hunt is a perfect idea! You can go on the hunt for various Halloween-inspired items like skeletons, orange lights, Jack-o-Lanterns, and spider webs.

You can come up with your own list or simply find a printable that will lead you through it. Click here for a printable option that we love!

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11. Get Outside in the Fall Air

Sure, Halloween is a blast, but in my mind, it is just a small piece of my absolute favorite season! In the midst of your Halloween fun make sure to fit in some quintessential fall activities. This includes apple picking, jumping in colorful leaves, visiting a pumpkin patch (preferably one with apple cider donuts), and sitting around a bonfire telling spooky stories.

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How will you celebrate this year?

If you or your kids are anything like me when it comes to tradition, all the changes brought on by these last few years have been a tough adjustment. After taking a  deep breath, I saw an opportunity in this madness. For most, traditions provide a sense of comfort and joy. Look at this as an opportunity to teach your kids (and remind yourself) the power of resilience, showing them how change can lead to new traditions that can be just as fun, if not more so. 

Who knows? The kids might have such a blast that they’ll be begging you to make these activities a regular part of your annual spooky season celebration. 

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