Hey girl, today let’s chat about all the ways you can get into the spirit of things and celebrate Halloween at home. Your kids are going to love these!
Whether you want to go all out and invite family and friends over or keep it simple and just celebrate with your kids, you are going to love these fantastic ideas for having Halloween at home this year.
As a mom of 4 kids, we have done plenty of things to have fun with Halloween at home.
From Halloween costumes to Halloween movies to Halloween parties and more, you will have the best time trying all of these out.
Let’s get started with all the spooktacular ways you can enjoy this Halloween at home with your kids.
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Best Halloween at Home Ideas
Halloween Books for Kids
Let’s kick off this Halloween list with some fun learning – reading Halloween books with your kids. You know your kids need to get as much reading time as possible anyway.
Our favorite Halloween books are A Super Scary Narwhalloween, Snowmen at Halloween, and It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.
My kids can’t get enough of the Peanuts gang (me either)!
Halloween Costumes
I don’t think Halloween costumes should only be worn on Halloween. That is why we take them out or buy them in late September/early October and my kids can wear them as much as they want.
And why not? They cost enough that they should be worn as many times as possible.
What have been some of your most memorable costumes? Let me know in the comments below.
My husband has gone as Bob Ross a few times and it has been such a hit and so recognizable. It was such a hit with my kids that they wear the wig when they are painting😊.
The costume that I had the most fun with is when I went as Dottie Hinson of the Rockford Peaches.
This year though, my husband wants us to go as the iconic characters from The Sandlot – Michael “Squints” Palledorous and Wendy Peffercorn, and I am all for it.
Hopefully, the weather works out for swimwear, yikes!
Halloween Movies
Watch a Halloween movie or 2 with your kiddos, age-appropriate of course.
Now, friend, I am NOT a scary Halloween movie type of girl. Ugh, those movies keep me up at night. But I do love a good cartoon Halloween movie.
If you are going to play It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and need someone to watch it with you, let me know! That one is my favorite.
The runner-up would have to be Hocus Pocus. I have yet to see the 2nd one. Should I? Is it worth my time?
You can take this movie experience to the next level and watch these movies outside.
During the summer, our neighborhood does this a few times and the kids love it. We use this outdoor movie projector.
Halloween Food
Have you ever typed in Halloween food on Pinterest? Wowza, there are endless possibilities to choose from.
So, get your kiddos in the kitchen with you and make some delicious festive food and treats.
The best Halloween treats, that I have made, are Halloween cutout cookies.
I know people always say "This is the best recipe" but I am not joking! So many people have asked me for this recipe that I have lost count.
I am not the biggest sugar cookie fan but these suck me right in. Once you try them, these are the only ones you will want to eat.
I use this recipe at Christmas as well and we usually make a double batch every time.
Here are some great cookie cutters for Halloween and Christmas!
Sugar Cut Out Cookie Recipe
The Cookie Dough
2 Cups Butter
1 Package Cream Cheese, softened
2 Cups White Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Vanilla
4 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour (I go with 5 cups of flour right from the start and then I don’t have to add so much after it is chilled)
Butter Cream Frosting
3 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar, divided
3 TBLS Butter, softened
1 TBLS Shortening (I usually do 4 TBLS Butter and skip the Shortening)
½ tsp Vanilla
3-4 TBLS Milk
Directions
Cream Butter and Cream Cheese until light and fluffy. Add Sugar, Egg Yolk, and Vanilla. Mix Well. Gradually add Flour and mix.
Cover and chill for 2 hours (or overnight).
Roll out to ¼ inch thickness using a half-and-half mix of flower and powdered sugar to coat your work surface.
Cut into shapes.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F. Cool on the pan for about 2 minutes and then move to a cooking rack.
Decorate Pumpkins
After swinging by the pumpkin patch, plan an afternoon or evening of decorating pumpkins.
When my kids were little, they did not have the patience or attention span for carving pumpkins so we tried painting them and making faces using these stickers. And the pumpkins turned out amazing.
One year we did all the pumpkins in different colors of M&M’s – so cute.
But now that they are older, pumpkin carving is their speed.
If you are a carver, what design do you go with the most? Let me know in the comments below.
Halloween Games For Kids
I love playing games with my kids. And I know my kids have fun playing games too because they are constantly asking to play.
You have to try out these fan Halloween favorites with your kids. They can all be played inside.
Halloween Activities For Kids
Get creative and bust out some Halloween activities.
We love doing Halloween Mad Libs, making construction paper Halloween countdown chains, and fun Halloween magnets to name a few.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Create a Halloween scavenger hunt around your house for your kids.
You can make it as easy or as hard as you want.
Place the items inside and outside to make it more of a challenge.
Check out this post for a complete list of ideas of items to search for.
Halloween Home Décor
Let your kiddos help you decorate your house for Halloween. And try so hard to let them set stuff out and for you to not move it afterward.
My kids have a blast transforming our house for every holiday and I think it is because I let them be part of the décor placement. They have gotten so good at it over the years.
Here are a few of my favorite Halloween home décor items.Halloween Party
Throw a Halloween party at your house and invite your family and friends.
I know what you are thinking - oh that sounds like so much work but trust me, it is going to be a blast!
We started doing this on my side of the family a few years ago and my 12-year-old daughter is the party planner for it, with me in the background. I could go on and on about throwing an epic Halloween party!
Party Decorations
If you are going to have a Halloween party, then you have to have some Halloween party decorations for sure!
My number one suggestion is a photo booth. You are going to want to take so many pictures of all your guests in their costumes!
A quick, easy, and inexpensive way to throw this together is to use foil curtains, Halloween balloons, and some festive lights.
Some other decorations that are cheap but will make your party look amazing are spider webs and streamers.
This post was all about how to celebrate Halloween at home with your kids.
Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, what are your traditions and plans for it? Let me know in the comments below.
We usually go to my in-laws for food and football. I tried Black Friday shopping only once, and that was enough for me. Online deals are the way to go for me.
I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.