Budget-Friendly Halloween Games to Play With Kids at Home
Discover budget-friendly Halloween games for kids that are easy to play at home using simple supplies you may already have. Perfect for family Halloween fun.
9/28/202610 min read
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Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, and I’m always looking for simple ways to make the entire month of October feel special—not just Halloween night.
One easy way to do that is with Halloween games.
You don’t need to throw a big Halloween party or buy a bunch of new decorations and supplies, either. A lot of Halloween games can be created with things you already have around the house, a few basic craft supplies, or items that can be reused for other activities.
Some of these games are ones we already enjoy, while others are on my list to try with Brayden as he gets older.
Whether you’re planning a Halloween party, having a family Halloween night at home, or just looking for something fun to do on an October afternoon, here are some budget-friendly Halloween games to try.
1. Pin the Tail on the Pumpkin
This is one of my favorite ideas because it can actually be two activities in one.
Instead of buying a ready-made game, make your own pumpkin using construction paper, cardboard, markers, or whatever craft supplies you already have at home. Kids can help create and decorate the pumpkin first, and then you can turn their creation into a game.
Make several stems, leaves, or other pieces to pin onto the pumpkin, add a blindfold, and take turns trying to get them in the right spot.
Brayden loves the idea of continuing to play with something he created. He gets so proud when one of his crafts becomes part of another family activity.
Moreover, once Halloween is over, you can recycle or save the paper pieces instead of storing another seasonal game.
2. Halloween Bingo
Halloween bingo is a good option when you want something a little calmer.
You can make your own bingo cards using simple Halloween pictures like pumpkins, ghosts, bats, candy, witches’ hats, black cats, or spiders.
For younger kids, pictures work especially well because they don’t need to be able to read the squares.
Use small items you already have for markers—buttons, scraps of paper, cereal pieces, coins, or even little pieces of candy.
If you make sturdy bingo cards, save them with your Halloween decorations and bring them out again next year.
3. Build a Halloween Gingerbread House — With a Game Twist
I’ve always wanted to make a Halloween gingerbread house.
This one does require buying something if you use a kit, but I’ve seen reasonably priced Halloween house kits during the season. Since it doubles as a family activity, a game, and a Halloween treat, the cost can feel a little more worthwhile.
To turn decorating the house into a game, make a simple spinner with different colors that match the candy or decorations you have. Take turns spinning, and whatever color you land on determines what you get to add to the house. For example, landing on orange might mean adding an orange candy, while purple means choosing a purple decoration.
You could also skip the spinner and write the colors on small pieces of paper to draw from a bowl.
There’s no need for the finished house to look perfect. In fact, letting chance decide some of the decorations will probably make it even more creative—and a lot more fun.
When you’re finished enjoying your creation, you can eat it instead of having another Halloween decoration to store.
For an even more budget-friendly version, make your own house with graham crackers and use candy, cereal, sprinkles, or other decorations you already have in the pantry.
4. Halloween Freeze Dance
This is an easy Halloween version of freeze dance, and you don’t need anything except music.
Put on some Halloween music and let everyone dance around the room. When the music stops, everyone has to freeze in their best zombie pose.
If someone moves, they’re out—or, especially with younger kids, skip the elimination completely and just keep playing.
My family likes to make each round a little different by calling out a new Halloween character before starting the music. One round everyone might dance like zombies, and the next they’re monsters, ghosts, witches, skeletons, or whatever else we can come up with.
This is one of those simple games that gets everyone being silly. We always end up laughing at each other’s ridiculous dance moves and poses, which is really the best part.
5. Halloween Ring Toss
Ring toss is an easy game to give a Halloween twist, and you can change it depending on what you already have at home.
If you have pumpkins with sturdy stems, try tossing lightweight rings around the stems. You could also use witch hats, cones decorated for Halloween, or another object that works well for catching the rings. Brayden has even played a version at school using witch hats.
You may already have rings from another children’s game, or you can make your own from cardboard or other materials you have around the house.
Adjust the distance depending on the ages of the kids playing. Younger children can stand closer, while older kids can move farther away or assign different point values to each target.
That’s one of the things I like about this game—you don’t need to buy a special Halloween ring toss set. Use what you already have and give it a Halloween theme.
6. Create a Halloween Obstacle Course
A Halloween obstacle course combines two things kids love—getting creative and burning off some energy.
Instead of having an adult set up the entire course, let the kids help design it. Brayden is always happy when he gets a chance to be creative, and this is the kind of activity we enjoy doing together as a family.
Use your house, backyard, and things you already own to come up with different Halloween-themed challenges. Kids could crawl underneath pretend spiderwebs, weave between ghosts, jump over a witch’s broom, tiptoe past a sleeping monster, or race to carry a small pumpkin from one spot to another.
You don’t need anything elaborate. Chairs, pillows, blankets, string, cardboard boxes, and Halloween decorations you already own can all become part of the course.
You can even turn the setup into its own game. Challenge everyone to come up with the funniest, trickiest, or most creative obstacle and add it to the course.
Then comes the exciting part—seeing who can make it through! Time each person to see who can finish the fastest, create teams for a relay race, or let everyone try to beat their own best time.
If your kids aren’t interested in competing, that’s okay too. Half the fun can simply be creating the course together and then running through it over and over.
7. Halloween Hot Potato
This is another incredibly simple game that can be turned into a Halloween activity with almost no preparation.
Have everyone sit in a circle and pass around a Halloween stuffed animal, small pumpkin, or another Halloween item while music plays.
When the music stops, whoever is holding the item is out.
Of you want to change it up, skip eliminating players and give the person holding it a silly Halloween challenge instead—make a ghost sound, walk like a zombie, pretend to be a bat, or do a monster dance.
Using something you already own means there’s no need to buy a special “Halloween potato.”
8. Halloween Matching Game
A homemade matching game is another activity you can create with basic craft supplies.
Cut pieces of cardstock, cardboard, or construction paper into equal-sized cards and make matching pairs of Halloween pictures.
Try pumpkins, ghosts, bats, spiders, candy corn, witches’ hats, or black cats.
Turn all of the cards facedown and take turns flipping over two at a time. If they match, keep the pair. If they don’t, turn them back over.
Making the cards can be part of the activity, too. Let the kids draw and color the pictures before you play.
Save the finished cards and you’ll already have a Halloween game ready for next year.
9. Bobbing for Apples or Donuts
You can’t really make a list of classic Halloween games without mentioning bobbing for apples, but there are a couple of ways you can play this one.
Bobbing for Apples
The traditional version involves everyone trying to grab an apple with their teeth from the same tub of water. Personally, the germ factor makes me a little hesitant about having several kids share the same water.
If we tried it, I would make a small version just for Brayden. If you’re playing with several kids, you could also give each child their own small container of water and an apple. You still get the silliness and challenge of the traditional game without everyone sharing the same tub.
Bobbing for Donuts
For a completely different version, skip the water and hang donuts from strings instead.
Tie one donut to a string for each person and hang them from a tree branch or another safe, sturdy spot, adjusting the height for each child. Everyone puts their hands behind their backs and tries to eat their donut without using their hands.
You can make it a race to see who finishes first or forget about keeping score and just enjoy watching everyone try to catch their swinging donut.
If the weather is nice, I would definitely do this one outside. It’s messy, silly, and probably one of those Halloween games kids will remember.
Just make sure everyone has their own apple or donut so there’s no sharing between players.
10. Wrap the Mummy
This is a classic Halloween game where kids work in teams to wrap someone in toilet paper until they look like a mummy.
I know Brayden has done this one at school, and it certainly looks like fun.
Personally, though, I have a hard time with wasting an entire roll of perfectly good toilet paper for a game.
If we played this at home, I would probably look for a reusable alternative. White fabric strips, old white sheets cut into strips, or even crepe-paper streamers left from another activity could create the same mummy effect.
With fabric strips, you can unwrap your mummy at the end, wash the fabric if necessary, and save it for another game.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a Halloween party or an expensive night out to make the season feel special. Simple games at home can become part of the fun throughout October—whether you play Halloween bingo after dinner, have a zombie freeze dance on a rainy afternoon, or create an obstacle course in the backyard.
You also don’t have to do every game on this list. Choose the ones that work for your child’s age, your space, and what you already have at home. Before buying new supplies, look around for things you can turn into a game. Construction paper, cardboard, music, stuffed animals, and Halloween decorations you already own can go a surprisingly long way.
I especially love games that let kids be part of creating the fun. With activities like our homemade pumpkin game, Brayden gets to make something, see us use what he created, and then enjoy playing with it as a family.
For us, spreading simple activities like these throughout October is one of the ways we make Halloween feel like an entire season instead of just one night. The goal isn’t a picture-perfect Halloween or spending a fortune on activities. It’s enjoying time together and creating the kinds of simple Halloween memories I hope Brayden will remember.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
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Halloween Games
You don’t need a lot of special supplies to play Halloween games at home. Many of the games on this list can be made with things you already own, but a few reusable supplies can make it easier to put together activities throughout October. I especially like choosing things we can use for more than one game, craft, or family activity.
Crayola Art Set
A basic art set is useful for creating homemade Halloween games like our pumpkin game, matching cards, signs for an obstacle course, and plenty of other Halloween crafts. It’s also something kids can use long after Halloween is over.
Washable Paints
Washable paints are great for homemade game pieces, cardboard decorations, pumpkins, and other Halloween projects. Choosing washable paint also makes creative activities with younger kids a little less stressful.
Construction Paper
One of the simplest supplies to keep around for homemade games. Use it to make pumpkins, ghosts, matching cards, game markers, or decorations—and save the leftovers for your next craft project.
Halloween Sprinkles
Make cookies, cupcakes, brownies, or a Halloween gingerbread house more festive with a fun mix of Halloween sprinkles. The candy eyes, ghosts, and Halloween colors are also an easy way for kids to get creative with their decorating.
Halloween Cookie Cutters
These aren't just for baking. In addition to Halloween cookies, you can use them as stencils for homemade games and crafts or incorporate them into other Halloween activities throughout October.
Silicone Baking Mats
If your Halloween game night includes decorating a gingerbread house, baking treats, or making Halloween cookies, reusable silicone baking mats can help with cleanup. They’re also useful in the kitchen year-round.
Baking Sheets
A basic kitchen staple that works for Halloween cookies, roasted pumpkin seeds, and plenty of everyday baking throughout the year.
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