In this spooky season, we’re “exorcize-ed” to present Rose Morrison’s article, Create a Haunted House and 11 other Fun Halloween Activities, to give you some fun-filled ways to experience Halloween with family and friends.
Many thanks to Rose for her guest post for Slipcovers for Your Walls, casartblog for Casart Coverings, removable wallpaper and decor. Be sure to read Rose’s bio at the end.
– – – – – – – – – – – –
Halloween — the spookiest holiday of the year — is just around the corner. It’s the perfect time to let your creativity run wild, and plan some thrilling activities for your family and friends. One of the most exciting ways to celebrate the spooky season is by creating a haunted house, but there are plenty of other fun events to enjoy. Here are some tips for creating your very own haunted house and 11 other themed activities to try this holiday.
1. Haunted House
If a haunted house is your main attraction this Halloween, it’s an excellent place to start. First, you need to pick the perfect location, whether it’s your garage, basement or backyard. Then, choose a theme and storyline for your haunted house.
Here are some haunted house theme ideas:
- A haunted hospital
- A sinister carnival with clowns
- A ghost-infested mansion
- A creepy graveyard
Deck out your chosen space with spooky decorations, like spider webs, fake tombstones, creepy lighting, skeletons and ominous sound effects. Get friends and family to play the roles of the characters for your haunted house, with costumes and acting. Add interactive elements like jump scares, hidden passages and surprises to keep your visitors on edge.
Safety is essential, so make sure to minimize tripping hazards and provide well-lit emergency exits. You can use garden lights to illuminate paths so guests can find their way around easier. These lights are typically 18-24 inches tall and cast downwards, preventing glare and helping guests find their way hassle-free. Also, consider charging a small entry fee or asking for donations to cover your expenses, and offer treats or small prizes for those brave enough to enter.
2. Movie Marathon
Set the mood with an outdoor or indoor movie screening area, and host a Halloween movie marathon. Pick a lineup of classic horror films, family-friendly Halloween movies or a mix of both, depending on your audience.
You can set up a projector, cozy blankets, comfy pillows, and a well-stocked snacks and drinks bar. Have popcorn, candy, chocolate, Halloween-themed cupcakes and beverages available. As the weather cools down, you can also consider a hot chocolate bar with different toppings like marshmallows and whipped cream.
Some Halloween movies to include in your lineup are:
- Hocus Pocus
- It
- The Conjuring
- Scream
- Coraline
- Annabelle
3. Trick-or-Treating
The classic Halloween tradition of trick-or-tricking is sure to be a highlight amongst youngsters and adults. Decorate your house and front yard, ensure it’s well-lit, and have a bowl of assorted candies ready to delight trick-or-treaters of all ages. Try to avoid including any treats with common allergens like peanuts so everyone can join in on the fun.
4. Pumpkin Carving Contest
Set up a carving station with tools, stencils and plenty of pumpkins. To make the event more of an experience, you can visit a pumpkin patch and pick out the pumpkins yourself. Let participants unleash their artistic skills and award prizes for the most creative, scariest and funniest pumpkin carvings.
5. Costume Party
A traditional costume party will be a big hit. Don’t miss the chance to flaunt your Halloween outfits at a get-together or parade. Encourage your guests to get creative and showcase their unique costumes. Hand out prizes for categories like “Best DIY Costume,” “Spookiest Costume,” “Funniest Costume” or “Most Creative.”
6. Halloween Arts and Crafts
Create a crafting station for a more relaxed activity where people can make Halloween-themed art. Think paper bats, ghostly lanterns or personalized masks. Arts and crafts are an excellent option for kids and adults.
7. Spooky-Themed Dinner
Hosting a spooky-themed dinner is a fantastic way to infuse the Halloween spirit into your dining experience. Decorate your table with eerie centerpieces, black and orange candles flickering in the dim light, spider webs draped across chairs, and holiday- appropriate napkins and placemats. For an adult dinner party, use wine coolers in the center of the table to keep your drinks chilled.
Drinks can include “Witch’s Brew” cocktails and Bloody Marys for grown-ups, and candy corn mocktails or potion punch for little ones. Menus could include pizzas shaped like ghosts, eyeball spaghetti, mini stuffed pumpkins, mummy hotdogs or monster wraps. Your guests should dress up in their most haunting attire, adding to the mysterious atmosphere. A Halloween-themed dinner is likely to be a fun and unforgettable experience for all.
8. Treat Decorating
Transforming ordinary treats like cookies or brownies into Halloween masterpieces is a fun and creative way to celebrate the holiday. Decorate delicious sweet treats with edible eyeballs or spiderwebs from piped frosting. You can swirl cupcakes with orange and black frosting, and top them with mini witches’ hats or ghost-shaped marshmallows. These creative and festive decorations can keep kids entertained for hours. Additionally, you could enjoy them as dessert at your spooky dinner or hand them out to trick-or-treaters.
9. Haunted Hayride
Going on a haunted hayride can be an exhilarating adventure that promises an evening of chills and thrills. You’ll hear screams and creepy music, which makes for a fun experience. It’s sure to be a memorable tradition that gives you a good scare.
10. Game Night
Hosting a Halloween game night is a great way to keep the spooky spirit alive while enjoying some lighthearted fun with friends and family. Create a cozy space with candles and Halloween decorations. You can go extravagant with a murder mystery, or stick to the classics like Monopoly or Cluedo. Your guests can dress up and enjoy a night filled with laughter and memory-making. [Click here for more Halloween game ideas.]
11. Corn Maze
Visiting a corn maze during fall is a wonderful tradition. The rustling leaves and towering stalks set the perfect spooky atmosphere. As you navigate your way through the maze, you’ll encounter twists, turns, dead ends and costumed actors, making it a thrilling and memorable way to celebrate the scariest night of the year. A visit to a corn maze is a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit and enjoy some family-friendly scares.
12. Dance Party
Organize a “Monster Mash” dance party to celebrate with a more energetic twist. Clear out a space in your home or set up an area in your backyard filled with decorations, cobwebs, eerie lighting, and glowing pumpkins to set the scene. As the night unfolds, play a carefully curated playlist filled with Halloween classics like “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, “Monster Mash” by Bobby Pickett and other spooky tunes.
Consider a “Thriller” dance tutorial to teach your guests the iconic moves from Michael Jackson’s legendary music video for a truly memorable and hilarious twist. Watching a horde of zombies perform the iconic choreography can be impressive and amusing. As the evening progresses, guests can take breaks to refuel with Halloween-themed snacks and drinks, adding to the festive atmosphere. You can arrange your snacks on black and orange serving trays, perfect for visitors to help themselves — plus, it fits the theme.
Source: Casart Serving Trays & Faux Tortoiseshell Designs
Get Festive This Spooky Season
Make this spooky season all about having a blast with friends and family. Whether you choose to create a hair-raising haunted house or dive into another exciting activity, the key is to have fun and fully embrace the eerie spirit of the holiday.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Additional posts & resources:
Many thanks to Rose for this inspirational article in how to find inspiration for having Halloween fun.
About the author:
Rose Morrison is a home improvement and design writer.
She is also the managing editor of Renovated. Follow her on Twitter to see more of her work.
Leave a Reply