Looking for Halloween half-term activities that will keep the kids busy without planning a big day out? Turn an ordinary afternoon at home into a pumpkin workshop, a monster disco or a hunt for friendly ghosts. These 12 ideas combine things you may already have with a few festive touches, and you can adapt them for younger children, siblings and visiting friends.
Pick one main activity each day and keep a quieter option in reserve. There is no need to fill every hour: a homemade decoration, a game everyone enjoys and a cosy finish can be plenty.
12 Halloween half-term activities to try at home
1. Paint a pumpkin with a personality
Allow: around 30 minutes, plus drying time.
Give each child a small pumpkin, washable paints suitable for the surface and a brush. Start with a face, then add spots, stripes or a favourite monster expression. Put a tray underneath to catch the mess and let the pumpkins dry before arranging them on a windowsill.
For younger children, draw a simple face for them to colour around. Older children can design a whole pumpkin family and give each character a name. Paper pumpkin shapes make an easy alternative if you want to use what is already in the craft cupboard.
2. Make a friendly ghost garland
Allow: around 20 minutes.
Fold white paper, draw a rounded ghost outline and cut out several shapes. Let the children add eyes and silly expressions, then attach the ghosts to ribbon with tape. An adult can prepare the shapes while younger children decorate them.
Hang the finished garland above your activity table. Add a few paper bats or pumpkins in the same colours, or mix your handmade creations with Halloween decorations to make a little half-term display.
3. Set up a Halloween treasure hunt
Allow: around 15 minutes to prepare, then play at your own pace.
Hide six paper pumpkins around one room. Draw a different symbol on each one and give the children a sheet to tick them off as they find them. For children who are starting to read, add simple clues such as “I am hiding where you keep your shoes”.
Older children can write the next round of clues for everyone else. Finish with a shared reward, such as choosing the next game or picking the film for your evening together.
4. Play monster freeze dance
Allow: 10 minutes, or longer if everyone wants another round.
Choose a few upbeat songs and clear a space to dance. When the music stops, call out a character: a stretching cat, a wobbling zombie or a tiny pumpkin. Everyone freezes in that pose until the music starts again.
Take turns controlling the music and inventing the characters. Keep everyone in the game between rounds so younger children can join in without worrying about being knocked out.
5. Have a dress-up storytelling afternoon
Allow: around 30 minutes.
Let each child choose a character and decide three things: their name, their special skill and the problem they need to solve. Start a story with “One windy afternoon, we found a pumpkin that could talk…” and take turns adding a sentence.
A favourite outfit or a homemade accessory is enough to get started. If they would love a new character to play, browse our kids’ Halloween costumes. Choose something they can comfortably move, sit and play in.
6. Decorate monster biscuits
Allow: around 25 minutes with ready-made biscuits.
Set out plain biscuits, icing and suitable decorations, checking the ingredients for everyone taking part. Draw zigzag mouths, funny eyes and little ghost shapes. A plate for each child helps keep their creations together.
Skip the oven by decorating biscuits you already have, or use homemade ones prepared earlier. Let the children invent names for their monsters before you sit down to enjoy them together.
7. Make a pumpkin bowling alley
Allow: around 15 minutes.
Decorate six empty paper cups with pumpkin faces and arrange them as pins on a clear floor. Roll a soft ball towards them and count how many fall over. Move the starting line closer for younger players.
For a cooperative version, see whether the family can knock down every pumpkin in three turns. Children can rebuild the alley between rounds and keep score on a homemade scoreboard.
8. Create a spooky story corner
Allow: 20 minutes to set up, then settle in.
Gather cushions and blankets, choose a few age-appropriate books and switch on a battery-powered lantern. Let the children arrange their paper ghosts around the space and choose which story comes first.
Keep the mood as gentle as they like. A funny pumpkin story and warm socks can make a lovely rainy-day break between noisier activities.
9. Try Halloween drawing prompts
Allow: around 20 minutes.
Write simple prompts on slips of paper: “a ghost on holiday”, “a witch’s pet” or “a pumpkin with a secret”. Each child chooses one and draws their version. Put the finished pictures together to make a mini gallery.
For younger children, offer two prompts to choose from. Older children can turn their picture into a comic strip with a beginning, a muddle and a happy ending.
10. Build a Halloween photo corner
Allow: around 30 minutes.
Choose one wall and decorate it with the children’s garland and drawings. Add a pumpkin at floor level, then take turns posing as your favourite characters. Make a list of playful poses: a surprised ghost, a sleeping monster and a pumpkin superstar.
If you want an extra splash of colour, explore our Halloween balloons. Adults can set up balloon decorations according to the pack instructions while the children organise the props and poses.
11. Run an indoor trick-or-treat trail
Allow: around 20 minutes.
Turn three doorways into friendly stops. At each one, a family member offers a clue, tells a joke or sets a quick challenge before handing over a little surprise. Try “show us your funniest monster walk” or “name something orange”.
The surprises can be stickers, a drawing or suitable individually wrapped treats. Reuse a small bag, or choose from our Halloween party bags and fillers. It is a flexible alternative to going out when the weather or your children’s preferences favour staying home.
12. Finish with a cosy Halloween film picnic
Allow: one relaxed evening.
Choose a film whose age rating and level of scariness suit your children. Spread a blanket on the floor, put out familiar snacks and let everyone bring a cushion. The painted pumpkins and handmade garland can become your cinema decorations.
For a festive finishing touch, use Halloween plates, cups and napkins. Let the children make pretend tickets and choose a name for their home cinema.
A simple five-day October half-term plan
Use this as a starting point and swap the days around to suit your family. Each day has one main activity and an optional extra, so you can leave room for outings, downtime and whatever the weather brings.
- Monday — make it: paint pumpkins, then draw a few Halloween characters while the paint dries.
- Tuesday — decorate it: make a ghost garland and turn one wall into a photo corner.
- Wednesday — find it: set up the treasure hunt, with pumpkin bowling as an extra round of fun.
- Thursday — play it: invent a dress-up story and finish with monster freeze dance.
- Friday — enjoy it: decorate biscuits, then choose between an indoor trick-or-treat trail and a film picnic.
Keep the half-term shopping list simple
Check your cupboards before buying anything. Paper, pens, tape, empty cups, cushions and a soft ball cover several activities. Add pumpkins or plain biscuits only for the ideas you choose.
If you would like a few new touches, pick things you can reuse across the week: one costume for storytelling and photos, decorations for the craft table and film corner, or tableware for snacks and a family tea. A small, coordinated setup is easier to enjoy than decorating the whole house.
Halloween half-term questions
When is October half-term?
October half-term dates vary by school and area, so check your school’s calendar before making plans. The GOV.UK school term and holiday date finder can help you find local council dates. These activities work before Halloween, on the day itself or whenever your family has time together.
What can we do for Halloween half-term when it rains?
Try a ghost garland, an indoor treasure hunt, pumpkin bowling or a cosy story corner. A craft activity followed by a game gives the afternoon a change of pace without needing to leave home.
How can we celebrate Halloween without spending much?
Start with paper decorations, drawing prompts and dress-up storytelling using clothes or accessories you already own. Reuse empty cups for bowling pins, then turn the children’s artwork into decorations for a family film night.
Which activities work for younger children?
Choose friendly characters, simple drawing and decorating, short games and familiar stories. Prepare shapes for them to decorate, keep hunts to one room and let them help decide how spooky the afternoon feels. Older siblings can make clues, lead a dance round or read a story.
Ready for a little half-term magic? Choose your favourite activities, put the craft supplies on the table and explore our Halloween decorations and kids’ costumes for the finishing touches. The best part is the time you spend making, playing and celebrating together.