This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn on qualifying purchases. Please see our disclaimer for more information.
This year, instead of Harvest Festivals, Halloween Parties, Haunted Houses, or door-to-door trick or treating, most families will be staying home. If you’re looking for some great ideas for a day or evening of family fun, I’ve got you covered!
When I lived in Portland, Oregon, our church held a Harvest Festival each Halloween. The Sunday School classrooms, cafeteria, and other areas were turned into festive party rooms. There was a cake walk, fishing game, apple bob, and more. Everyone would show up in costumes, wander from room to room gathering prizes and candy, and have a wonderful time. I loved the Harvest Festival and always look for something similar in our current celebrations. My Halloween at home activities reminds me of those fun times.
Halloween at Home Activities
- Have a family game night — some of our favorites are Uno, Phase 10, Rummikub, Ticket to Ride, and Trekking the National Parks
- Play Halloween Bingo
- Set up an escape room at home
- Do a fall scavenger hunt
- Have a family movie night ( Hocus Pocus, The Goonies, Ghostbusters, and E.T. are always popular)
- The always classic, bobbing for apples. Here’s a germ-free version!
- Have a bonfire! This is a traditional way to mark the end of summer and the harvest.
Halloween Food Ideas
Dinner
- Sweet Potato Chili
- Navajo Tacos
- Mini spider pizzas made with homemade sourdough crust
- Jack-O-Lantern Quesadillas (use homemade sourdough or whole wheat tortillas)
- Spooky Spaghetti
- Halloween Bloody Baked Rats
Snacks
- Corn Dog Muffins
- Pimento Cheese Dip
- Spooky Spider Deviled Eggs (here’s the lacto-fermented mayonnaise recipe I use)
- Mummy Brie
- Ghost Pizza Bagels
- Sweet Potato Puffs
- Soft and Chewy Sourdough Pretzels
- Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins
Treats
- Homemade Cracker Jacks
- Fruit-Filled Jack-O-Lanterns (made with homemade whipped cream)
- Milkshake Magic
- Sourdough Donuts decorated with orange glaze, pumpkins, bugs, etc.
- Candy Corn Parfaits
- Monster Teeth (Learn how to make your own healthy, real-food marshmallows here.)
- Halloween Ghost Fruit Kabobs
Shekinah
A friend told me about Shekinah–a Halloween alternative in Celebration of Light and Love. They decorate the yard, porch, and windows with white lights; turn on all of their house lights; eat white foods with white table settings, table cloths, and placemats; wear white clothes; and play soft music and then have a hymn sing-along after dinner. They read scriptures and maybe play a few board games before the evening ends. The idea is to bring light, rather than darkness, to the neighborhood.
What are your Halloween at home ideas? Let me know in the comments below!
