It’s fall, which means it’s time for spooky season! This is my first Halloween with a little one, and I couldn’t be more excited. I love all the activities leading up to Halloween, such as visiting cider mills and carving pumpkins. The weeks leading up to Halloween are full of opportunities for festive staples. Until we reach All Hallows Eve, here is my bucket list for family-friendly Halloween fun!
Create a Halloween Charcuterie Board
What’s better than a charcuterie board? A Halloween themed one! Gather up your favorite salty and sweet snacks, along with some Halloween cookie cutters for this fun treat. Kids will love helping with this fun, edible project and you can use the cookie cutters to create different spooky shapes on your board. Pinterest is full of charcuterie inspirations, so just add some googly eyes and your charcuterie masterpiece is ready to post on social media!
Share Ghost Stories
Who doesn’t love a good scare? Gather your family around, snuggle up to some blankets, and take turns sharing creepy tales. Make it extra special by having a fire with S’mores or make a blanket fort. Whether you have a favorite ghost story or usually make one up on the fly, you can also share one of these kid-friendly halloween tales.
Carve or Paint Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins is one of my favorite Halloween traditions! I love going to a pumpkin patch and searching for the perfect gourd to carve and display. If you don’t have time for carving or don’t want to worry about cleaning up the pumpkin guts afterwards, painting is another fun option! Here are 90 non-carve pumpkin ideas for you and your family. No matter how you decorate your pumpkin, your family will enjoy spending quality time together!
Have a Halloween Craft Night
The days leading up to October 31st are the perfect opportunity to make some spooky art. There are several DIY tutorials online for kids of any ages, from adorable Halloween Toilet Paper Roll Characters to Paper Pinwheel Jack O’Lanterns. Making fun creations is a great way to bond with kids and embrace their artistic side. Plus, the crafts are perfect Halloween decorations to display around the house!
Visit a Cider Mill or Corn Maze
Need to get outside? Take the family to your local cider mill, check out a corn maze, or go to a haunted house. Every fall I look forward to grabbing some homemade donuts and fresh cider from the cider mills near me. I also enjoy wandering through haunted houses and experiencing jump scares during spooky season! If your child is too young for a haunted maze or house, corn mazes or wagon rides are a great option. These festive venues have something for everyone, plus they are a great photo op!
Halloween Baking Night
No tricks, just sweets! Plan a night to gather some ingredients and make spooky concoctions together. From cut-out cookies to homemade caramel apples, there are tons of fun seasonal treats to make.
Spooktacular Movie Night
After you make your yummy treats, bring some to the living room so you can snack during your favorite halloween specials. My go-to is the classic It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! Whether you’re watching family-friendly movies or something spookier, a movie night is a great way to celebrate the season. To make it extra fun, turn the living room into a fort and use only flashlights or flameless candles to see.
I hope you cross off some of these Bucket List Ideas this Halloween! Let us know in the comments what activities you and your family are planning to do this spooky season.
