There are many games to play at a Halloween party that will ensure that your guests are frightfully entertained. Be sure to offer a mix of games so that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Group games and games for individuals to play as they please are perfect for a big Halloween party.
Play Fun Halloween Party Games
No Halloween party is complete without a fun game or two to add to the mix. Be as creative as you please and surprise your guests with an entertaining game such as:
Halloween Bingo
Seasonal bingo is a fun option for a Halloween game. If you would like to play with the traditional numbers, change the BINGO at the top of each card to GHOST, WITCH, or another five-letter word related to the holiday. To avoid confusion, take care that there are no repeating letters in the word. You can also play with Halloween-related words or pictures, allowing guests to cover squares when you call out "vampire," "candy," and similar words. MES English provides picture-based cards that are great to use with kids. You can also make your own bingo cards in any word processing program or using an online bingo card generator, such as the one at teAchnology.
Pumpkin Bowling
Create bowling pins from empty two-liter bottles. Decorating the bottles as ghosts, witches, vampires, or other scary creatures can add to the fun, and is a great project for kids. Depending on the age and strength of your guests, you may want to weigh them down with a small amount of sand, water, or pebbles to make them more difficult to knock down. Use a small pumpkin as the bowling ball. Set up a bowling lane in a safe area where a wayward pumpkin won't damage household objects.
Variations on Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Some ideas for a Halloween-themed variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey include Pin the Fangs on the Dracula, Pin the Hat on the Witch, and Pin the Smile on the Jack-o'-lantern. Post a large picture of the subject on the wall and create enough paper cutouts of the fangs or other thematic object so that each guest can have a try. Printable Halloween decorations will provide many options for fun images to use. You will also need a blindfold, either a length of fabric or a costume half mask with covered eyes. Despite the word "pin" in the title, it's safer to use tape on the objects being placed on the larger picture.
Word Games
Give each guest a piece of paper and see how many different words each person can create from a Halloween-related word or phrase, such as "trick or treat." The winner is the person who can create the most words. Word searches and crossword puzzles using themed vocabulary are other options. You can award a prize to the first person to correctly finish the task, or give a treat to everyone for participating.
Halloween Charades
Make up your own game of charades using words related to the Halloween season. Write down words on pieces of paper and allow each guest to randomly choose one to act out. Have the others guess what it is. This game is both fun for the person acting and the ones guessing. Use festive words such as:
- Scarecrow
- Witch
- Spooky
- Pumpkin
- Trick or treat
Mummy Wrap
The only supplies you will need for this game are rolls of white toilet paper and some spooky music. To begin, divide guests into teams of two and give each a roll of paper. One person is in charge of wrapping the other in the paper to make them look like a mummy. While the teams compete, play the music. Each team must use the entire roll of toilet paper. The first team done is the winner.
Spin the Bottle / Kiss a Ghoul
The party host will need to have a rubber ghoul mask, the uglier the better. A party helper is chosen in advance to wear the mask. Ideally, the identity of the mask wearer should not be known to the game participants. The sex of the person wearing the mask does not matter. The game participants take turns spinning the bottle and the winner (loser?) has to kiss the ghoul in front of everyone else. If the person who is wearing the ghoul mask hams it up, it will make the game even funnier.
Tear a Jack-o'-Lantern
Give each player a full piece of newspaper. Each player is blindfolded. Time the event and give the players five minutes to tear a jack-o'-lantern out of the newspaper - no scissors allowed. The hosts will select the winner with the most realistic jack-o'-lantern.
What's In the Box?
Prepare cardboard boxes in which several items, the ickier the better, are sealed. Cut a hand-sized hole in the side of the box. Teams of two play this game. Each player puts a hand through the hole in the box and guesses the identities of the items. The partner records the items. Then, the two compare notes and come up with a single list. The teams with the most items correct win the game. Some suggested items for the box are:
- Peeled grapes
- Cooked spaghetti
- Jiggly gelatin
- Slime
Who Am I?
To begin playing this game, pin a name of a famous person or character to the back of each person. For Halloween, choose characters from horror movies, TV shows, and mysteries or horror tales as well as famous criminals. Players give each other hints about their identities without giving away any part of the name. Some suggested names are:
- Freddie Krueger
- Lizzie Borden
- The Raven
- The Boston Strangler
Use Your Creativity
These are just a few of the many games available to you and your guests. Many common indoor party games only need a small adjustment and they become Halloween-ready. Find out what games your children have played at other parties and school celebrations for additional inspiration. With a bit of creativity, you can be well on your way to creating the next sensation in Halloween party games.
