Halloween is a long-awaited event throughout the year. And whether you’re a nurse who’s just finished a night shift, a teacher who’s spent the day wrangling 30 sugar-hyped children or a paramedic with a rare evening off – you deserve to celebrate.

Halloween is for everyone. Got kids? Great. No kids? Even better, more sweets for you. A dog who’d look excellent in a pumpkin costume? Read on.

We’ve pulled together the best Halloween activities – from family-friendly fun and things to do with kids, to easy Halloween ideas for adults and even a few date ideas if you’re looking to do something a bit different this year. Plus, tips on doing it all without spending a fortune. Let’s get into it.

Family-friendly Halloween activities and things to do with kids

Trick-or-treating

It’s a no-brainer. Everyone loves sweets and getting compliments on their costumes, but a little planning goes a long way.

• Pick your route in advance. Scope out the roads with the most decorated houses. No decorations or lights on? It’s best not to knock.
• Timing matters. Aim for 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Early enough that younger kids can enjoy the festivities and late enough that it’s dark and atmospheric.
• Kit them out properly. Reflective accessories and a small torch are important. And bring a bag that’s bigger than you think you need!
• The prep talk. Tell your kids to only knock on houses with lights on, say thank you and have fun.

Pumpkin carving at home

It’s one of those Halloween activities that looks simple, sounds like a great idea, but ends up being surprisingly involved. Here’s the best way to approach it:

• What you’ll need. A sharp knife, a large spoon for scooping, a marker pen for your design, a tea light or battery-operated candle, and plenty of newspaper – unless you want your kitchen floor to look like a crime scene.
• Easy designs. Classic triangle eyes and a toothy grin, a simple ghost or a spider web.
• Ambitious designs. A haunted house scene or a spooky cat. Either way, points for effort and extra points if you can tell what it is.
• Don’t throw the seeds away. Wash them, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast. A great autumn snack.

Halloween baking ideas

Whipping up Halloween baked goods is a great way to spend an afternoon. Even if you don’t have kids, it’s a brilliant excuse to eat them all yourself.

• Ghost meringues. Two blobs of meringue and chocolate chip eyes. Horrifyingly easy.
• Pumpkin spice cupcakes. Sponge and orange buttercream.
• Mummy brownies. Drizzle white icing in stripes and add two eyes with sweets. If they come out looking unhinged, that’s the point.
• Witch finger biscuits. Shortbread, green icing and a ‘nail’ (sweets or nuts work).
• Caramel apples. Coat an apple in caramel and pretend it counts as one of your five a day.

If you’re a Blue Light Card member, get a Shopping Card at your favourite supermarket to make buying those Halloween goodies that bit cheaper.

Family-friendly Halloween fancy dress ideas

The key to a great Halloween costume is commitment, not cost. Check out our guide to the best Halloween costumes on a budget this year – including some great ideas for families, groups, adults and couples. And if you’re a Blue Light Card member, it’s worth checking the website or app for discounts before you pay full price.

Spooky movie nights

Grab a bag of popcorn, make a hot chocolate and get under a fluffy blanket. Here are some age-appropriate films to have the best movie night at Halloween.

Under 5s: Peppa Pig’s Pumpkin Party episode, Monsters Inc., Room on the Broom.

Under 10s: Hocus Pocus, Casper, Hotel Transylvania, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Teenagers: Beetlejuice, Goosebumps, Scooby-Doo, Mean Girls (technically not a horror, but a brilliant watch).

Adults only: A Quiet Place, The Shining, Hereditary. Watch them alone at 11pm at your own risk.

Halloween scavenger hunt

One of the best Halloween children’s activities going, it takes around 20 minutes to set up and keeps the kids entertained for an hour. What a return on investment!

Hide clues around the garden or house, each one leading to the next. You could hunt for hidden spiders, match pairs of Halloween pictures, or solve riddles to find a long-lost witch’s cauldron (also known as a bowl of sweets).

Indoor Halloween activities for when the weather lets you down

If you’re on a late shift, have small children with early bedtimes, or the British weather is doing that grey drizzly thing October specialises in, here’s what to do indoors.

• DIY Halloween decorations. Orange and black paper chains, window silhouettes cut from black card, jam jars with battery tea lights and themed colouring sheets.
• Crafts for kids. Paper plate ghosts, monster sock puppets. YouTube is your best friend here. Check the Hobbycraft discount on Blue Light Card to save a few pounds.
• Host a Halloween party on a budget. Dim the lights, put on a spooky playlist, set out a buffet of themed snacks and run a few party games. No professional set-up needed.
• Run a Halloween quiz. Categories could include horror films, the history of Halloween and a picture round of celebrities dressed up in costume.

Let’s start now: why did the skeleton go to the party alone? Because he had no body to go with...

• Baking challenges. Channel your inner Paul Hollywood and set everyone a Halloween baking task with a theme and time limit. Fun is guaranteed, handshakes are optional.

Outdoor Halloween activities for when it’s dry

If the British weather decides to play along (here’s hoping), pick from a range of outdoor Halloween activities:

• Halloween trails and pumpkin picking. Lots of farms, parks and heritage sites run Halloween events throughout October. Think pumpkin patches, lantern trails and family walks with activities along the way.
• Autumn walks with a twist. Go on a walk and turn it into a conker hunt, a leaf colour challenge or a Halloween scavenger hunt. It’s free, good for all ages, and the kids will love it.
• Theme parks and events. Several major attractions run brilliant Halloween events in October – mazes, scare actors, the works. Blue Light Card members, make sure you check for discounts on days out and attractions.

Easy Halloween activity ideas for adults

Most of those family activities are genuinely great fun as an adult too. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with carving a pumpkin, watching Hocus Pocus, and eating your body weight in sweets at the age of 45. Halloween is the one night of the year you’re actively encouraged to channel your inner child.

But for those who want to go a bit further, here are some easy Halloween ideas for adults:

• A Halloween night out. Most bars and clubs host Halloween-themed events in the last week of October. Go with a group, pick a costume and get into the spirit. Don’t be the person who goes “as themselves.”
• A horror film marathon. Choose your line-up, stock up on snacks and settle in.
• A Halloween dinner party. Pick a theme for food and drinks and invite your friends to join. Use food colouring to dye your snacks a Halloween colour or shape a cheese board like a ghost.
• Halloween date ideas. Not sure what to do with a partner? An escape room, a ghost tour, a horror film at the cinema or a Halloween dinner at home. All spooky enough to feel special and easy enough to pull off.
• Cocktails and mocktails. Colour is everything. Create a drink that’s black, deep red or green. If there’s a group of you, all create or bring a different drink. Bonus points for a themed name (Frankentini, anyone?)
• Escape rooms. Lots of companies run Halloween-specific rooms, and frankly, some of them are eerie enough for the rest of the year, too.

How to have a great Halloween with your pets

If you’re the type of pet owner who takes any opportunity to dress your furry friend up in a themed costume, Halloween is your moment.

• Pet costumes. Keep it stress-free and go for something that doesn’t restrict movement or vision. Avoid anything near their face. A skeleton suit, a tiny pumpkin outfit (cuteness levels may reach danger levels) or even a plain orange bandana all count.
• Keeping pets calm on Halloween night. Doorbells, fireworks and excitable children can be an overwhelming experience for lots of dogs and cats. Create a quiet space away from the front door, keep the TV on for background noise, and lots of cuddles will help.

Quick-fire Halloween ideas if you're short on time

If you’re a Blue Light Card member, the chances are you might be working on Halloween night. Shifts don’t stop for spooky season. If that’s you, here are some ideas that don’t require a whole evening.

10-minute ideas for busy parents:

• Carve a mini pumpkin together (the less pumpkin, the less mess).
• Watch the first 20 minutes of a spooky film before the school run.
• Do face paint when they get back from school – it doesn’t have to be on Halloween night itself.
• Set up a ‘haunted corner’ in the living room.
• Cook a Halloween-inspired evening meal.
• Dress up in your costumes, even if you don’t leave the house.

How to save money at Halloween

Halloween can get pricey quickly. Here’s how to keep it sensible.

• Costumes on a budget. Charity shops in October are a hidden gem; use your own wardrobe creatively and check our Halloween costume guide for ideas.
• Pumpkin carving on a budget. One medium pumpkin, a decent knife and one tea light.
• Decorations without the spend. Black card, scissors, a printer and some tape. Cobwebs from a pack. Candles in jars, a strategically placed sheet, a bit of fake blood.

Use your Blue Light Card membership

Before you book or buy anything Halloween-related, check the app or website. Theme parks, cinema trips, escape rooms, costumes – there’s a good chance there’s a discount worth having.

FAQs

What are the best Halloween activities for toddlers?

Keep it gentle with pumpkin decorating with stickers, simple Halloween crafts and age-appropriate dressing up. Trick-or-treating at your neighbours’ homes is plenty at that age. For older kids, a scavenger hunt, baking session or movie night go down brilliantly.

What can I do for Halloween if I’m working that night?

Do something small before your shift, like pumpkin carving, a themed breakfast or face paint for the kids. Leave out sweets for trick-or-treaters with a note.

How do I keep Halloween low-cost?

Plan ahead, use your Blue Light Card membership for relevant discounts, DIY where you can for decorations, costumes and food, and remember: atmosphere and fun are more important than spend.