5 Fun things to do on Halloween instead of Trick or Treating

5 fun things to do on halloween instead of trick or treating text with full moon in background image

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Don’t you hate when it rains on Halloween? Or when it’s freezing cold? While it can put a damper on the day, there are still fun things to do on Halloween instead of trick or treating! Yep, I said it. Families can still enjoy an awesome Halloween without going door to door asking strangers for candy. Don’t believe me? Read on for some simple, but fun things to do on Halloween.

Have a Family Party

If you live near family, invite them over. Consider inviting a few friends over. Not feeling like peopling? Have a party at your home with your immediate family. Make a few Halloween-themed snacks, stream some spooky music, and enjoy spending time with each other. While not necessarily Halloween-themed, you could always play a board game or two or complete the party with our next suggestion!

Watch a Spooky Movie

Looking for some family-friendly spooky movie suggestions? Check out these spooky movie suggestions from Good Housekeeping! My kids, ages 6 & 9, have watched quite a few of their recommendations and the thrill level seems to be just right. Since I’m a child of the 80s (you, too?) the original Ghostbusters will always and forever be one of my favorite movies. I even had a Ghostbusters-themed birthday party when I was little!

Read some Spooky Stories

Growing up, I would read books ALL the time (remember when we had time to do that?). When I wasn’t reading Babysitter’s Club or Sweet Valley Twins, I was reading scary stories. Definitely choose stories based on your child’s age and their tolerance for scary stories. Start small because you definitely don’t want them to be up all night! For those of you with children that can handle a good fright, check out Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Three Books to Chill Your Bones: All 3 Scary Stories Books with the Original Art!. The original books were my favorites growing up and now all three books are available in one!

Whether you gather in the family room, sit around the kitchen table with some snacks, or read stories around the fire pit in the back yard, reading scary stories around Halloween is a ton of spooky fun and one of my favorite fun things to do on Halloween!

Carve Pumpkins

So adorable!
Here’s my Little Guy with our pumpkins a few years ago!

Honest confession? We tend to skip pumpkin carving. With the hustle and bustle of daily life, we tend to just forget about it or don’t have the time to do it. We were able to carve pumpkins ON Halloween last year #lastminute, and we’re hoping to do it a littler earlier this year.

Our Halloween Decorating Pinterest Board has a bunch of ideas for pumpkin carving. Last year, we picked 2 giant pumpkins up on a family pumpkin picking expedition. Our family paired up in teams of two to create our own pumpkin designs. Doing this was cost effective, encouraged a little friendly competition, and made for some pretty sweet memories.

See Halloween Decorations

What? You only drive around to see Christmas decorations? Not anymore! So many families are decorating for Halloween just as much as Christmas (if not more!). Either ask around and find out where you can see some of the best Halloween decorations or take your chances and just drive around town. Who knows what you’ll find!

5 fun things to do on halloween instead of trick or treating text with full moon background
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There are still fun things to do on Halloween…

If it’s raining, Halloween is not cancelled. If it’s freezing cold, Halloween is not cancelled. If you’re not able to get together with your loved ones, Halloween is not cancelled. Even though trick or treating is thought of as being one of the main ways to have fun on Halloween, there are still so many ways that the holiday can be memorable for you and your family!

Looking to work some literacy into your Halloween fun? Take advantage of the holiday and check out our 3 Easy Ways to Promote Literacy at Home this Halloween! Still planning on going pumpkin picking this year? You don’t want to miss our tips for picking pumpkins with kids!

Elizabeth (and the kids. and the husband. even the dog)

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