Home for Halloween? Try These 32 Ideas Instead

If you’re staying home this Halloween, you might be wondering, “Okay…so what am I supposed to do?” Maybe you’re a little too old for trick-or-treating, you don’t have kids, or dressing up and knocking on a stranger’s door in your 20s or 30s just doesn’t feel quite right anymore. Maybe you simply aren’t in the mood to go out, deal with crowds, or attend a Halloween party.

That’s perfectly fine!

This post is for anyone who wants to celebrate Halloween from the comfort of home but still make the night feel fun and special. Whether you want to get creative, have a cozy night in, try something new, or even enjoy Halloween all by yourself, I’ve got plenty of fun ideas for you.

So if you don’t have plans this Halloween, or you just don’t want any, keep reading. You can still have a pretty great Halloween night right at home.

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1. Tarot Card Reading

Want to see what might be in store for you? A tarot card reading is such a fun Halloween activity, especially if you’re curious about what the future might hold.

Tarot readings have been around for centuries, and they’re still going strong. I remember them being especially popular in the ’90s when people would call in over the phone to get their readings. And yep, you can still do that today.

You can find tarot readings online or over the phone, so you don’t even have to leave your house. Just search for tarot card readings over the phone, and you’ll find plenty of options.

Honestly, what feels more Halloween than sitting at home, talking to a stranger about your future, and seeing what the cards have to say?

If you have friends over, you can make it even more fun by turning it into a whole Halloween night, take turns getting readings, compare what the cards say, and see where the night takes you.

2. Halloween Scavenger Hunt

This one is so much fun if you have roommates or friends over. The best part is you don’t have to leave the house to do it. All you need are a few small Halloween decorations, stickers, or little spooky items that you can hide around your house. If you decorated for Halloween this year, even better! Hide things in different rooms, closets, corners, and even outside if you have a backyard.

Some of the things you can have everyone search for;

black cat, witch’s broomstick, ghost, pumpkin, spider, spider web, vampire, skeleton, or bat.

You can make the list as easy or as challenging as you want.

If you want to make it even more fun, keep the lights low and let everyone search around with flashlights. If you have a backyard, definitely include it in the hunt and make the whole thing a little darker and spookier.

And don’t worry, I have a free printable you can use for this right here:

You can download it straight to your phone for an easy, no fuss option, or print it out if you want to go old school and have everyone check things off with a pencil.

If you need a little help finding cute pieces for your scavenger hunt, here are some fun, simple things you can place around your home. They’re an easy way to bring Halloween to the forefront and show your spooky spirit without going overboard.

Tuck these little Halloween inspired finds throughout your home and turn them into part of the scavenger hunt. They’re fun, easy to incorporate, and add just enough spooky charm to make your home feel festive while keeping the decorating simple.

3. Truth or Dare FaceTime Party

Stuck at home but still want to hang out with your friends? Turn your Halloween night into a FaceTime party!  Call up a few friends who are also staying home and make a whole night out of it. You can play Truth or Dare, tell scary stories, show off your Halloween decorations, or come up with your own spooky challenges.

Truth or Dare is especially fun because you can get as creative or ridiculous as you want with the dares. It’ll definitely bring out your inner kid and give everyone plenty of laughs throughout the night.

And if you have a group of friends on FaceTime, even better! You may not all be in the same house, but you can still get those social vibes and feel like you’re spending Halloween together.

This is such a fun way to stay home without feeling like you’re missing out on the Halloween fun.

4. At-Home Halloween DIYs

Now let’s get into some DIY Halloween things you could do at home that are super fun, simple, and will actually spice up the night.

Check out this video for three fun and easy Halloween DIYs you can try at home:

She’s definitely got it covered when it comes to fun Halloween DIYs, and she has even more ideas to choose from. My favorite has to be the all-seeing eye book. I mean, that one is super cool, super fun, and definitely going on my list of crafts to try. She has so many simple DIYs that you can make for a fun Halloween night. You can keep them as your own little Halloween souvenirs afterward because they’re too fun to toss!

5. Scare Your Neighbors With a Ghost Drone

Okay, this one is so fun and creative and will definitely get a few laughs! You don’t even have to leave your house to do it.

If you have a drone, attach a lightweight spooky ghost decoration to it and fly it around your yard or neighborhood to give your neighbors a little Halloween surprise. Just make sure you keep the drone within your line of sight, follow local drone rules, and keep plenty of distance from people, cars, and houses.

I’d recommend doing this during the daytime so it’s more funny than terrifying, and so everyone can actually see what’s going on.

I originally saw this idea from creator Brent Rivera, and I thought it was such a creative way to have some Halloween fun without going anywhere. If you have a drone sitting around, this could definitely be a fun one to try.

6. Who You Gonna Call? Ghostbusters Game

How to Make It

• Grab a piece of cardboard or foam board.
• Hot glue disposable cups all over the board.
• Fill each cup with candy, money, cards, or small prizes.
• Cut white tissue paper into squares and draw spooky ghost faces on them.
• Cover each cup with a tissue paper ghost and secure it with a rubber band.
• When it’s time to play, have everyone pick a ghost and poke through the tissue paper to see what prize they get!
• Make it ahead of time and keep it somewhere safe until Halloween night.

For Extra Fun

Grab a Nerf gun and let everyone take turns shooting at the cups! Whatever ghost you knock down is the ghost you get to reveal. It adds a whole extra game to it and makes the prize reveal even more exciting.

This one is such a creative Halloween activity, especially if you have kids or friends over. You’ll want to make this one a day ahead of time so everything is ready to go before the game starts. Start with a piece of cardboard or foam board, then hot glue a bunch of disposable cups onto it. Red solo style cups work great, but you can use whatever disposable cups you have on hand.

Fill each cup with something fun candy, small prizes, cards, money, or even a few surprise treats. Then cut white tissue paper into squares and draw little spooky ghost faces on each piece. Cover the cups with the tissue paper and secure them with rubber bands.

When it’s time to play, everyone gets to pick a ghost and poke through the tissue paper to see what prize is hiding inside. This is such a fun little twist on Halloween, especially if you’re spending the night at home. You still get the excitement of picking out treats and surprises, but you can turn it into an entire game with your friends or family.

7. Pumpkin Carving

If you’re like me and have never actually carved a pumpkin (can you believe that?!), then this one is for you. Of all the classic October activities, pumpkin carving is definitely one you need to try at least once. If you haven’t carved yours yet, Halloween is the perfect excuse to finally do it.

Pick out your favorite pumpkin ahead of time, grab your carving tools, and make a whole night out of it. Pumpkin carving can take a little time, which makes it a great activity when you’re looking for something to do. Pick out your pumpkin ahead of time, choose a fun design, and spend the evening carving it. You can even turn it into a little competition and see who can create the best pumpkin face. Don’t forget about the pumpkin seeds! You can save them and roast them afterward for a Halloween snack.

You can also make this a group activity, even if your friends aren’t physically with you. Hop on a FaceTime call, grab your pumpkins, and carve them together. It’s a simple way to make the night more social while still staying home. So grab a pumpkin, get creative, and make a whole DIY Halloween night out of it!

8. Murder Mystery at Home

I first got into murder mysteries after watching Knives Out, and ever since then, I’ve been completely hooked. They’re just so much fun! You think you know who did it, and then a new clue or twist comes along, and suddenly you’re questioning everything.

So why not bring that same mystery to your own living room? You can create your own murder mystery night at home with friends or family and get as creative as you want with the story, characters, clues, and even costumes.

Give everyone a character to play, set up clues around the house, and let everyone try to figure out who the killer is. The best part is watching everyone make their accusations and change their minds as new clues are revealed.

This is also a great activity if you want something that will keep everyone entertained for several hours. Grab some snacks, dim the lights, get into character, and turn your Halloween night into your own little mystery movie.

9. Everyone Gets a Room: Haunted House Challenge

Oh, I absolutely love this idea! I actually did this one myself a couple of years ago, and it was so much fun. I’ll be honest, I did the whole thing completely by myself and still had a great time creating each room.

The idea is simple: have everyone pick a different room in the house and give it its own Halloween theme. One person could turn a bathroom into a creepy haunted room, someone else could create a spooky bedroom, and another person could make the living room look like a haunted graveyard.

If you have siblings, roommates, or anyone else around, you can make it into a game and see who can create the scariest or most creative room. Then, once everyone is finished, go through the house, room by room, and see what everyone came up with.

You can get as creative as you want with decorations, lighting, sounds, and even costumes. If you’re doing this by yourself, you can still have a blast creating your own little haunted house throughout the night.

If you’re in college or living in a dorm, this can be even more fun! Invite friends from other dorm rooms to decorate their spaces too, then have everyone go from room to room to check them out. You could even turn it into a little competition and vote on categories like scariest, most creative, or best overall room.

10. Backyard Candy Hunt

This one is for all the sweet-tooth lovers who aren’t going trick-or-treating this year. If you have a backyard, a large yard, or just some outdoor space, you can create your own candy hunt right at home.

Hide different types of candy around the yard and see who can find the most. You can make it as easy or as challenging as you want, depending on who’s playing. You could even give everyone a basket or bag to collect their candy as they search.

You still get the fun of searching for treats without having to leave your house. Even when you know there’s candy hidden somewhere, it’s surprisingly fun trying to find it. So grab your favorite candy (the big Snickers bars, obviously), hide it around the yard, and turn Halloween night into your own little trick-or-treat adventure from home.

11. Backyard Campfire Stories

This is another one for anyone with a reasonably sized backyard or yard. If you never got the chance to go camping, Halloween is your time to shine.

Get a bonfire going, grab a guitar if you have one, put on your best spooky costumes, and make some s’mores while everyone gathers around for scary stories. You can even make a little s’mores station so everyone can make their own.

The stories are where you can get creative. Make something up completely off the top of your head, find a creepy story online, or look for an old myth or legend that you can tell everyone. Use different voices, add dramatic pauses, and really get into character. If you’re a little chatty (like me), this would be the perfect Halloween activity.

If telling stories isn’t really your thing, no worries. Put up a screen, pull up YouTube, and let someone else do the storytelling for you. There are tons of spooky, creepy, and completely made up stories that can keep everyone entertained while you sit around the fire enjoying your s’mores.

Everything You Need for S’mores

You can even make this work if you live in an apartment with a balcony. You really don’t need much space or equipment to have fun with this one. Get creative with whatever space you have. This is also a cute one to do with your spouse or partner. You can keep it simple, get cozy, and spend the evening telling stories without needing a whole camping setup.

12. From Oldie to Goodie: Scary Movie Marathon Thrillers

There are some cult favorites here, and I know throughout the year we all get so busy that we make a list of movies we want to watch, but never actually get around to it. Then, pretty soon, we completely forget about them.

For me, it was the Chucky remakes. I’m a HUGE Chucky and Bride of Chucky fan, so watching the remakes was at the top of my list. I had it on my list in 2017, then again in 2019, and AGAIN in 2023! Okay, I’ll admit it… I’m also terrified. Even as an adult, Chucky may still haunt me!

The point is, Halloween is the PERFECT time to finally catch up on those movies you’ve had sitting on your list forever and give yourself an excuse to have a little cheat day and scare yourself silly.

This Halloween movie list is set up in different categories, and although I would LOVE to run down all of the fun movies, if you just want a quick glimpse of some movies you can watch right away, check out my full list below.

You can click here to get all the adult fun thrillers that might still scare you or creep you out for the next month.

Or, if you want to keep things friendly, cute, and a little nostalgic, check out these kid friendly Halloween picks that you can enjoy without having them haunt you until next Thursday.

New & Upcoming Horror Movies

13. Insidious

If you’re a fan of the Insidious movies, this is definitely one to add to your Halloween watch list. The next movie is coming, so it’s a good excuse to go back and rewatch the others before it comes out.

14. Resident Evil

Another one to keep an eye out for! If you love creepy creatures, survival horror, and a little bit of chaos, the Resident Evil movies are an easy Halloween pick.

15. The Other Mother

Okay, is it just me, or does The Other Mother feel a LOT like a twist on Coraline? I know it’s based on the book Incidents Around the House, but there are way too many reminders of Coraline for me not to notice it. Either way, I have a feeling this one is going to be a great Halloween watch!

Remakes, Reboots & Old Favorites

16. Ghostbusters

If you haven’t watched Ghostbusters in a while, Halloween is the perfect excuse to bring it back. There are the older classics and the newer movies, so you can easily turn this into a little Ghostbusters marathon.

17. Chucky

Scary Movies You May Have Forgotten About

18. Final Destination

Did we all just forget about Final Destination?! Final Destination 2 was one of the scariest movies. Everything felt like something that could actually happen. That’s what made it so creepy. I’m not going to lie, this is one I’m still afraid to watch. Some of those scenes have definitely stayed with me.

Nostalgic Halloween Movies

19. Frankenstein

Frankenstein is such a cult favorite, and the Netflix version is just such a romantic, scary, creepy movie that I think it will really capture your attention. It’s a little less “spook in the night” and more of a romantic, dramatic, ghosty movie. It’s not the kind of scary movie that will have you watching cartoons after you finish it. This is a really good pick and one of my favorite movies in general. I think it’s a great time to check this one out.

20. Beetlejuice

21. The Witches

A creepy childhood favorite that hits a little differently when you watch it as an adult.

22. Wicked

Not exactly a scary Halloween movie, but if you’re going for that witchy, magical Halloween feeling, it definitely belongs on the list.

Halloween Shows to Binge-Watch

23. Wednesday

24. American Horror Story

Okay, I’m not going to lie, I had to make a series section just for American Horror Story. There’s no way you disagree!? American Horror Story is such a cult favorite, and every season has its own story that will keep you watching.

I love that the storylines change from season to season with the characters being the same. Each one has a completely different role and its own creepy storyline, so you can start from the first season and work your way through.

I don’t want to ruin anything, so I’ll just say, add this one to the list. Especially if you’re doing other things and need something to watch throughout the day, this will keep you hooked.

But honestly, you probably won’t even finish this one on Halloween. There are so many seasons that this might just become one of those shows you add to your list to watch whenever you’re in the mood for something that might creep you out.

25. Black Mirror

26. Stranger Things

Nostalgic Halloween Cartoons

27. Coraline

28. Hotel Transylvania

29. The Addams Family

30. The Nightmare Before Christmas

A Halloween classic that somehow also feels like a Christmas movie. Honestly, it works for both.

31. Don’t Look Under the Bed

If you remember this one from growing up, you already know why it belongs here. It has that perfect nostalgic creepy movie feeling without being full-on horror.

32. Halloween Self-Care

Now, this one goes perfectly with a movie night. While you’re watching your favorite Halloween movie, why not turn it into a full self-care night?

Put on a face mask, paint your nails a spooky orange, change into your favorite PJs, use your red light therapy, or whatever else makes you feel good. Go all out and make the whole night about you.

Ignore that doorbell, turn the TV up, get cozy, and give yourself some much needed self-care. We need a little self love too! While everyone else is out scaring each other’s brains out, we’re going to take it slow, get comfortable, and give ourselves some love.

Halloween at Home Can Still Be Fun

Okay guys, those are 32 things you can do this Halloween if you’re skipping the trick-or-treating, staying home, or don’t feel like going out this year.

These are some of the ideas I came up with because I know staying home on Halloween can sometimes feel like you’re missing out. It doesn’t have to be that way! You can still make the night feel special, whether you want to get creative, have some friends over, spend time with your spouse, FaceTime your friends, or just enjoy a night by yourself.

Hopefully, something on this list gave you an idea that you actually want to try. Maybe you’ll end up doing something completely different and come up with your own Halloween tradition for next year. Either way, there’s no reason you can’t have a little spooky fun right from your own home. Happy Halloween!