October is a busy month for most families which is why budget Halloween activities for toddlers is important. With preparing for and celebrating Thanksgiving, many families also decorate their homes and yards for Halloween.
Some kids are totally happy to go trick-or-treating and dress up in costumes. However, others may need a little more excitement to get into the holiday spirit.
If you’re like me, you like to find fun ways to celebrate with your little one without breaking the bank. So, here are 13 easy (and mostly free) fun Halloween activities for toddlers.
Happy haunting!
1. Make Homemade Halloween Decorations
Get your toddler involved in the Halloween spirit by making some spooky (or not-so-spooky) decorations together. You can make ghosts out of paper plates and cotton balls, handprint monsters, or spider webs with yarn.
You will need scissors, glue sticks (for paper plates), and paints in colors that match the food on hand. If you are creating a ghost then use white paint, but if making a spider web just choose whatever color is most vibrant! Allow your child to be creative by using fabric string together with beads or buttons for eyes.
The possibilities are endless, so have fun creating your handmade decorations with your toddler this year. There really isn’t anything more satisfying than seeing little ones enjoying themselves during All Hallows Eve.
2. Have Toddlers Go On A Halloween Pumpkin Hunt
A simple, but fun activity to do with your toddler during the Halloween season is to go on a pumpkin hunt. You can make this indoors or outdoors, or even both, it’s up to you!
Start by hiding several small pumpkins around the house so that they will have something exciting to find. You can easily create pumpkins by covering balls with orange colored paper and drawing scary faces. Use different sized balls, depending on your childrens ages.
This fun Halloween activity for toddlers will have them squealing with delight when they “discover” Halloween pumpkins around the house and yard.
3. Roast Pumpkin seeds
This fun Halloween activity for toddlers results in a tasty snack the whole family can enjoy. Best of all, it’s easy to do and only requires a few ingredients.
First, gather your supplies. You will need pumpkin seeds, oil, and salt.
Then, clean the pumpkin seeds to remove any strings and pumpkin flesh. Rinse them in a colander or fine mesh strainer.
Dry the seeds either using paper towel or leaving them to sit for 10 minutes.
Add the seeds to a bowl and coat with oil and salt.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the seeds for about an hour.
Let them cool thoroughly before eating.
This yummy Halloween activity for toddlers can be used all year round.
4. Halloween Pumpkin Painting For Toddlers
This is a great activity for toddlers as they love to get messy.
Set up a station with washable paint and brushes plus pumpkins. Smaller ones are often easier for little hands to work with!
Let them use different colors and design their own Halloween art. Encourage their creativity as this could lead to new expression down the road.
Once they have finished and the paint is dry, get them to place them for best effect when others come trick-or-treating!
5. Paper Plate Ghosts Are Great Halloween Activities For Toddlers
Making ghosts from paper plates is super easy and a top Halloween activity for toddlers.
You will need some white paper plates, black construction paper, white tissue paper, glue and scissors to make it happen!
First, cut out two eyes from the black paper – it’s best if adults do this step! Have your kids ready with a gluestick to start creating their ghostly face on the plate.
Next, cut a mouth from the black paper. You can get creative with the shape but most just choose a large “O”.
Make strips of the white paper at varying lengths to create something closely resembling real ghostly toes.
To finish up, have your children glue these strips to the bottom of the back of the plate.
Use your ghostly plates as is or allow toddlers to create something truly eye-catching. Bring out the gluestick and colored paints with glitter and other decorations to make your house really stand out this Halloween. Your kids will love it!!
6. Make Spider Webs Out Of Cotton Balls
Children of all ages will love this fun and easy craft. However, it is a perfect for little fingers and makes for great Halloween activities for toddlers.
All you need are some cotton balls, dark construction paper or fabric and glue sticks or regular school glue.
The trick is to pull the cotton balls apart so that they can become “wispy”. This is a terrrific way to encourage fine motor skills in young children.
Once they have their “strings”, simply add glue to the paper and stick the web together. Add a couple of plastic spiders, or make your own and that’s all there is.
7. Dress Up In Costumes And Have A Parade Around The House
Toddlers will love dressing up in costumes and taking a tour of their home with this fun activity. Invite family or neighbourhood friends to come and join in.
Create a “spooky” atmosphere by having some Halloween music playing inside and outside. Get the kids to dance around or create a treasure hunt for them.
Of course, there are many kids Halloween costumes available online. However, our list of top Halloween activities for toddlers includes making your own.
There are many opportunities to pick up second-hand costumes at thrift stores. In fact, you and your little one can find lots of treasures to create a beautiful costume for next to nothing.
8. Make Monster Handprints
This is a fun and crafty Halloween activity for toddlers that results in a keepsake.
You will need non-toxic paint, paper, and scissors.
First, have your toddler dip his/her hands in the paint and make handprints on the paper.
Next, cut out the handprints.
Lastly, use the handprints to make a monster!
Make these adorable creatures with googly eyes for monsters’ bloodshot stares. Add sharp teeth for when they eat any neighborhood kids who try to steal candy.
9. Go Halloween Trick-or-Treating In The Neighborhood
If you have older kids who are going trick-or-treating, let your toddler join in on the fun. They may not be confident to go to the door, but they’ll still enjoy walking around in their costume and getting candy.
Get them ready for some Halloween fun with their older siblings! Of course you will be accompanying them as they get around the neighbourhood.
We often find that other family members arrive for trick-or-treating. That way, a bunch of our kids patrol our area. They feel confident and safe because they know those around them.
Toddlers love Halloween. The dressing up, the beautiful food, family time and, of course, the candy! Watch their faces light up as they spend time with their older siblings and cousins.
And don’t forget about all those trick-or-treat opportunities around town; places like schools might offer more than enough candy so everyone can enjoy themselves without getting too wrapped up in guilt afterward.
At this point I know many parents think “AAAGGGRRL!” but remember kids love dressing flashy so try to keep that in mind while you’re out there shopping for the perfect costume ensemble.
10. Sort Through Your Halloween Candy And Trade With Friends
Halloween can be a lot of fun, but it’s even more interesting when you get to participate in the festivities with your little one!
After a night of trick-or-treating, help your toddler sort through their candy. They can trade with friends for their favorite types of candy or save it for later.
Watch for over eating. You don’t want to spend the latter part of Halloween night with a sick little one.
11. Pumpkin Pie Halloween Activities For Toddlers
What’s more fun than making a pumpkin pie? Not much! Here are some great activities to keep your toddler engaged this Halloween.
Making pumpkin pie is a great activity for toddlers who love to help in the kitchen. There are plenty of recipes online that they can easily follow.
12. Halloween Sensory Bin
Explore and expand their senses with a Halloween sensory bin. Using both gross motor and fine motor skills as well as developing cognitive function in the brain. This is one of the best Halloween activities for toddlers.
Fill a bin or box with Halloween-themed items such as fake spiders, ghosts, pumpkins, etc. You can even decorate it with Halloween themes and save it for many years.
Cut holes in the box that your toddler can put their hands through. Have them try to find a spider or a miniature pumpkin.
They will have to recognize textures and shapes for this activity.
13. Watch a Halloween movie
This is a great way to wind down after a busy day of Halloween activities.
There are plenty of Halloween-themed movies that toddlers will enjoy, such as:
Conclusion
Halloween doesn’t have to be an expensive holiday, especially with some fun Halloween activities for toddlers.
Use some creativity and planning to create Halloween memories without breaking the bank.
Do you have any other fun and budget-friendly Halloween activities for toddlers? Please share them in the comments below!
My name is Andrea Thompson and I’m a home based freelance writer. I’m 23 years old, married to my best friend, and mother to a wonderfully independent and opinionated 3 year old girl and step-mother to a sweet seven year old boy. I live in a tiny, little town in Kentucky, where I spend my free time fishing with my kids.
Writing has always been my passion, which I followed through high school, and for a while in college. Life happened, and once I discovered we were pregnant, I switched directions; opting for the healthcare industry because of the stability.
Finally, years later, I was in a place where I could leave the day job that never truly made me happy, and pursue my dreams. I’ve built, and am still building, my writing career from scratch. But, I’m passionate and I’m good at what I do. And, in the end, I can prove to my daughter that she can do anything she wants with this life.
