Fun Alternatives to Going Trick-or-Treating Door to Door

Do you have a sick kid at home or is the weather just way too cold for going out to trick-or-treat? Skip going door to door asking for candy this Halloween with these fun alternatives to trick-or-treating!

alternatives to trick or treating

Boo. No matter how much you would love to dress up and go door to door for candy, trick-or-treating is not always feasible on Halloween night.

You may have a kid who is too scared to go out on this spooky night, or you may have safety concerns regarding your neighborhood. Whatever the case may be, your family may choose to skip trick-or-treating. Luckily, there are lots of alternatives you can consider that will make Halloween a night to remember!

Alternatives to Trick-or-Treating

Have a Halloween-Themed Game Night

Instead of heading out, one excellent idea is to stay in and have a fun family game night. You can put together some different Halloween-themed games that the kids can play instead of going out trick-or-treating.

Here are some fun games your kids will love:

Halloween Ring Toss Game
Pin The Eyeball on The Zombie
Halloween Bean Bag Toss Games
Halloween Games Bingo Cards
Halloween Spoon Game
Carnival Games Bean Bag Toss Game

You can stock some healthy treats around the house and give them out as prizes for winning certain games. Have Halloween bags for each kid just as if you are going trick-or-treating so they can store the treats for later instead of eating everything at once.

Have a Halloween Movie Night

If one of your kids has a cold, or if the weather is terrible, you may want to stay indoors instead of going out to trick-or-treat.

Here are some of our favorite Halloween movies for that is appropriate for kids of different ages:

Addams Family
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
HOCUS POCUS
Casper
Scooby-Doo: The Movie
Toy Story of Terror
Shrek's Thrilling Tales
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Mickey's Treat

Give Out Halloween Treats with Style

Some kids prefer giving out candy to all the trick-or-treaters. They love seeing all the interesting characters that come to their doors. Why not make it more fun by having food and music and games? 

If it’s not too cold out, set up a table with different bowls filled with treats in your driveway. If you don’t have a driveaway, you can open your garage door and set up the tables in the garage. Hook up your cellphone to a Bluetooth speaker and play some music while waiting for trick-or-treaters. 

If space allows, you can set up some fun games for the kids while waiting. www.myangelnumbers.net Try having a hula hoop contest or a game of cornhole. You can even have trick-or-treaters participate in the games if you wish. Oh, and don’t forget to prepare some delicious snacks for your little ones since they will be hard at work giving out treats! Whether exploring the mystical world of Tarot or engaging in lively Halloween activities, creating an enjoyable and memorable experience for all involved is key.

Throw a Halloween Party

You are not the only parent in your area concerned about having kids going door to door on Halloween night. Plan a party with other parents and gather all the kids for some Halloween-themed fun!

Plan lots of fun family-friendly Halloween games so that everybody can participate. Maybe have all the parents bring something to eat and make the party into a potluck, so you are not responsible for making all the food. 

Kids would love a Halloween party because they get to do the one thing they love the most – play with their friends! And what’s more fun than playing with friends while dressed in costumes?

Another fun idea is throwing the treats in a Halloween piñata and let your kids get out some energy before bedtime. Just watch out for the swinging stick!

Throw a Block Party

A block party is a similar idea to throwing a Halloween party but doing it on your street with your neighbors. With more space to work with, you can coordinate with the neighbors and set up fun booths for the kids. For example, a talented neighbor could do face painting, and another could take charge of the apple-bobbing station, etc. 

You can have each neighbor set up a food table in front of their houses. This way, you can go around and sample different foods as you walk down the street with your kids. 

Have your kids parade around the party in their costumes up and down the street. If your neighbors are up to it, you can even hold a house decorating contest. 

Trick-or-Treat at Your Local Mall

I remember loving going to the mall to trick-or-treat when I was a child. Not only do they give out candy, some stores even give out special goodies and coupons. I think moms are a lot more excited about coupons than the kids!

You can feel safe trick-or-treating at the mall with your kids, though do keep an eye on them since it will be crowded on Halloween. The mall is also a great alternative when it’s too cold or wet out. Plus, you have easy access to the bathroom and food – you know with young kids you will need both! 

Go to a Local Trunk-or-Treat

Trunk-or-treats are getting popular because it’s a lot safer and convenient than going door to door for treats. Trunk-or-treats are usually organized by a local church, your neighborhood association, or other trustworthy organizations.

Everyone drives in their vehicles and opens their trunk full of with lots of decorations and treats. The kids get to go to each car and get their treats. If your neighborhood association organizes a trunk-or-treat, this is always a great way to meet your neighbors and other people in your community.  

Visit an Amusement Park’s Halloween Event

Many amusement parks offer special Halloween events. Disneyland, for example, hosts Mickey’s Halloween Parties with trick-or-treating stations around the park. 

Not only do your kids get to dress up in their favorite costumes, but they also get to celebrate Halloween with different characters. Disneyland, of course, has Mickey, Minnie, and other beloved Disney characters. In Knott’s Scary Farm, kids can participate in Halloween-themed dance parties and decorate pumpkins. 

Check out your local amusement park’s calendar and see if they have any Halloween events.

Visit the Police or Fire Station

Many police or fire stations will host Halloween events to provide families a safer trick-or-treating option for younger children. They want to keep the kids from walking in the streets in the dark, vulnerable to cars and pranksters.

The police or firefighters decorate the stations with spooky Halloween displays and provide a range of activities and entertainment. What a better way to celebrate with a peace of mind than spending it with the authorities?

Attend a Community Events

My town has a lot of even popping up all around October for the Halloween season. Most includes fun activities for the whole family, including pony rides, face painting, bounce houses, carnival games, etc. 

Here are some places that would be hosting Halloween events in your town:

  • Local Farms. Lots of farms have special Halloween attractions set up for kids, such as hayrides or corn mazes. They usually have tons of pumpkins to choose from so you can take home the perfect pumpkin to decorate.
  • Zoos. What kids don’t love animals? Many zoos host family-friendly Halloween events with animal presentations, storytelling, costume parade, and other fun experiences for the kids.
  • Haunted Houses. Some kids do like a good scare, but make sure you go to an age-appropriate one. The more “extreme” haunted houses with zombies jumping out at you are scary even for adults, so steer away from those with younger kids. 
  • Children’s Museums. These places are already set up for children to spend hours playing indoors, so they are perfect for celebrating Halloween. Especially for toddlers who have early bedtimes, it’s great to visit these museums earlier in the day so that your kids get to celebrate Halloween before hitting the bed.

Create Fun Halloween Crafts

For the kids that enjoy being creative, making crafts is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween. 

Set up some different craft stations inside for your kids to explore. You can make a flying bat out of toilet paper rolls, or an adorable pumpkin out of a paper plate and construction papers. Your kids can also try this fun melted crayon pumpkin activity or this simple thumbtack pumpkin decorating activity.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

Whether you decide to stay in for Halloween or go out to trick-or-treat with your kids, remember – safety first. If you choose to pass on going door-to-door trick-or-treating on Halloween, any of these great ideas will keep your kids happy without missing the spirit of the holiday.

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