Trick-or-Treating Alternatives for Halloween

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I love all the things – costumes – seeing other people’s costumes especially, spooky decorations, and parties. Unfortunately, this year is so different. There should be no gathering, no parties. Trick or Treating is probably canceled. But there are still so many great ways to embrace and celebrate Halloween even if you can’t get together with others. Enjoy these fun trick or treating alternatives this year!

 

Celebrating Halloween Ideas (when Trick-Or-Treating is Canceled)

Halloween is a fun holiday for kids and adults alike, but sometimes trick or treating can be more trouble than it’s worth. If you’re looking for some alternative ways to celebrate Halloween with your family, check out these trick or treating alternatives ideas. From trunk-or-treats to Halloween parties, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the holiday without going door to door. These alternatives to trick or treating are sure to have you enjoy spooky season.

Halloween Costumes 

Just because you can’t gather, doesn’t mean costumes are canceled. Costumes are never canceled. Ask any toddler, dressing up is fun, any time! “All dressed up with nowhere to go” no longer applies!

By all means, get those costumes on your kids (and yourself) and takes some amazing family photos. Get those babies in their adorable costumes and share pics with your family. Fill those Facebook and Instagram feeds with masks and hoodies and horns and wings. There is absolutely no reason to miss out on this most beloved aspect of Halloween.

Halloween Decorations

Don’t you dare give up on decorations this Halloween! Put up those spider webs and witchy doormats. Hang those bats and ghosts. Get your beloved decorations out of storage and make your home feel special. You can even draw some fun designs with chalk.

Since one of my favorite parts of trick-or-treating is to see the amazing decorations others have done, go for a drive! Just like people do for the Christmas holidays and drive around to see amazing light displays, drive around and see some amazing Halloween decorations. The families who took the time to decorate their homes want you to see it! 

Halloween Crafts and Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin carving with kids is more than just a seasonal tradition; it’s an opportunity to spark creativity and foster family bonding. You can have extra fun with pumpkin carving or painting this year. Are you team paint or carve? I suppose it depends on the age of your kids, right? My son loves to paint pumpkins. My husband is into carving fun designs and lighting the inside with a candle. Why not carve out shapes like stars or even whimsical animals? Do it all this year. 

Imagine the joy as little hands plunge into the pumpkin’s gooey insides, laughter echoing through the air while they discover the treasure trove of seeds and pulp within. This tactile experience can be surprisingly calming and serves as a gateway to teach them about textures, colors, and even some biology if you want to dive deeper!

Also, decorate your home with Halloween crafts you can make as a family. There are so many adorable toddler Halloween crafts and art you can make. You might also want to make this fun glow in the dark slime!

Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Look, scavenger hunts are the best! They are such versatile activities and you can do a new one for any occasion and theme. A Halloween scavenger hunt is extra fun and may just be the best alternative to trick-or-treating. You can still go for a walk or drive around, and find the decorations in your home or neighborhood. You can enjoy a fun Halloween decoration scavenger hunt in your neighborhood.

You can also join with friends virtually or socially distanced. Then take pictures of the items you find, and compare what you saw! That’s a fun way to still enjoy including trick or treat treasure hunt ideas.

 

Grab this Halloween Scavenger Hunt Printable here (my gift to you): Halloween scavenger hunt

Trunk or Treat

Trunk or treating might be a bit iffy this year as well. But like the drive-by birthday parties, trunk-or-treating might be the answer to trick or treating being canceled.

These will have to be on a small scale this year – maybe get together with friends or a neighborhood street and decorate your parked car. Then leave your bucket out for candy. Wearing gloves, of course, and staying 6 feet apart, go place candy in each bucket. This minimizes the touching of food, and everyone gets to pass out and collect candy. 

You can also do a similar Trick or Treat activity with your classroom or established safety bubble. Maybe even use pre-made Halloween Trick or Treat bags so there’s less handling of candy.

Virtual Halloween Party

There’s no reason to give up on parties altogether. As we’ve done Zoom birthdays, you can do the same with Halloween parties. Get your costumes on and video chat with friends and family. Everyone can show off their costume and even walk around with your device to show off decorations. You can even play virtual games like I spy or even do the scavenger hunt together!

Family Movie Night

Don’t discount the amazing family bonding opportunities of a family Halloween movie night. Get those costumes on, get Halloween themed foods and popcorn, and pop in some favorite family-friendly Halloween movies. You can even get ready for this as a family and bake some Halloween cookies or treats together!

Also, get a puzzle that is Halloween themed, and build it together. Maybe play some board games or party games, and tweak them a bit for a Halloween theme. 

Halloween Treats

You can always buy candy and do trick-or-treating at home, maybe as a treat for each scavenger hunt item your kids found. Maybe as part of the scavenger hunt like a treasure at the end. Another idea is to get a Halloween-themed pinata and let the kids have at it.

There’s also plenty of non-candy Halloween treat options, which are also fun as prizes and treats. And here are some food options for healthy Halloween treats for kids!

Nature Walk

A nature walk in the fall becomes a magical adventure for kids. You can see all the changing leaves (if your area isn’t evergreen) and collect pinecones. It can even be tons of fun to collect all the leaves in a pile and jump in them!

This colorful backdrop isn’t just stunning; it sparks curious conversations about why trees shed their leaves and how animals prepare for winter. Every rustle and crackle holds a lesson waiting to be discovered. Encourage your little explorers to engage with their surroundings by creating games during the walk, like searching for acorns or identifying different leaf shapes. 

 

 

In conclusion, there are many alternatives to traditional trick or treating that can be just as fun for both kids and adults. For those who are looking for a more unique Halloween experience, consider one of these options. And for those who simply want to avoid the crowds, remember that there are many ways to enjoy Halloween at home with family and friends.

As you see – Halloween doesn’t have to be canceled just because we’re in a weird year. You can still have a blast celebrating Halloween at home. What are some of your favorite ways to celebrate Halloween? 

If you’re looking for fun activities for fall you might also like my fall bucket list!

But things will be returning soon!

 

Check out my new Halloween Planner to help you plan the most spookiest-filled Halloween party!

 

Grab the printable and enjoy!

 

You might also like: Halloween Countdown Printable