31 Fun and Affordable Things to Do This Halloween

Updated on 28 Oct 2022 at 9:37

If you love Halloween, it's easy to go all out buying spooky decor and over-the-top costumes, but celebrating doesn't have to leave you completely broke or out until all hours of the night. You can still participate in all the festive and sugar-filled activities on a budget and have fun while you're at it. Many of these Halloween activity ideas you can do from the comfort of your own home — a bonus if you're looking for low-key ways to celebrate Halloween this year. Check out 31 things you can do this Halloween ahead, and make sure to add a few to your fall bucket list.

— Additional reporting by Haley Lyndes and Lauren Mazzo

Drink pumpkin spice lattes.

We have a recipe for homemade iced pumpkin spice lattes right here.

Visit an actual haunted site.

Google "haunted places near me." You're bound to find something spooky.

Gut a pumpkin, then toast the seeds.

If you make a jack-o'-lantern this year, don't just dump the insides. Follow these steps to roast the pumpkin seeds for a delicious fall snack.

Find your way through a corn maze.

This family-friendly Halloween activity is a great option if you want to get outside.

Pass out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Even if you don't feel like going out yourself, you can dress up in an easy Halloween costume and pass out candy to tick-or-treaters.

Jump around in leaves.

Is there anything more fall-y than fallen leaves?!

Experiment with spooky cocktails.

For an adult Halloween activity, try whipping up one of these festive Halloween cocktail recipes.

Make a "charcuterie board" with your favourite Halloween sweets.

It's only on sale this time of year, so you might as well enjoy it! Buy all your favourite Halloween sweets to make a sweet "charcuterie board."

Make your home into a haunted house.

Light your favourite fall candles, drape some fake spiderwebs all around, and put on some spooky sounds to turn up the Halloween vibes at home.

Play around with dark makeup.

You don't need to go out to play with some fun Halloween makeup looks and take some fire selfies.

Watch scary movies all night.

How to choose? Great news: we have lists of all the best Halloween movies right here, whether you're looking for a family-friendly flick or one that's guaranteed to leave you scared.

Do a Halloween craft.

Tap into your creative side with one of these cute Halloween crafts from TikTok.

DIY Halloween decorations.

Here are some Halloween decoration DIYs to get you started.

Carve a pumpkin (or 10).

Many people opt to carve pumpkins ahead of the 31st so they have them to put out on Halloween night, but you can also turn it into a fun thing to do on Halloween.

Go apple picking.

It's a perfect Halloween activity, and you come home with fresh apples to use for this delicious baked apple dessert.

Tell ghost stories around a fire.

An outdoor fire is ideal, but you can also put a spooky fireplace YouTube video on your TV in a pinch.

Go trick-or-treating.

Tag along with your kids, nieces, nephews, or friends' kids to go trick-or-treating. You're never too old to enjoy it!

Make lunch or dinner out of pumpkin ingredients.

Try one of these savory pumpkin recipes for lunch or dinner.

Take a night hike.

Grab a headlamp and some flashlights, and hit a local trail that you know will be safe to hike at night.

Roast s'mores.

Strike up a bonfire outside, or use TikTok's trick for making s'mores inside.

Turn on a spooky Halloween playlist.

Put on a Halloween playlist while you're doing anything — making dinner, decorating, waiting for trick-or-treaters — and it automatically becomes more festive.

Take a spooky graveyard tour.

Go IRL, or dial down the spookiness factor by finding one you can watch on YouTube.

Bake Halloween cookies.

Here are a bunch of Halloween cookie recipes for you to choose from.

Scare yourself by reading thrillers.

Get some new mystery and thriller book recommendations here.

Visit a pumpkin patch.

For a family-friendly thing to do on Halloween, visit a pumpkin patch to take cute photos, drink some apple cider, and pick out pumpkins to take home.

Bake autumn desserts.

Bake a pumpkin or apple pie, or one of these other delicious autumn desserts
.

Have a costume contest (virtual or IRL).

Gather your friends in real life or virtually and host a Halloween costume contest for yourself, your kids, or your pets.

Get creative with no-carve pumpkins.

Make pumpkin decorating easier for kids and adults alike by painting pumpkins instead.

DIY last-minute Halloween costumes.

Create a spread of themed Halloween snacks.

From a "Hocus Pocus" charcuterie board to bat Oreo bites, the festive Halloween snack options are endless.

Have a Halloween colouring-book night.

Get free Halloween colouring page printables here.