Free Halloween Games for Kids

Free Halloween Games for Kids

Halloween is the essence of fall. Autumn leaves, cool breezes, and full moons bring back memories of past Halloweens when you were a child. Halloween isn’t just a one night celebration, however. There are many free Halloween games for kids online and lots of other game suggestions for your kids to enjoy as well.

Halloween Parties

I know, I know, kids' parties aren’t exactly free. However, you don’t have to break the bank. Invite your party guests to come dressed in their favorite costumes. Snacks could be simple, such as chips, drinks, etc. If you really want to eliminate the expense, then throw a neighborhood bash so everyone is responsible for bringing one item. Try these ideas:

• Create a spooky house by taping boxes together to form a maze that kids have to crawl through in the dark.
• Blind fold kids and have them feel spooky objects, such as brains (spaghetti noodles), eyeballs (peeled grapes), and blood (ketchup, of course!).
• Play spooky music.
• Invite parents to dress up as well. They can even hide in corners to scare the kids. (Don’t do this for little ones, however. Too scary!)
• Create a pumpkin carving table, and let the kids choose a small pumpkin. Kids can decorate the pumpkins with markers or paints, and you could have adults set up to carve various designs on the pumpkins as well.

Outdoor Fun

Outdoor activities for Halloween or other autumn days (or nights) could include the following:

• Flashlight Tag-The child who is "it" gets a flashlight, while the others try to stay out of the light’s beam. Once the beam hits a child, that child becomes it. You can also have a safe base that kids can go to for a limited amount of time.
• Hide and Seek-Again, this can be played in the dark, and the person who is it will probably need to use a flashlight.
• Water Balloon Fights-Keep in mind that when older kids play this game, they can get a little carried away. Be sure you have referees on hand to keep this game from getting too rough!
• Hay Ride- If you live on a farm, fill up a trailer or the back of a pickup with some hay, and take the kids for a ride through a pasture or along a dirt road. Have lots of supervision, however, to keep this activity fun and safe!

Online Games

Want to get into the Halloween spirit? There are numerous free Halloween games for kids online. Some you can immediately play either online or with your family and friends, and others must be downloaded. Check out the following sites:

• Family Education-This site offers party ideas, printables, and even recipes.
• Caverns of Blood-This site is most definitely for older kids, as you can probably tell by the title. It has a virtual haunted house, caverns game, and other Halloween themed links.
• Billy Bear for Kids-This site offers Halloween printouts, a safety game, clipart, and pumpkin patterns.
• The Kidz Page-Here you can find online games, puzzles, coloring pages, and learning activities.
• Surf Net Kids-This site offers lots of other links to free Halloween games for kids.

Safety Issues

As with any activity, you’ll need to supervise your kids no matter what they are doing. This is especially true during Halloween. Rolling yards and haunted houses are often a part of Halloween celebrations, but there is always a possibility of an accident. These tips will help:

• Be sure you offer lots of supervision, even if you are just having a few friends over.
• Use caution when you create your costumes, and don’t send kids out trick or treating alone.
• If kids are playing outside in the dark, make sure they are well away from the road, and that there aren't any hidden hazards in the area that could injure them, such as gardening tools, large holes in the ground, and open areas of water.
• Once your kids finish trick-or-treating, carefully examine their treats, or better yet, take them to a nearby hospital that will x-ray their loot for free!
• Remember-Stay safe and have fun! Happy Halloween!