Originally published October 17, 2016 and updated March 13, 2023.
What is it about Halloween that makes it so much fun? My family enjoys celebrating a fun, scary Halloween (not creepy, scary). These 65+ simple Halloween ideas and recipes can quickly be created by any busy person and you’ll be proud to share them. Have fun with crafts, treats, costumes and recipes.
Halloween Ideas and Recipes
More than 65 simple tutorials for busy moms and families. Included are ideas for costumes, recipes, printable games and labels, crafts, treats and entertaining and decorations. In addition to being simple to create, most of these ideas are budget-friendly, too.
Halloween Decorations
Halloween is just around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about decorating your home for the spooky season. If you’re looking for easy DIY decoration ideas, we’ve got you covered! From spooky to fun, these tutorials are sure to inspire your Halloween creativity.
Light Bulb Recycle – Potion Bottle – It’s easy to make these potion bottles for just pennies using a repurposed light bulb. It’s perfect for Halloween decorations and also for props.
Repurposed Wood Shutters Sign for Halloween – Make Halloween shutters as a welcoming DIY Halloween decoration using upcycled shutters and a little paint. The tutorial is easy for any skill level.
Last-Minute Halloween Idea – The simplest of DIY decorations that you can make in just minutes. You can use repurposed jars or make a quick run to the craft store to purchase already painted jars.
These work great for home decorations and also for a Halloween party.
Recycled Book Halloween Decoration – Use an upcycled book to create this Halloween book craft. It’s easy to do and makes a great Halloween decoration or prop.
It’s a fun kids’ craft in addition to be a creative outlet for adults.
It works great for a Hocus Pocus party or Harry Potter party, as well as any Halloween party.
Halloween Luminary Decorations – These DIY Halloween decorations work perfectly for day or with a battery operated light for nighttime. You can make them for pennies using repurposed bottles and jars.
A great kids’ craft for kids of all ages.
Upcycled Bottles for Halloween Decorations – Make these fun decorations for a penny using your printer and repurposed bottles.
Choose labels from this free website to match your décor and preference for Halloween charm or spookiness.
Tombstone Decorating with Repurposed Boxes – A great craft to make with the kids. Use your creativity and a few card board boxes. Use these decorations for indoor or outdoor Halloween decoration.
How to Store Halloween Decorations – Simple tips to protect your precious decorations and organize them to make them easy to access.
These are low cost tips, often using repurposed items.
Halloween Printables
If you’re looking for fun and engaging ways to celebrate, look no further! These printable Halloween games, activities, and labels that are perfect for all ages. Whether you’re hosting a party or just looking for something to keep the kids entertained, these resources will surely do the trick.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt Printable Game – Make trick or treating & any Halloween party even more fun with this free 4-page printable Halloween Scavenger Hunt. It’s a great kids’ & family activity.
Halloween Trivia Questions – These free 35 Halloween Trivia Questions and answer cards are perfect for a party, to add to a lunchbox or as a family dinner activity.
Halloween Coloring Pages – 18 free Halloween coloring pages for kids of all ages and adults. Included are simple and intricate designs and both spooky and fun images
Halloween Treats Printable – A free printable makes handing out fun Halloween treats easy (even at the last minute). They’re perfect as party favors, a kid’s activity & to add to gifts.
Halloween Costume Scavenger Hunt Printable – Make trick-or-treating or your next Halloween party even more fun with this free 4-page printable Halloween Costume Scavenger Hunt.
Fall Scavenger Hunt Printable – Explore autumn with this free 4-page printable fall scavenger hunt. It’s perfect for a backyard or great outdoors activity for kids and families.
Halloween Word Search – Three free printable Halloween word search pages, each with 15 words, plus an answer key. Make developing problem solving and word skills scary fun.
Free Halloween Labels Printables – Organize your decorations with this free Halloween labels printable in two different styles. Label your storage tubs and boxes so you can easily locate your decorations.
Treats and Entertaining
Are you ready for some spooky fun this Halloween? Whether you’re throwing a party or just want to make some festive treats, we’ve got you covered with these easy-to-follow tutorials. Your guests will be impressed with your Halloween-themed spread.
Ghost Candy Wrapper – Halloween crafts are fun to make with kids or give as gifts & party favors. These Ghost Candy Wrappers for movie theater box candy are cute & easy to make.
These are also a fun kids’ craft or Halloween party activity.
Kids Halloween Mummy Game – This mummy game is always a hit at parties. Players are blindfolded and guess each body part by feeling it.
Non-candy Halloween Treats – It’s simple to dress up non-candy snacks for Halloween. You can give these out to trick or treaters or as favors at a Halloween party.
Scrap Buster Mummy Treats – Use scraps of craft paper, a marker and some googly eyes to dress up candy and gum for Halloween party favors to treat to hand out to trick or treaters.
This is also a great kids’ craft.
Frankenstein Craft – This easy Frankenstein craft is a great Halloween idea for kids, for party favors, for gift bags, for trick or treating and for a fun Halloween craft.
DIY Mummy Candy Wrapper – Fun to make Halloween crafts – mummy candy bar wrappers are ideal for beginning crafters & are great party favors or treats to hand out.
Peanut Free Halloween Treats – Easy to make peanut free Halloween treat envelopes. Make these adorable gift card sleeves to hand out to trick or treaters or to give as party favors.
Halloween College Care Package – Make a Halloween care package to send to your favorite college student, deployed soldier or loved one. These fun and creative ideas are sure to please.
What to Do with Extra Halloween Candy – You’re wondering what to do with extra Halloween candy. Here are 14 ideas.
Gauze Wrapped Candy Bars – Make these adorable gauze wrapped candy bars for Halloween. These mummy bars are easy enough for young children to make and cool enough for older kids.
Halloween Treat Bags You Can Make at the Last Minute – Halloween Treat Bags you can make last minute with supplies you already have. Perfect for trick-or-treat treats or party favors.
Easy Halloween Crafts
If you’re looking for some easy craft tutorials to get into the spirit of this Halloween holiday, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re planning a fun-filled Halloween party or simply looking for ways to decorate your home, these simple yet creative crafts are guaranteed to add some easy, inexpensive flair to your celebrations.
Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial for Beginners – Make adorable fabric pumpkins with an easy fabric pumpkin tutorial for beginners. Perfect for fall or Halloween home and party décor. Uses upcycled fabric.
Upcycled Halloween Kids Craft – A fun and easy to make upcycled Halloween kids craft that uses a recycled can.
Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial – 90’s Grunge Shirt – A fabric pumpkin tutorial anyone can do using an upcycled grunge shirt for a cool fall décor vibe. The retro 90’s alternative and grunge scene is back.
Plastic Bottle Pumpkins – Make these DIY pumpkins for autumn and Halloween using repurposed plastic bottles and yarn.
A great craft for kids and adults with beginner craft skills.
Halloween Pencil Case – A fun craft for kids using an inexpensive pencil case and your imagination.
Easy Crocheted Candy Corn Halloween Basket – A simple crochet pattern for a basket that is perfect for decorating or to give as a gift.
Edible Wizard Crafts – Do you know a Harry Potter or fantasy genre fan? Make these edible wizard’s crafts as party favors or a fun kid’s craft.
Pretend Potions from Repurposed Items – Make your own pretend magic potions using repurposed household items.
Magic Potions for Kids Craft – Make a kids’ craft for pretend play, Halloween or to accompany a favorite wizard or fantasy book. Magic potions for kids craft takes less than an hour.
Mini Magic Potion Bottles – Do you know a Harry Potter or fairy tale fan? These Mini Magic Potion Bottles are easy to make and perfect for imaginative play or to display.
Recipes
Jolly Rancher Cocktail – Green apple jolly rancher cocktails are perfect for your summer gatherings, Halloween party and anytime you’d like a grownup but still fun cocktail.
Jack Skellington Halloween Decorations – Easy-to-make Jack Skellington Halloween decorations that are edible. Celebrate The Nightmare Before Christmas with these treats and favors.
Witches’ Brew Punch – Witches’ brew punch is a fun, frothy easy-to-make Halloween drink that you can make in an adult version and also in a non-alcoholic version.
Mini Finger Pies with Butterfinger Candy – Make these scrumptious mini finger pies with Butterfinger candy. They’re always a big hit with family and guests.
Halloween Graveyard Treat – Make this Halloween Graveyard Treat in three easy steps. It’s always a hit at parties and as a treat.
Make Your Own Easy Tombstone Cookies – Make your own easy tombstone cookies as a Halloween treat or to as decorations on a cake or cupcake.
Halloween Rice Krispies Treats Ideas – Halloween Rice Krispie Treats Ideas that look like wizard spell books are easy to make. Really! Make them to look like your favorite fantasy book or movie.
Deviled Egg Eyeballs – Make these easy deviled egg eyeballs to thrill for Halloween.
Halloween Jack O’Lantern Dinner Pockets – An easy-to-make dinner dish that always wows.
Halloween Eyeball Brownies – Make these easy Halloween eyeball brownies as a fun treat or for a Halloween party.
Halloween Treats – Witch Fingers – These Witch Finger Halloween treats are super easy to make and fun to take to a party or serve at home.
Scary Eyes Halloween Cake – And easy-to-make cake that is fun to make and always a hit.
Super Easy Monster Eye Cookies – Monster Eyeball Cookies are so easy to make and always impress. Perfect for parties and Halloween. The recipe starts with a cake mix.
Costumes
Special Effects 31 – DIY Blood from Household Ingredients – make this special effects makeup with household ingredients.
Also makes a spooky fun kids’ activity.
Special Effects 31 – Fake Wound from Household Ingredients – make this amazingly realistic looking wound with household ingredients.
It’s a great creative activity for kids (with a bit of supervision).
Easy Dr. Seuss Costume – The Sneetches – Make easy Dr. Seuss costumes for one person or a group in less than 30 minutes. These Sneetches costumes include the plain and the star belly sneetch.
Quick and Easy Dr. Seuss Costume – The perfect last-minute quick and easy Dr. Seuss costume. A Dr. Seuss DIY costume that is adaptable or a variety of Dr. Seuss character costumes.
Dr. Seuss Day Costumes – Thing One & Thing Two, Sneetches, Skippy Jon Jones costumes that are easy to make.
Be sure to pin for later so you can find these Halloween ideas every October.
You can also see all our Halloween ideas in the table below. Simply scroll through the table, click on the tutorial that interests you and then click the link in the card to see the tutorial.