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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. 

Collage of Halloween crafts, recipes and decorations like mummy chocolate bars or spell books.

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.

2 DIY potion bottles next to stack of spooky books.

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.

Halloween Trick or Treat sign made from 2 shutters on front porch.

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.

a black jar with googly eyes and orange jar with black mask.

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.

stack of three DIY decorated books on white wood table.

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.

5 decorated plastic bottle decorations for Halloween.
collage of colorful worksheets with featured cover page with 3 ghosts with party hats.

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.

4 DIY labeled bottles made to look like potions.

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.

children standing on sidewalk with DIY Halloween tombstones in the yard.

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 decorations with orange tub and text overlay How to Store Decorations for Halloween.

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.

2 jack o'lanterns and 4 printable Halloween scavenger hunt sheets.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt

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.

collage of white jack o'lantern cup with candy corn and 7 pages of Halloween trivia questions.

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

18 black and while Halloween themed coloring sheets with green and black text overlay.

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.

8 orange Reese's cups with DIY jack o'lantern faces.

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.

4 images of scavenger hunt sheets for Halloween and image of children in costumes.

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.

Autumn trees with yellow leaves and 4 fall scavenger hunt sheets.
Fall Scavenger Hunt

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.

collage of purple and green cookies with eyeballs and 3 Halloween word search pages.

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.

image of two Halloween decoration tubs with printable labels with text overlay.

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.

Two ghost crafts with candy scattered in background.

Kids Halloween Mummy Game – This mummy game is always a hit at parties. Players are blindfolded and guess each body part by feeling it.

black box with DIY mummy Coffin Guessing game.

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.

peach snack cups with jack o'lantern faces added.

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.

DIY mummy treats made from white paper scraps and googly eyes.

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.

Two Frankenstein candy wrappers with scattered candy and text Easy Frankenstein Candy Wrapper.

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.

three candy bars DIY'd to look like mummies.

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.

3 DIY envelopes that look like a mummy, a jack o'lantern and Frankenstein on white table.

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.

Close up of open postal box and Halloween gifts like Frankenstein candy boxes and skeleton goblet.

What to Do with Extra Halloween Candy – You’re wondering what to do with extra Halloween candy. Here are 14 ideas.

Wall of different candy with text overlay What to Do with Extra Halloween Candy.

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.

candy bards wrapped in gauze with googly eyes to look like mummies.

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.

two mummy envelopes and a ghost envelopes with candy scattered.

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.

5 orange fabric pumpkins in different sizes on wood table.

Upcycled Halloween Kids Craft – A fun and easy to make upcycled Halloween kids craft that uses a recycled can.

can decorated like jack o'lantern with candy on wood table.

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.

plaid DIY pumpkins with guitar and Nirvana album and title Fabric Pumpkin The 90s Grunge Edition.

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.

3 DIY yarn and felt pumpkins on wood table.

Halloween Pencil Case – A fun craft for kids using an inexpensive pencil case and your imagination.

3 plastic pencil cases decorated for Halloween like monsters.

Easy Crocheted Candy Corn Halloween Basket – A simple crochet pattern for a basket that is perfect for decorating or to give as a gift.

crocheted basket with orange, yellow, and white stripes like candy corn.

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. 

DIY wizard crafts that are edible like spell book and wand.

Pretend Potions from Repurposed Items – Make your own pretend magic potions using repurposed household items.

crafted wooden shelf holding DIY potion bottles like Eye of Newt and Mud of Bog.

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.

4 bottles of DIY potions with DIY labels and text overlay Magic Potions for Kids Craft.

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.

3 mini magic potion bottles with 3 sparkly marbles on grey background.

Halloween 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.

3 glasses with green liquid and green jolly rancher in cup.

Jack Skellington Halloween Decorations – Easy-to-make Jack Skellington Halloween decorations that are edible. Celebrate The Nightmare Before Christmas with these treats and favors.

Skeleton face on marshmallows with candy corn and text overlay Jack Skellington Halloween Decorations.

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.

close up of orange witches brew in glass with black straw.

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.

mini pies with whipped cream and mini Butterfinger candy bars.

Halloween Graveyard Treat – Make this Halloween Graveyard Treat in three easy steps. It’s always a hit at parties and as a treat.

dessert that looks like a graveyard with candy worms, candy pumpkins and cookie ghosts.

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.

cookies decorated to look like ghosts and tombstones.

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.

5 Rice Krispie Treats decorated like small spell books.

Deviled Egg Eyeballs – Make these easy deviled egg eyeballs to thrill for Halloween.

deviled eggs dyed and decorated to look like green monster eyeballs.

Halloween Jack O’Lantern Dinner Pockets – An easy-to-make dinner dish that always wows.

Halloween beef stuffed biscuit with cut outs to look like jack o lanterns.

Halloween Eyeball Brownies – Make these easy Halloween eyeball brownies as a fun treat or for a Halloween party.

round brownies decorated to look like bloodshot eyeballs.

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.

circus peanut candy topped with jelly beans to look like witch fingers.

Scary Eyes Halloween Cake – And easy-to-make cake that is fun to make and always a hit.

cake with chocolate frosting and candy decorated to look like eyes.

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.

6 green cookies with green and yellow eyes.

Halloween Costumes

Special Effects 31 – DIY Blood from Household Ingredients – make this special effects makeup with household ingredients.

Also makes a spooky fun kids’ activity.

hand covered in special effects blood made from household items.

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).

child's arm with DIY bloody special effects wound.

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.

2 yellow t-shirts decorated to look like Dr. Seuss Sneetches.

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.

2 children wearing Dr. Seuss antenna costumes.

Dr. Seuss Day Costumes – Thing One & Thing Two, Sneetches, Skippy Jon Jones costumes that are easy to make.

collage of children in colorful Dr. Seuss and Skippyjon Jones costumes.

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.