55 Halloween Games for Adults to Have a Spooky Good Time
From pumpkin bowling to a grown-up scavenger hunt, these party activities will be a hit!
Kids aren't the only ones who should enjoy spooktastic games at a Halloween party. This year, throw a grown-up bash so guests can get a thrill out of ghostly crafts and all kinds of Halloween games for adults.
For adults who still love trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and Halloween costume contests, the roundup below is full of entertaining activities. Many of the ideas here are creative twists on classic Halloween games. There's hide-and-seek, telephone, heads-up and fright night bingo (it's simply bingo using candy corn as markers). Meanwhile, devout crafters can enjoy a wreath-making party, while sports fanatics can tune into their competitive side with a lighthearted round of pumpkin golf. Plus, we can't forget about traditional tarot card readings and Halloween movie trivia.
So, as you work on sprucing up your home with All Hallows' Eve decorations — all while planning tasty snacks and festive cocktails for the big day — keep these Halloween party games for adults on your radar. And as the ghouls and gals like to say, "Go have some skele-fun!"
Spooky Telephone
Telephone is always a fun one to play. Brainstorm a Halloween-themed phrase, like "My favorite Halloween costume is..." Then, have a guest repeat what the first person said, say their own phrase and then repeat everything to the guest after to keep the fun going. The more people you have, the harder it is to remember the list!
Halloween Hide-and-Seek
Here's a spookier version of hide-and-seek that'll have everyone hilariously petrified! With this twist, the seeker wears a scary costume. Keep the lights off and find the guests using a flashlight. Once found, take them to the "cemetery," where they'll lay like corpses until the last person is caught.
Screaming Contest
If your neighbors aren't in close proximity, let everyone test out their screams. Brainstorm categories, like the funniest scream, the loudest scream, etc. After a few drinks, your guests will be willing and ready to let out their best howls.
Cookie Decorating
Pull out the baking supplies and get ready to bake and decorate your cookies — Halloween-style. Or, purchase a batch for guests to design in all kinds of spooky faces. Then, vote for the best one!
RELATED: 41 Halloween Cookies That Are Frightfully Easy to Make
Balloon Popping Race
Split guests into teams and have them race to pop the balloons on the other team's ankles. The rules: Hands aren't allowed and you can only pop the balloons with your feet. Before the game starts, use a black marker to draw jack-o'-lantern faces on the balloons.
Mind Reader Game
As a group, choose a test subject. Then, brainstorm questions for the subject to answer. After the subject completes the questionnaire, let everyone guess how they completed the phrases or what answers they chose. The person who reads the subject's mind the most wins the game!
Guess the Pumpkin's Weight
For this easy game, all you need is a pumpkin — maybe multiple — and a scale. Let everyone have a go at guessing the weight.
Ghost Stories
You don't need anything to play this storytelling game. Invite everyone to sit in a circle and go around telling scary stories. The best story wins for the night!
Guess the Movie Quote
Are your friends movie fanatics? If so, find a list of quotes from popular Halloween films for guests to guess where they're from. Consider hosting a Halloween movie watch party the night before to test their memory.
Candy Relay Race
Here's another no-hands-allowed game that requires splitting guests into teams. Hand everyone a bowl of candy and a spoon. On the count of three, they'll have to race to scoop up all of the candy using the spoons (in their mouths!) to put into the next bowl. The team that gets all of the candy into their last teammate's bowl wins!
Halloween Guess Who
This game will force everyone to chat with each other. When guests arrive, tape a piece of paper to their backs with the name of a Halloween character written on it. Everyone will have to walk around asking other guests for clues on who it is.
Halloween Jinx
Brainstorm a list of "jinxed" words guests can't use. Choose Halloween-themed words, like ghosts, pumpkins, cats or candy, or pick more common sayings. At the end of the night, tally the number of times guests slipped and have the winner take home a prize.
Halloween Movie Scenarios
Let guests tap into their inner actor by recreating iconic scenes from classic Halloween movies, like The Shining, The Exorcist and Hocus Pocus. Apparently, the shower scene from Psycho is a popular one to mimic.
Halloween Heads Up
Ready for some fun? Let each person jot down any Halloween word of choice on a Post-it. Then, watch (and be entertained) as one person grabs a word from the pile with their eyes closed and takes a shot at guessing what it is with the clues provided.
Pumpkin Chuckin'
Toilet paper covered in orange and green felt are just what you need for a round of pumpkin chuckin'. See how many you can toss into a basket. The person with the most points is the winner!
Pumpkin Checkers
Amp up family game night for Halloween with a twist on everyone's favorite — Checkers. Simply paint a board onto a slab of wood and use mini gourds (choose a mix of white and orange) to play as long as you wish.
Wreath-Making Party
Your Halloween party guests can put their creativity to the test by making their very own wreaths. Use this floral crescent design as inspiration to get the party started.
Skeleton Puzzle
Begin by making bones out of foam, then use hot glue to place a magnet on to each one. Next, apply a coat of magnetic paint to a board and wait to see who will be the first to create a skeleton.
Can Toss
It's not a Halloween party without a can toss game. This one includes free printables, so there's no excuse not to join and have a good time.
Halloween Tic-Tac-Toe
Use tape to create a grid on a table, then write Xs and Os on pumpkins for a fun twist on this party favorite.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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