Why we love it: If treats are the best part of a Halloween in your house, make them the main event by decorating sugar cookies together.

Get ready:

• Make or buy sugar cookies. We love Meri Meri's Halloween cookie cutters if you're going the DIY route in cute bat, ghost, moon, and star shapes.

• Set a plate out with several cookies for each kid, along with a few colors of icing and sprinkles. Keep it simple with black and white icing, or go for pastels.

• Play our go-to Not-So-Spooky playlist for just the right amount of spooky sound effects. After a few bats, kids may need a dance break before they head home

Pumpkin Painting

Why we love it: Simple to set up, painting pumpkins is festive enough for a backyard birthday party idea but easy enough to pull together for a few minis with things you probably already have around the house. Toddlers can finger paint or add stickers to their pumpkins, while older siblings can get creative with paintbrushes and stamps. Break for monster brownies while the pumpkins dry.

Get ready:

• Set up a long butcher-papered table outside.

• Set a mini pumpkin at each place setting and paint along the center.

• Try unexpected colors like sage, coral, lavender, or hot pink to keep things sweet, not scary. We have painted pumpkin ideas if you're looking for not-so-scary inspiration. 

• Make it even easier by printing out our Halloween templates for a friendly ghost and bat.

Witches' Brew Tea Party

Why we love it: If your family cheers for the good witches and consider pink a Halloween aesthetic, have a witches' brew tea party.

Get Ready: Head to a high tea in your area in your witchy finest or host one at home with a kid-friendly tipple, macarons, and tea sandwiches (use a Halloween cookie cutter) for a fancy afternoon together. Top party dresses, tutus, or mini bow ties with a tiny witch hat and BYOB (Bring Your Own Broom.)

Extra Credit: If you're hosting at home, set up a station for kids to make a mini dried bouquet to take home. Dried grasses and wheat are a sturdy alternative to delicate flowers and will last for months in their bedroom. Find them at your farmer's market or online.

Not-So-Spoky Movie night

Why we love it: Invite the cousins over for a not-so-spooky movie night. Kids can gorge on popcorn in their matching Halloween pajamas and indulge in a seasonal movie minus the nightmares.

Extra Credit: Mix popcorn with pretzels, candy corn, and googly eyes for a slightly spooky treat.

Watch: Our guide to the best Halloween movies for kids has ideas for every age and scariness level–from Room on the Broom to The Dark Crystal.

Halloween Activities

Not ready to commit to a gathering but want to make the season special?

• Turn a nature walk into an enchanted forest scavenger hunt by bringing along your trick-or-treat basket.

• Get out the magic eight ball and a scarf and take turns telling each other’s fortunes.

• Add sugar googly eyes from the grocery store to oatmeal or toast in the morning for a not-scary surprise.

• Watch a magic show or learn a magic trick together.

• Decorate Halloween treat bags before the big day.

• Make a fairy garden in the backyard.