Family-Friendly Halloween Activities On A Budget. Hello everyone, I hope you are well. In today’s post, I will be exploring five family-friendly Halloween activities on a budget. With the cost of living crisis continuing to take its toll on people’s bank accounts, another child-friendly holiday on the horizon may not be a cause for celebration for many parents. After all, making costumes, buying sweets, and paying to keep the kids entertained with their friends can all eventually start to add up, meaning the only thing that ends up being spooky this holiday season is your empty purse.
However, fortunately, Nick Drewe, retail expert at WeThrift, is on hand with five frighteningly fun activities for all the family that won’t break the bank. From getting creative with costumes to watching creepy films to making Barbie into an undead ghoul, there is something for everybody on this list.
Family-Friendly Halloween Activities On A Budget
See A Classic Horror Movie At The Cinema
As any holiday season approaches, a flurry of open-air or secret cinema events comes, bombarding you and your kids with promises of outdoor screenings. However, these events usually come with quite a steep price tag, especially if you have a lot of people in your family. Thankfully, Cineworld is showing a range of classic spooky movies at all their locations around the Halloween season, from ‘Beetlejuice’ to ‘Psycho’. With tickets starting at just £5, this option offers an entire evening of entertainment for a fraction of the price of an outdoor cinema ticket.
Decorate Barbie Dolls
Instead of splashing out on expensive Halloween decorations that will be forgotten within the year, why not make your own and make it into a fun activity for the kids? While children’s dolls are usually glamorous and dressed in pink, a spooky makeover can make them into the perfect table centrepieces for Halloween and can be purchased from most pound shops. Cover the dolls in fake blood, grey face paint, an old Kohl eyeliner from your gothic era—whatever you fancy. This will allow your kids’ imaginations to run wild without you having to worry about overspending.
Make Your Costumes
Pre-made Halloween costumes can be a considerable expenditure and, realistically, can only be worn once or twice in your child’s life. However, it is a definite possibility that somebody in the family has an item of clothing that hasn’t been worn for a while. Be that a black dress that was used for a job interview in the ’90s or a black sun hat that was discarded after a past summer holiday—that can be turned into a creepy costume.
A great activity, especially if your children are small, could be to find something they don’t wear often and dress it up. An old white T-shirt could be ripped to look like your child is transforming into a werewolf. In contrast, an old PE uniform could be customised into the clothing of an undead cheerleader; the possibilities are endless, and the process would be fun and creative.
Make A Creepy Meal With Things From Your Cupboard
Many restaurants may try to tempt you and your children to their doors to indulge in a Halloween-themed meal. However, this could be pretty expensive. So, why not create a typical meal from items in the cupboard and make something at home with the kids? Spaghetti can cost under a pound and is well-liked by most children. So why not add some food colouring to it to make it green?
This could turn a regular spaghetti dinner into ‘worms’, while simple black olives stuffed with garlic could be ‘eyeballs’. Jelly is a classic dish that can, thankfully, easily be made to look like something frightening. Brain-shaped jelly moulds can be bought from shops like Asda or eBay, allowing you to create a perfectly petrifying dessert. As well as this, decorating cupcakes can be a tasty and cost-effective way to keep your children entertained, especially if they try out some spine-tingling designs.
Try Apple Bobbing And Halloween Charades
Every 90s child will remember the thrill of dunking your face into an ice-cold bucket of water to retrieve an apple with your teeth. Despite technological advancements in 2023 making party games like this obsolete, why not go back to the basics? A portion of apples can be bought cheaply, and this classic party game can end up being hours of sensory fun for children of all ages, encouraging a competitive element that won’t get out of hand. Another free Halloween activity is spooky charades, a sinister take on the centuries-old parlour game. From acting out horror films to depicting fearsome novels, this game is a simple yet effective way to ‘kill’ a few hours on Halloween night.
Have a spooky Halloween without breaking the bank. Get creative with your costumes and decorations, watch horror movies, and try out Halloween-themed games and activities to make it a memorable experience for you and your family.
I hope you enjoyed that.
Talk soon
5 Comments
Ntensibe Edgar
Hhhhmmm….I like the sound of trying out Halloween charades. I haven’t heard of those before. It must be a good one.
Rosey
Bobbing and charades are fun. We used to put marshmallows on strings too and the kids would have to catch them with their mouths. 🙂
Monidipa Dutta
Thank you for sharing these fantastic budget-friendly Halloween ideas! Your post is filled with creative and fun ways to celebrate the spooky season without emptying our wallets. I appreciate the variety of activities you’ve suggested, from watching classic horror films at the cinema to transforming Barbie dolls into eerie decorations. The tip about making costumes from old clothing is brilliant – it not only saves money but also encourages creativity.
Your suggestions for creating a creepy meal with pantry staples and revisiting classic games like apple bobbing and Halloween charades are spot on. It’s a great reminder that Halloween can be a memorable and enjoyable family event without overspending.
Overall, your post is a valuable resource for families looking to have a spooktacular time on a budget. Thanks for sharing these thrifty yet entertaining Halloween ideas. Looking forward to more tips and tricks in the future!
Debbie
I love the idea of making a Halloween costume with stuff from my closet. It’s frugal and fun! I did throw together a last minute costume a couple years ago and it was totally from stuff I already had and it was so fun!
Beth
On top of saving money, I actually think it sounds like a lot of fun to make your own Halloween costumes!