Ghastly Greetings from WoWnGO!
Popular Halloween Activities for Kids and Adults
Ghost Tours and Scavenger Hunts in Toronto and GTA Ghost Tours across Canada Exchange Halloween Gifts Halloween Game Night for Kids and Adults Halloween Movies for Horror Lovers and Scaredy Cats Pumpkin Patch Activities Halloween Table: bootiful or beauty-fall? Halloween StorytellingHalloween is one of the most popular holidays in Canada. Everyone from kids to adults loves it. It’s impossible not to love delicious sweets, fun parties, homes adorned with spooky decorations and the whole mysterious vibe that this observance brings to our country. Being a traditional holiday, Halloween already has its deep-rooted traditions but how about some slight modifications to your agenda this year?
Keep on reading to get inspired with some Halloween activities for both horror lovers and scaredy cats.
You might not have known it, but the imposing buildings of Toronto disguise spine-chilling stories behind them.
1. Haunted Walk of Toronto Ghost Tour
Go on a Haunted Walk of Toronto Ghost Tour to find out about the hangings in the public eye, haunted theaters and the local ghosts walking in the Mackenzie House. With a lantern in hand, follow local playwrights, storytellers and amateur historians who will share the spookiest stories of ghastly happenings which took place in the early days when Toronto was still far from what it is now. Find out about Dorothy from the Hocky Hall of Fame, about the dark days of St. Lawrence Market and whether the St. James Anglican Cathedral is haunted. These are surely the places to go on Halloween in Toronto.
2. Ghost Tour on the Campus of University of Toronto
Spend a spooky evening listening to some ghostly tales about the biggest Canada’s school, exploring its secret chambers, strolling through a park and listening to mystifying love stories. Maybe you’ll be lucky to hear the sounds of unsettled spirits. This is one of the spookiest places for the dark evening of October, 31.
3. Spirits of the Distillery District Ghost Tour
The magnificent historical part of the city where great success stories circulated always has more to tell you. This is certainly the right place for Halloween evening. Find out about the intrigues in the largest distillery in the world and the tales of grisly affairs. Enjoy a haunted walk along the cobblestone streets and see why this area is actually haunted.
Look into the dark side of Toronto by playing an exploration game. Unravel the story threads of the Old Town of Toronto, solve the challenges and explore the haunted places on the Halloween evening. Take an audio tour at downtown Hamilton to meet local phantoms and learn some dark history or go on a Terrifying Toronto ghost hunt.
Ghost Tours across Canada
Eager to experience a spooky walking tour? Find one in your location!
Banff Ghost Walks
Embark on a spooky ghost tour through the streets of Banff. Spine-tingling tales with a little bit of drama, hidden streets and unparalleled scenery of the small town in the mountains. Great way to spend this Halloween eve for children and adults alike.
Ghostly Walking Tour in Victoria
There could be nothing that may destroy the charm and gracefulness of Victoria, could there? Come to this spooky ghost tour to hear about the spine-chilling moments in the city’s history and uncover some dark secrets of this charming city.
Crime Walking Tour in Old Quebec
Halloween evening in Quebec City can be fun and spooky at the same time, especially when you’re on tour with the real executioner and his wife. You’ll discover the new side of imposing Place Royale and get firsthand information of the darkest years in the history of New France.
Old Montreal Ghost Tour
Professional actors and storytellers are gathering to unleash the truth about Montreal’s haunted places. Come to this first-rate ghost tour to have a memorable Halloween celebration in Montreal where all the mystery took place - from hanging to witchcraft to gruesome …join us to see what ;)
Haunted Ottawa Jail Tour
A former 19th-century jail whose walls witnessed the most gruesome talks and the bloodiest executions cannot stop being haunted. Join us on this chilling tour of the former Carleton County Jail to explore its most haunted locations and learn the most sordid stories.
A Ghost Tour with a Spooky Note
- wear your Halloween costume
- apply a scary makeup
- or make a creepy-crawly hairstyle.
Woo-nderful mood guaranteed!
Exchange Halloween Gifts
Besides, if you happen to be looking for a Halloween gift for your family or friend, think of these ghost tours and scavenger hunts above. Give your family or friends a gift voucher for a Halloween activity this year and they’ll automatically have more ideas on what things to do on and around Halloween. By the way, going together sounds even better.
Halloween Game Night for Kids and Adults alike
Games are always a way to put everyone in a festive mood. Whether you’re looking for Halloween game ideas for kids, adults, family or a party with friends, lots of these will be a great option. These ADJ games will help you make your evening fun and ensure some quality time together.
Halloween Games for Kids
Spider Races
Pumpkin Memory Game
Mummy Race
Halloween Ping Pong for Kids aka Pumpkin Toss
Halloween Bingo
Pumpkin Golf
Bob for Apples
Halloween Trivia
Halloween Word Scramble
Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe
Pumpkin Bowling
Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Build a Scarecrow
Give your kiddos small spiders each, straws, one, two, three and let them blow the straws :D The spider that reaches the finish line first is the winner. So simple and so fun. Buy them different spiders not to get confused who won. By the way, adults love Spider Races as well.
Make pumpkin faces out of orange paper plates and turn them upside down. Kids need to find a matching pair of pumpkin faces. Make sure each face has its matching pair. For more details, go here.
This one is dearly beloved by kids and all you need is a lot of toilet paper.
Have some little cauldrons at home? Let your kids throw some small candy pumpkins there.
Bingo will probably never be out of fashion because it is too good to fade away. What about Halloween Bingo? Download a free Halloween Printable here and get the detailed instructions here.
Golf clubs and gold balls accompanied by a carvable pumpkin with a big mouth will ensure a perfect Halloween golf. The curved pumpkin is where your kids are going to putt the ball. Watch the video to better visualize this amazing Halloween game.
With a big pot filled with water and many apples (or just a few apples to make bobbing more challenging), the game will fill your house with hearty laughter. If you want to go a less classic way, tie the apple stalks to the strings and hang them over tree branches.
INTERESTING FACT: apple bobbing was far from a kid's game centuries ago. In the Victorian era when Halloween was more associated with romance, apple bobbing could tell your future, specifically predict your future husband.
What about some smart fun? :) Check how well you and your friends know Halloween, its origins and traditions. Download your Halloween trivia for free HERE. Check the answers to Halloween Trivia Questions.
Another brainy game that kids will love. Download the printable here.
If you haven’t decorated your house a lot for this Halloween, this game is a life saver. A table with pumpkins instead of Xs and Os is both a great pastime idea and a Halloween decoration element. You can colour some pumpkins white (or buy baby boo pumpkins) while leaving the rest as they are. Alternatively, cut some Halloween figures out of paper and play them on a smaller piece of paper (the picture below for inspiration) or a tree slab.
A round pumpkin is knocking down some toilet paper rolls. Reminds of bowling, doesn’t it? To make it Halloween bowling, I suggest you paint your toilet paper rolls with some Halloween symbols and cut the pumpkin stem off so that it rolls well enough. Some people prefer making it 100% pumpkin. So, instead of toilet paper rolls, use butternut pumpkins.
A typical but enjoyable activity for kids that can also be done by a whole family. Hide some scavenger hunt clues in your garden or apartment and give your kids a prize at the end. Another popular way would be to go scavenger hunting together in your neighborhood and take pictures of what you’ve checked off the Halloween scavenger hunt list. Some fun time together won’t be forgotten.
Two or more teams of guests have to build scarecrows out of old clothes, pillowcases, newspapers or paper bags and other things at your disposition. Set up a timer and discretely vote for the funniest/scariest one. By the way, it might be a nice team activity as well.
TIP: SUITABLE FOR KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE
Halloween Games for Adults
Halloween Alias
Halloween Quote
Guess the Gross Food Game
Halloween Ping Pong
Deadly Wink
Halloween Charades
Halloween Photo Scavenger Hunt
Pass the Pumpkin
Instead of buying Alias make up your cards with Halloween-themed words and here we go. Divide people into teams of two or more. Each time one person from a team explains to other fellows the words written on the card without using the word itself. Set up a timer for one round (usually 60 seconds). The team who guesses the biggest number of words wins. A person can pass a word if their team members are stuck, then there is a minus point. In fact, you can slightly modify the rules, e.g., whether a pass means minus point or just no extra points or how much time is given for one round.
If you’re throwing a relatively big party, play this game at the very beginning to break the ice and let new people get to know each other. All you need is several famous Halloween quotations and several slips of paper. Split the quotations into two parts and let your guests find another slip of paper that completes their quote. Download your free printable HERE
Seeing blindfolded players try some food and guess what it is, might get really hilarious. Especially if you tell them they are eating a bat wing but in reality, it is beef jerky. Check more food item ideas and their false names here.
Some Halloween-themed paper cups filled with beers for a festive mood and you know the rest.
One person aka “the murderer” winks at other people in the circle. If you notice the murderer winking at sb else, shout “witness”. If you were right, you’ll win. If not, you die and step out of the game. If the murderer’s winked at you, you die immediately and the game’s over for you as well.
Come up with some Halloween clues, put them down on small sticky papers and place all of that into a bowl. A person who picks a charade has to act it out in front of others without talking. The one who guesses correctly is to act out another Halloween charade. Be ready to guess and laugh a lot. Free Printable Available HERE
Don’t want to stay in the whole night? Prepare a list of Halloween items and wander through your neighborhood or your town in search of these items. When you find one, take a picture as photo proof. The winner is the one that guesses most of the items from the list.
IDEA: the items might comprise skeletons, curved or coloured pumpkins, spider webs, etc.
You need a circle of people and one pumpkin fewer than the number of people in the circle. Turn on Halloween music and get everyone to pass pumpkins while the music is playing. When the music stops, the person without a pumpkin has to come out of the game.
Halloween Movie Night for Horror Fans and Scaredy Cats
Rewatching a good old horror film or binging on a new mysterious flick is a classic tradition for average Canucks and movie aficionados alike. Check these spellbinding movies, watch the trailers and pick one for your Hallow’s Eve.
- House (1986)
- Trick ‘r Treat
- Hocus Pocus
- The Cat in the Hat knows a Lot About Halloween
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
- Monster House
- Hubie Halloween
- Halloween
- Halloween Ends
- Halloweentown
- Warm Bodies
- Another idea would be to watch one of the Halloween episodes from the following popular series:
- Freaks and Geeks (Season 1, Episode 3)
- Friends (Season 8, Episode 6)
- How I met your Mother (Season 1, Ep. 6 or Season 7, ep. 8)
- The Stranger Things (Season 2, Ep. 10)
- The Vampire Diaries (Episode 7 “Haunted”)
This one is for lovers of haunted houses. 80’s horror movie where brightness and laughter come along. A horror novelist who’s recently separated from his life seems to be resented in his own new house.
Available on Amazon PrimeVideo.
Genre: horror comedy
They learned that it’s better to honour the customs of Halloween. Otherwise, there might be some disastrous consequences on a Halloween night.
Available on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube
Genre: horror
A triad of witches from the 17th century was accidentally awakened by a curious teenager. What can he do now to prevent the devilish plans of the unwelcome? This one is not new but rewatching is a great pleasure for many. Most fans are aware, however, that the sequel Hocus Pocus 2 to the beloved classic is already available online.
Available on: Disney +, Youtube, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Genre: fantasy, comedy
A great Halloween Cartoon for kids. Where can kids discover the best Halloween? Right, in the closet.
Available on: Youtube and Amazon Prime
Genre: children’s film, animation film
Great adaptation of a book with the same title where a group of teenagers discovers a book with scary stories all of which are from the tormented life that little Sarah had. And boo, the stories from the book become a reality.
Available on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Genre: horror, thriller
A mysterious movie that kids will love. Also, suitable for a family night. Three friends start exploring a house in the neighborhood but the house has a living scary monster.
Available on Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime Video
Genre: mystery, kids and family movie
A mysterious comedy will warm up your Halloween night. A kind and timid man becomes a hero after he’s defending his hometown on a Halloween night.
Available on: Netflix
Genre: mystery, comedy
With 11 movies from the Halloween series, there is something to watch. The story rotates around Michael Myers who once murdered his sister on a Halloween night. A hardhearted killer is back in town.
Available on: Youtube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple iTunes
Genre: mystery, comedy
The closing chapter in the Halloween series (starting from Halloween 2018) shows Michael Myer’s last face-off with his victim Laurie Strode.
Available in: cinema theatres
Genre: horror, slasher
Halloweentown sequel is a popular Halloween movie that depicts the world continually dedicated to Halloween. The first movie in the sequel is the adaptation of a great book The Night Before Christmas. The rest in the series are as good-hearted and magic-infested as the first one.
Available on: Disney, Youtube, Amazon Prime Video
Genre: fantasy, family movie
Can humans and zombies live together? The story of R and July seems to prove they can. A funny and lovely story of the relationship between July and R goes far beyond the two of them.
Available on: Amazon Prime Video, HBO
Genre: horror, romance, comedy
Visit a Halloween Pumpkin Patch
Going to a local pumpkin patch on or around Halloween is a great idea for a family pastime and a way to switch to the fall mood. Here are some ideas on what to do at a pumpkin patch:
- Teach kids how to choose the right pumpkins
- Find perfect pumpkins for further cooking, curving, or decoration
- Enjoy a hayride (upon availability; check with the farm in advance)
- Bounce houses (upon availability)
- Petting zoo (upon availability)
- Have a picnic lunch or order some food at the farm
- Take beauty-fall pictures
Halloween Table: Boo-tiful or Beauty-fall
The spirit doesn’t move you to go out and you’d rather stay at home at the table enjoying boo-licious meals, chit-chatting and watching a movie? Set up your table in a Halloween-esque style. Most people love the spooky atmosphere of Halloween and decorate their homes accordingly but in fact there are those enjoy a more elegant Halloween decor with little spookiness involved.
Here you’ll find some table decoration ideas, both spooky and rather not.
Spooky Centrepiece Decors
SOME GENERAL TIPS:
If don't want to spend a lot of money on decor or don't like to have tons of pumpkins around your house, here’re some practical DIY recommendations.
Architectural Digest recommends “thinking outside the pumpkin” and including some dim lights, putting some autumnal flowers into a black vase and serving up something spooky to add spooky Halloween vibes. Click here for more details.
Beauti-fall Centrepiece with a little bit of Spookiness
If you want to have a less spooky Halloween centerpiece, here are several basic principles:
- Try to make it an autumnal decor rather than specifically Halloween decor
- Use Halloween or fall colors (orange, black, red, etc)
- Use vegetables, berries, and hay out of which you could make wreaths
- Carve smiley and happy Jack-O-Lanterns
- Fill mugs or candy bowls with treats
- Put some pumpkin-shaped candles on the table
Check some Halloween Centrepiece pictures for inspiration here.
Spooky Storytelling Evening on October, 31
Turn on some Halloween music in the background, light up some candles and tell your bewitching stories. While you can tell a story you’ve heard somewhere or make up your own story, there are also ways to spice up the storytelling evening.
- One person starts a story with a sentence and another one continues. Everyone in a circle takes turns and makes up one story. This will be a lot of fun.
- Instead of telling your own stories, you can listen to some horror short stories.
- Just tell a story you prepared in advance
So, have you enlarged your list of Halloween activities or maybe even come up with yours? Share with us and have a spooky Halloween full of boo-licious treats.
