5 Simple Halloween Activity Ideas
I have been walking by fake cobweb clad candy aisles in the supermarkets for at least the last two months, but it just sank in yesterday that this Wednesday is actually Halloween! In case you are like me and forgot to plan anything, I am sending this week’s message early with some simple, low to no cost activity ideas! Beyond dressing up in costumes, here are a few simple ways to celebrate Halloween and your people at the same time!
Note: Do you work in a place that does not celebrate Halloween? Adapt the activities as needed to fit your team or culture, or maybe take on surprising people with a little candy and happy Halloween card anyway!
Halloween Themed Thank You Cards!
It scares me how good you are at your job! One of the best Pumpkins in the patch! You’re better than my pumpkin spice latte! And more! I created six custom, downloadable Halloween thank you cards. If you grew up in a place that celebrated Halloween, I made these cards to resemble school Halloween cards that kids would pass out to each other in class. Download, print, cut, add a personal message on the back, and share with your people!
Tip: Pick up some heavier paper and print out a bunch of these cards at one time. Hand everyone a sheet and tell them to give at least six cards away to their peers!
Have remote employees? Take a picture of the card you want to give them and send it to them via text or email.
Trick, Treat & Department Meet and Greet!
Give each team a small budget to buy candy and decorations for their department. Have staff trick or treat from one department to another! Spice it up by having each department runs their own unique Halloween activity. Are your departments in different locations? Have people throw their own parties, take pictures and share back with the whole organization.
Here are a few classic Halloween games to choose from:
Bobbing for Apples – Fill a plastic tub or sink with water and put in a bunch of apples. Ask people to try and grab an apple by only using their mouth.
Donut on a String – Hang donuts from the ceiling with string. Challenge people to eat the swinging donut by only using their mouth.
Pumpkin Carving - Carve a pumpkin or whatever other vegetable or fruit you have handy.
Cookie Decorating - Have someone bake a bunch of ghost, pumpkin, and witch shaped cookies. Bring the supplies to have staff frost and decorate them.
Pin the Broom on the Witch -Pin the tail on the Donkey Halloween style.
Candy Corn Count – Fill a jar with candy corn or some other candy. Ask people to make their best guess of the number of pieces! Give a prize or the candy to the person with the closest guess.
Halloween Movies. A quick search on YouTube and you can find the 1949 Disney classic The Headless Horseman! Make popcorn and watch the movie in the conference room!
Thriller Dance Off! Ok, this is not a standard Halloween game but maybe it should be. Have a team present their best one-minute thriller routine! (Film this, and please share!)
Halloween of Seasons Past - Costume Contest (great for remote teams):
Did you dress up as a three-legged man, army man, or caterpillar for Halloween? (Yes, I did!). Invite people to submit a photo or stories of their best Halloween costumes of the past. Cut and paste the photos/stories into a Power Point, invite people to the conference room/web conference, and play Michal Jackson’s Thriller, as you laugh through everyone’s costumes. After, have people vote for best costume! Sweeten the deal and inspire participation by offering a $25 -$50 gift card for the winner! (Tip – Invite senior leaders to share their photos or stories first, to inspire others to do the same!) After, spark a continued conversation by encouraging people to share what they did growing up to celebrate Halloween. (People who did not celebrate can share any photo of themselves in a costume.)
Tip: This is a great way to invite remote employees to participate!
The Three-Legged Man!
When I was about 10, I dressed up as a three-legged man; I wore a long black trench coat, and took three of my sister’s horseback riding boots. I put my feet in two of them and stuck a toilet plunger in the third (not sure she ever knew about that!) I had a whole routine when I approached a house where I would hop around in a circle with one foot on the ground and the two outside feet in the air. It was not until later in life when I understood why so many adults laughed at my costume!
Masked Meetings:
Go pick up a collection of random masks and bring them to your next staff meeting. Try to have the meeting as long as possible with everyone wearing a mask! Ask your people to talk in the voice of their mask! Try not to laugh as Captain America presents the weekly team update! (This was shared previously in 4 Ways to Make Work More Fun.)
Candy Catch Up
Bring a little bag of candy or baked goods to your one-to-one or team meeting this week and next. Go buy one of those orange plastic pumpkins, fill it with candy (and a few things for the no sugar folks) and carry it around with you. Do you have remote employees? Mail them a bag of candy or ask someone onsite to purchase and drop some off. Craft a nice “Thank You” message (use the cards above) to further personalize with this simple, yet “Sweet” gesture.