10 Fun Alternatives to Trick-Or-Treating for Teens

There is a lot of controversy about whether or not teenagers should still be trick or treating.

On one hand, you have those that want to let kids be kids, and as long as they dress up and are truly acting in the spirit of the holiday, then why not? Many argue it’s also a way to keep teens from getting into trouble or mischief. And seriously, what is the big deal? Everyone should be allowed a little Halloween fun.

Other people feel that trick-or-treating is meant for younger children. They worry that older kids can scare or bully the little ones, and they don’t “deserve” candy for just throwing on a mask. And unfortunately, there is also the perception that teenagers who are running around on Halloween are more interested in tricks like destroying property or egging houses than getting candy.

There are many ways to enjoy Halloween at every age

From our perspective, we think you should take the lead from your kids. If they still want to participate, great! Set some guidelines, encourage them to put together a great Halloween costume, and let them get all the candy.

But by late middle school and high school, there are lots of teens who decide on their own that they’ve outgrown the activity.

That being said, just because they aren’t going door-to-door, that doesn’t mean they still can’t celebrate and enjoy the holiday! There are plenty of Halloween activities for teens and tweens that your kids can still do to enjoy and celebrate Halloween.

10 Halloween Activities for Teens and Tweens Beyond Trick-or-Treating

Halloween Costume Party

This seems like an obvious alternative to trick or treating, but it is still one of many great Halloween activities for teens. Plan a fun-filled evening with games, Fall-themed food (definitely whip up a batch of Scarecrow Snack Mix for starters) and make an awesome Halloween-themed playlist! Don’t forget to include some oldies like Monster Mash, Thriller, and Ghostbusters. And most importantly, load up on the candy with a candy bar that the guests can fill themselves.

You can also add to the fun by putting together a photo booth. Hang some black sheets, pull together some props (we love these cute signs on Amazon), and then get your camera or cell phone out!

Here are a few of our favorite Halloween decorations:

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Halloween Movie Night

Pick a flick and tell the guests to come dressed according to theme! It’s amazing to see how creative teens can be with their costumes. Pick something fun like Star Wars or the Avengers, or do something more horror-filled like Scream or Friday the 13th.

This is a fun event to do outside if possible. We love our outside movie screen that you can simply inflate when needed. Pair it with a good Bluetooth speaker and you can have the movies running in the background or set up some chairs and blankets for a screening. Add some popcorn, snacks, and Halloween candies, and you’ll have a happy group!

Not sure what to watch? Here are a few of our favorites, including some oldies (think Nightmare on Elm Street), some that are terrifying (Paranormal Activity), and some that are just for fun (Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!)

Halloween H20: 20 Years LaterBoo! A Madea HalloweenHalloweenThe CraftThe Addams FamilyFright NightLegends of Sleepy HollowBuffy the Vampire SlayerScreamFriday the 13thCarrie (Special Edition)CujoCandymanThe ConjuringEvil Dead, TheGoosebumps (Plus Bonus Content)HellraiserThe Invisible Man (2020) [Blu-ray]ItParanormal Activity: The Ghost DimensionGhostbusters (Extended Cut)

 

Game Night

Never underestimate the simple fun of game night. We’ve rounded up the Best Board Games For Teens, or you can do a tournament of Ping Pong, Air Hockey, or some other fun game.

We also love this list of outdoor game ideas for teens. We gave it to our neighborhood group of big kids who went to a nearby park and surprisingly spent a few hours playing a few of these. Sometimes we just need to give our teens permissions to be kids again.

Get some prizes and snacks, and have some old-school fun. We’ve found make your own pizza is a fun addition.

Movie Theater

Take your favorite group of teens to see the latest blockbuster at your local theater. If you can get a large enough group, some theaters let you rent the entire place out for the night. Bonus: a lot of theaters will run old-school horror movies during Halloween too, so look for what’s playing at multiple theaters.

Bowling

Load the minivan with teens and get ready for a night of spares and strikes! A basket of mozzarella sticks and chicken wings will buy you a spot in anyone’s heart!

Volunteer

Offer to lend a hand at a shelter, soup kitchen, local Fall Festival, Trunk or Treat, Boys & Girls Club, or Children’s Hospital. Encourage your teen to contact your favorite nonprofit to see if they have a way for your teens to help that evening.

You can also invite a group over to do a service project, such as writing letters to soldiers, making blankets for a children’s hospital, or Operation Shoebox.

Pumpkin Carving

Who doesn’t love to decorate some jack-o-lanterns? Halloween Day is a fab time to pick up highly discounted pumpkins from your local retailer and set your favorite teen’s imaginations free! Throw in some stencils and specialized carving tools and you’ve got a fun evening of friendly competition underway.

Make Halloween Awesome for the Little Kids

This is a favorite of my teen daughter and many of her friends. They enjoy dressing up and manning the driveway or front porch, passing out candy, and chatting up the neighborhood kids. They’ve also taken over candy duty at some neighborhood houses so parents could walk their kiddos on the candy collection quest.

If they want to take it a step farther, have them set up a maze for the little kids to explore, a craft, or a mini, kid-friendly haunted house. Sometimes the best way to let them have fun as big kids is to let them pay it forward to the little ones.

Bonfire

Nothing says fall like apple cider, s’mores, cozy flannel shirts, and jeans. If the weather is right, let your kids have some fun outside with all the Halloween fixins’ by the fire pit. . Pump up the music and let them tell some ghost stories, play some old-school games, or just hang out and enjoy the night.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt

This is serious fun! We even have a special Halloween edition hunt all ready for you as a free printable. Just click here: Teens and Tweens Halloween Photo Scavenger Hunt (parentingteensandtweens.com).

And the grand prize? A monster bag of candy, of course!

Whatever your family chooses for the teens in your life this Halloween, we hope you have lots of frightful F-U-N!

*This post may contain affiliate links, but we only recommend products we love!

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