Our family’s Halloween tradition started simple, one pumpkin, one bowl of lollies, and a few plastic spiders. But as my son (10) and daughter (6) got older, it became a full-blown creative project week.

If your kids love crafting as much as mine do, here are some DIY Halloween ideas that are big on fun and low on fuss perfect for busy parents who still want to make the house look “spook-tacular.”

🎨 1. Paint-Your-Own Pumpkin Station

Forget carving, it’s messy, and those little hands can’t hold knives anyway. Instead, grab mini pumpkins (or even mandarins!) and some acrylic paint. Let the kids go wild.

We set up ours on a fold-out table in the backyard with a plastic tablecloth, water cups, and snacks. My son painted a “zombie footy pumpkin,” and my daughter made hers sparkle with glitter. Ten minutes later, we had an entire “pumpkin parade.”

🕯️ 2. Haunted Jar Lanterns

Old jars + tissue paper + LED tea lights = instant spooky atmosphere.
Use orange and purple tissue for a Halloween glow, and let the kids draw faces with markers once it’s dry. Line them along the walkway or balcony they look amazing once the sun sets.

💃 3. Backyard Mini-Disco (Our Family’s Favourite)

When the sugar rush kicks in, it’s time to burn energy fast. We’ve made this a yearly thing: an outdoor disco with fairy lights, music, and dancing kids in costumes.

If you want to level it up, Funtime Kids Parties offer discos and karaoke parties that is complete with lighting, games, and playlists. We tried it last year for a community event, and honestly, it felt like we were hosting a mini-festival in the backyard. My daughter still belts out “Ghostbusters” whenever the Bluetooth speaker turns on.

🧁 4. DIY Treat Station

Instead of one giant lolly bowl, let kids “make their own snack cups.”
Use paper cups, stickers, and a few treat options like popcorn, candy corn, mini marshmallows. Not only do they have fun mixing and matching, but you’ll also avoid the sugar-fueled stampede later.

🧡 Final Thought: It’s About the Laughs, Not the Look

Our lanterns are never symmetrical. Our costumes fall apart halfway through the night. And still, it’s our favourite time of year. The kids remember the giggles, not the glue stains.

If Halloween for you looks like a few crafts, some music, and everyone in the backyard dancing under fairy lights, that’s more than enough, my kids never forget Halloween because it's the time of the year we prepare costumes together, do bake spooky cookies and play all day long and now my eldest is 10 who doesn't want to do costumes anymore, oh I miss those times.