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Fall is in the air, which means one thing — Halloween is quickly approaching! This fun and spooky time of year is prefect for letting imaginations run wild, and I for one am looking forward to pulling off some silly (not too scary) Halloween pranks. If all their candy doesn’t put a smile on kids’ faces, these simple gags are sure to do the trick.
I’ve come up with 10 simple and silly pranks to make this Halloween one for the memory books.
Floating balloon ghost
Grab a few helium balloons (pro tip — you can get them at the dollar store!), toss white tissue paper or light cheesecloth over it, and tie something to them that is just the right weight to make them hoover in midair. Instant ghost! be sure to draw on some silly faces to keep this prank fun and surprising rather than scary.
Ghostly mirror messages
Take advantage of the recent return-to-school morning routines. Sneak into the bathroom in the morning before your kids (or at night after their bedtime) and leave a ghostly greetings on the bathroom mirror. Write a simply spooky messages like “Boo!” or draw a funny ghost face using washable markers. When your kids stumble into the bathroom and look in the mirror, they’ll be greeted with some spirited silliness to start their day.
Monster footprints
Cut giant monster paw shapes out of paper or cardboard or use washable chalk or flour to stamp mysterious footprints leading from your kid’s bed straight to the kitchen. Open some cupboard and scatter a little cereal on the table next to an open box to make it look like the monsters enjoyed a little breakfast before heading on their way.
Boo-in-a-box surprise
Place a motion-activated Halloween toy or a spooky-sound-making device inside a small box. Leave the box on the dinning room table, living room or some other common area in your home and label it with spooky warnings such as “Open if you dare.” When your kids open it, they’ll be in for an eerie treat! This would be a fun prank to leave near your front door to give trick-or-treaters a scare, too!
Monsters under the bed
Transform bedtime into a playful scare-fest by attaching glow-in-the-dark monster stickers or eyes to the underside of the bed frame. Once the lights go out, these friendly monsters glow into life and can watch over the kids as they drift off to dreamland. Transform that monster under the bed into something to look forward to rather than fear!
Gooey grapes treat
Satisfy your little ghosts’ and ghouls’ sweet tooth with a fun and healthy Halloween treat. Fill a bowl with frozen peeled grapes and serve them as an after-school treat called “eyeball surprise.” This classic is just gross enough to make them squeal, yet tasty enough to be gobbled down.
Trick-or-treat swap
Here’s a prank you can pull after trick-or-treating is done. Fill an empty candy wrapper with something unexpected, like a silly joke or baby carrots. Sneak it into their candy stash, and when they open it, they’ll discover they’ve been “tricked” in the most delightful way. (Pro tip – you might want to have the real candy on-hand to avoid a melt down when they discover their candy is not there!)
Spooky story time
Gather around a faux campfire made using flashlights and read a spooky story, or tell a chilling tale of your own. The flickering shadows will enhance the ambiance, creating a memorable Halloween experience for everyone. Use your judgement to decide when the story should take a spooky turn, and when it’s time for a happily-ever-after.
Haunted doorway
Turn your front door, or the door to your kids’ bedroom, into a spooky entrance. Use crepe paper or streamers to create a “spider web” doorway, and attach hanging plastic spiders for more creepy fun. You can pull this off while the kids are in bed, or even before they get home from school.
Glowing surprise
Add a surprise to their Halloween candy haul by tossing a few glow sticks into their trick-or-treat bags before they head into the night. As the sun sets, their candy will be glowing, making their Halloween loot even more magical. Glowing candy bags might make your kids easier to spot as they dash from house to house, a win-win!
Remember, the key to successful Halloween pranks is to keep them age-appropriate, which for kids tends to mean silly and not scary. It’s all about creating joy and laughter and focusing on the lighter side of this fun and spooky time of year.
Happy Halloween!
Editor’s note: This article was originally published a few years ago and was updated most recently by the author on Sept. 16, 2026. New pranks and images were added. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase products through links on our site, ParentMap may earn an affiliate commission.
