halloween party Ideas for kids (and adults)

By Steve Hatherley

If you're looking for Halloween party ideas for kids and adults, you've come to the right place. This Halloween, why don't you throw a murder mystery party and give everyone a night to remember!

all hallow's eve

Halloween was originally a Celtic festival celebrating the end of summer and has been celebrated ever since in various guises all over the world.

Halloween is a shortening of "All Hallow's Eve" - because it's the evening before All Hallow's Day (All Saint's Day) on 1 November.

It's a time when, according to some traditions, the boundaries between the spirit and material worlds blur and magic is at it's most potent...

Halloween is also a time of parties and partying - which neatly brings me to my Halloween party ideas for kids and adults: themed murder mystery parties.

Here I've listed the murder mystery parties that I think are particularly suitable for a Halloween bash.

My criteria for choosing is straight forward - if it has "spooky" elements (or has great opportunities for costuming), then I've listed it.

halloween lies

Set in the modern day, Halloween Lies takes place during the Halloween-theme costume party for The Vampire Detective, a fabulously successful horror movie.

However, all is not well as the star, Tom Speed has died suddenly in a car crash last night.

Was it foul play? (Go on - take a guess...)

Halloween Lies is for 16 to 32 guests (plus the host). It is suitable for guests aged 12+.

Learn more about Halloween Lies.

 the Kiss of Death

Set in Bat Hall, a Gothic mansion in London, The Kiss of Death is set at Lord Quintus and Bianca Wildflower's engagement party.

However, all is not well as Lord Quintus has been found dead, with suspicious marks on his neck...

The Kiss of Death is for six to eight guests (plus the host) aged 15+.

Learn more about The Kiss of Death.

A Haunting in HArtwick

Welcome to Hartwick Manor, which Blake Crowley wants to turn into a spirit sanctuary.

Tonight, Blake will activate his EGADS device for the first time - luring and capturing ghosts so that guests can talk to them!

A Haunting in Hartwick is for 11-13 guests (plus one host) aged 15+.

Learn more about A Haunting in Hartwick.

curse of the pharaoh

It's 1984 and Sir William Saville is throwing a dinner party to celebrate his latest discovery - a previously undiscovered Egyptian tomb.

However, one of his diggers has been murdered...

Egyptian magic, artefact smuggling and an ancient curse - it all happens in Curse of the Pharaoh.

Curse of the Pharaoh is for 6 to 19 guests (plus the host). It is suitable for those aged 18 and over.

Learn more about Curse of the Pharaoh.

Spellbound

Set in the Tremaine School of Magic, Spellbound takes place on the last day before the summer break - and the Headmaster has been attacked!

Last night a red cross was painted on his door and this morning the Headmaster, Professor Bennet, has lost his memory!

Someone has used magic to attack the Headmaster - but who?

Spellbound is for 13-17 guests (plus one or two hosts). It is suitable for guests aged 12 and over.

Learn more about Spellbound.

The Roswell Incident

It is 1947 and something has crashed outside Roswell, New Mexico. Is it a weather balloon? Is it a secret military jet? Is it something else - a flying saucer?

Whatever it is, the army, FBI, and more have come to Roswell to find out!

The Roswell Incident is an alien-themed murder mystery game for 10-13 guests (plus one host).  It is suitable for guests aged 12 and over.

Learn more about The Roswell Incident.

The Highgate Club

The Highgate Club is a freeform larp for 12-14 players and set at an exclusive London club for those who live extra-ordinary (and supernatural) lives.

The Highgate Club overlooks Highgate cemetery, and membership is by invitation only. Its membership supposedly includes witches, warlocks, immortals and vampires - but nobody really knows for sure. (It is considered impolite to inquire.)

(Note that there's no murder in The Highgate Club - but there are lots of other mysterious goings on!)

Click here to learn more about The Highgate Club.

halloween Night

Halloween Night is a boxed interactive murder mystery for 8-24 people (and a host) aged 18+ and published by Murder and Adventure Games in the UK.

The game is set in 1892 Transylvania, at the castle of Count and Countess von Falcate. There, a tour party gathers for a social evening. Unfortunately, tragedy has struck lately – three local villagers have been savagely attacked and murdered. But who did it?

Read my review of Halloween Night.

Halloween party idea for kids and adults

And if these ideas don't excite you, you can find more ideas for your Halloween party on the rest of my site. Check out these other themes here, or start with my easy-to-follow process for choosing a murder mystery game.