6 Halloween Party Games Older Adults Will Love

An assortment of halloween decorations
Directly above angle on several miniature Halloween decorations taken out of their box and randomly scattered around the table.

From creepy-crawlies to candy and costumes, Halloween is frightfully fun for kids and adults of all ages. Who doesn’t love dressing up, acting a little silly and eating sweet treats? And better yet, who doesn’t love gathering to celebrate, play games and go a little wild?

“Halloween is such a popular holiday because it’s a chance for everyone to act like a kid again, no matter how old they are,” says Pamela Klapproth, CEO of Kendal on Hudson, a not-for-profit Life Plan Community serving older adults in the Quaker tradition in Sleepy Hollow, NY. “This year, we encourage people to plan their own fun and get into the celebratory spirit of the season.”

If you’re looking for spooktacular ideas to transform your Halloween party into something terrifyingly terrific, here are some fun Halloween games for older adults that will ensure everyone can join in for a ghoulishly good time.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt
For a game that will get guests searching for thrills and chills, there’s nothing better than a scavenger hunt. Gather up a bunch of Halloween-themed items (jack-o’-lanterns, witches, creepy bugs, black cats) and scatter them in the rooms where you’re holding your party. Provide guests with a list of everything they need to look for and then set them free to hunt. Whichever person (or team) finds everything first gets a special prize—and, of course, anyone who succeeds at all will get some treats as well.

Halloween Bingo
If you’re searching for sit-down Halloween games or easy games for seniors with dementia, Halloween-themed bingo is a calmer game that is lively while also being easy to play. There are all sorts of bingo cards available online, or you can make your own. This is a fun game because it’s easy to keep playing until everyone yells “bingo!” at least once.

Pumpkin Decorating
Halloween wouldn’t be complete without a chance to decorate your very own jack-o-lantern. Avoid the mess by using whole pumpkins and decorating with fabric, buttons, stickers, feathers … use your imagination and let your guests go wild! You may be surprised at how creative everyone can get with just a few items.

Pumpkin Bowling
There are all sorts of pumpkin-themed games for residents in a nursing home that are also easy games for older adults. Pumpkin bowling is one of those—you can make it as easy or as challenging as you like. You can set up small pumpkins and try to bowl them over, or you can set up plastic cups decorated to look like pumpkins for a slightly less demanding game.

Hot Pumpkin
This is an easy party game for older adults who may not be very active. This is played adjust like Hot Potato but uses a gourd, small pumpkin or orange balloon that is tossed to one another until the music stops. Once the music stops, that person is out—and you continue playing until just one person remains.

Candy Count
Fill a big jar with candy corn, small chocolate bars or other similar candy and have guests guess how many pieces of candy there are. The individual who comes closest to the number wins a prize—perhaps the jar of candy itself!

Together, Transforming the Experience of Aging.®

Founded on Quaker principles and guided by our values and practices, Kendal on Hudson provides a vibrant, active and social lifestyle on our 25-acre campus next to the historic Hudson River. As the only Life Plan Community in Westchester County, we offer five levels of service for our residents: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Kendal on Hudson is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization led by a volunteer Board of Directors. Kendal on Hudson is an affiliate of The Kendal Corporation, a system of communities and services for older people based in Kennett Square, PA. We support diversity, inclusiveness, and independence and support the values and practices of Kendal by remaining focused on healthy aging. Located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, just 35 miles from New York City, we offer a vibrant lifestyle, cultural programs, continued learning and health care for life.For more information, please call 866-KENDALNY.