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Halloween calendar ideas are a fun way to make the weeks before October 31 feel like part of the holiday. A small treat, a note or a family plan behind every number gives everyone something to look forward to. Below are 22 Halloween calendar ideas to make or buy, from paper bags and printables to light-up haunted houses.
Each idea says what it is and how to put it together. Some are free printables, some are crafts you can finish in an evening, and some are ready made. If you are getting the whole house ready for October, our pumpkin carving ideas and fall basket centerpieces go well with any of these.
1. Witch hat treat boxes
SaveCredit: Jennifer Maker
A pointed witch hat made of little numbered doors looks great sitting on a table. Each door opens on a treat, so the whole family can crowd around and take turns.
To make it, cut the box panels from sturdy cardstock, number each door and fold it into a cone. Set it on a black paper brim and fill every box before the first day of the countdown.
2. A light-up wooden haunted house
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
This sturdy wooden haunted house lights up with a soft glow and has small cubbies and drawers for treats. It is one of the nicest ones you can put out for the whole month.
Hide a treat or a note in each drawer, switch on the light at night and let the kids pick the day’s door. It doubles as Halloween decor, so it never has to be put away early.
3. A hanging pocket calendar with a figure to move
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
A canvas calendar with a pocket for every day is simple and reusable. A small stuffed figure moves from pocket to pocket as the days go by.
Tuck a piece of candy, a sticker or a folded note in each pocket. Hang it on a wall or a door where little hands can reach it.
4. A personalized haunted house pocket calendar
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
Adding a child’s name makes a pocket calendar feel like theirs. This one has a pocket for each of the 31 days and a stuffed pumpkin to move along.
Fill the pockets with small toys or a short note about what you will do together that day. Keep it with the Halloween box and bring it out every October.
5. A framed numbered countdown with bunting
SaveCredit: The Country Chic Cottage
Big painted numbers on a framed board count down the days to Halloween. A strip of bunting across the top makes it look like part of the decor.
To copy the look, paint numbers from 31 down to 1 on a canvas or burlap panel and set it in an old frame. Cover the number each morning with a small flap or a black dot.
6. A patchwork squares countdown in a frame
SaveCredit: The Craft Patch
Each square of this countdown holds a different spooky picture, like a ghost, a spider or a witch hat. It looks like a quilt, and it is a fun way to use up scrapbook paper.
Cut squares of colorful paper, add a Halloween shape to each one and glue them in rows on a backing board. Put a number on every square and slip the whole thing into a frame.
7. A paper bag countdown on twine
SavePlain kraft lunch bags on a length of twine make a countdown you can hang across a wall or mantel. Each bag holds a treat or a small surprise.
Number the bags, fill them and fold the tops down. Clip them to the twine with mini clothespins and add a ribbon to each one so the row looks finished.
8. A paper chain countdown for kids
SaveCredit: Mama Smiles
A paper chain is the cheapest countdown there is. Kids tear off one link every morning and watch the chain get shorter.
Cut strips of orange, black and purple paper, glue each one into a loop through the last link and write a small activity on the inside. Hang it from a doorway or the edge of a shelf.
9. A printable October countdown calendar
SaveCredit: Skip To My Lou
A printable countdown is the fastest option. Print it, set it in a frame and check off a number every day.
Use a dry erase marker on the glass so you can reuse the same print every year. Put it next to the front door so everyone sees it.
10. A fall bucket list calendar
SaveCredit: A Cultivated Nest
Instead of treats, this calendar gives you a free thing to do each day, like a pumpkin patch trip or a campfire night. It costs nothing but a little planning.
Print the month, add your own ideas to the squares and tape it to the fridge. Move a few days around so the busy nights get an easy activity.
11. A framed Halloween bucket list
SaveCredit: The Best Ideas For Kids
A bucket list is a one page way to plan the month. This one is printed, framed and set out with white pumpkins and fall leaves.
List the things your family always wants to do, like carving pumpkins and watching a movie, and check each one off as you go. Keep it on a mantel or shelf where everyone can see it.
12. 31 days of Halloween movies
SaveCredit: Seaside Sundays
Give every night a family movie. A movie list for the month turns the countdown into something to look forward to after dinner.
Print a checklist of family friendly Halloween movies and add your favorites. Cross each one off after you watch it, and let the kids pick on the weekends.
13. A dry erase wall calendar of spooky plans
SaveA big dry erase calendar lets you plan each day and change your mind. Draw a pumpkin on movie night and a ghost on the trick or treat day.
Hang it by the kitchen door and write one fun plan in every square. Keep a marker on a string so the kids can add their own ideas.
14. A jar of daily activity slips
SaveFill a big glass jar with rolled slips of orange and black paper. Each slip has one small activity, like making hot cocoa or carving a face on a pumpkin.
Tie a ghost tag around the neck of the jar and set it on the kitchen table. Every morning, pull out one slip and do what it says. It is cheap and takes ten minutes to make.
15. A ghost garland on clothespins
SaveA garland of paper ghosts clipped to jute twine can double as a countdown. Take one ghost down each day, or write a number on the back of each.
Cut ghost shapes from white paper or felt, add two dot eyes and clip them to the twine with wooden clothespins. Hang it across a window where the light comes through.
16. A candy window calendar
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
Some calendars come with the treats already inside. This purple haunted house has windows that each hide a different candy, from candy corn to a caramel and a decorated cookie.
It is great if you want something that is ready to go with no filling. Open one window a day and save the biggest treat for the last.
17. A pre-lit mansion for the splurge
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
If you want a showpiece, a pre-lit mansion is the one to pick. Every window and door has its own switch, so you can light one more each night.
It looks like a miniature haunted house on the mantel, and you can use it as a centerpiece the rest of the season.
18. A reusable canvas haunted house with a ghost
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
This canvas display is cute rather than creepy. A little ghost floats from number to number as the days pass.
It is reusable, so you can hang it with the other Halloween decor each year. It is a good pick for younger kids who do not like scary things.
19. A pretty in pink castle
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
Halloween does not have to be orange and black. A pink castle with doors numbered one to thirty one is a sweet change.
Fill each door with a small toy, a sweet treat or a note. It stays out all month as decor, and you can store it for next year.
20. A felt pocket coffin for teens
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
A little felt coffin with pockets is a fun pick for older kids. It counts the last thirteen days of October with a small black cat to mark the day.
Tuck a small trinket or a candy bar in each pocket. The short countdown is perfect if you start late.
21. A fall festival scene with stickers
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
Not every family wants spooky. This fall festival poster gives kids a sticker for each day to decorate a farm scene.
Hang the poster at kid height and add a sticker after dinner. It fills in slowly, which makes the countdown more fun.
22. A boo box for the dog
SaveCredit: The Pioneer Woman
The dog gets a countdown too. A box of Halloween shaped biscuits with a window for each day is an easy gift for pet owners.
Hand out one treat a day, and keep the box by the door with the other Halloween decor.
How to pick from these Halloween calendar ideas
Start with who it is for. Small kids like pockets, doors and a figure to move, older kids like a movie list or a bucket list, and adults like a printable they can frame.
Then think about the treats. A paper bag or pocket calendar needs filling, so set aside an evening to do it. If you want less work, pick one that comes with the candy inside.
Finally, pick the days. You can start on October 1 for the full 31, or count down just the last 13 days. Either way, the countdown is what makes it fun.
Frequently asked questions
Here are quick answers to the questions we hear most about Halloween calendars.
When should I start a Halloween countdown?
Most families start on October 1 and open one treat a day. If you are starting late, just count down from today and skip to the day number that matches.
What can I put in a Halloween calendar besides candy?
Stickers, small toys, a joke, a movie ticket, a family activity or a note that says what you are doing that night all work well.
Can I make a Halloween calendar with no spending?
Yes. A paper chain, a printable or a jar of activity slips costs almost nothing and takes only a few minutes.
