Pull out the fog machine and black lights, it's time to throw a Halloween party! Choosing a theme for your party is the first step in planning an event your guests won't soon forget. From the scary decor to the costumes to the food and drink, you can take any themed Halloween party idea and add your own personal touches to make it the best night ever. When deciding on your Halloween party's theme, you'll need to consider your audience. Dial down the terror (or turn it up) depending on how old the party-goers are. Choose from these 15 Halloween party themes for kids, teens, or adults to plan an evening of eerie excitement!
Halloween Party Theme Ideas for Kids
Halloween parties for kids can become core memories and can cultivate a love for the holiday. They shouldn't be too scary (and maybe not at all, depending on age). Would your child enjoy one of these Halloween party ideas?
Little Monster Mayhem
Halloween would not be complete without your child getting to spend some quality time with their fellow little monsters. This is a party for kids to dress up as whatever monsters they want. They could go classic with Frankenstein's monster or a werewolf, or you could help your child create something entirely original. It's prime time to let their inner creature run loose!
Decorate your space so it's nice and inviting for your adorable monstrous guests - plenty of spiderwebs and fake bugs. Some kid-friendly Halloween tunes will make it feel spooky in a fun way. Serve a worm-filled punch that will make any little monster's mouth water paired with cute critter cookies.
Chillin' With Disney Villains
A Disney-villain-themed Halloween party is bound to be a hit with the kids. There are plenty of options of classic Disney villains to dress up as, like Maleficent or Gaston. You can also go with more unique characters like Terry from Pixar's Soul or Madame Medusa from The Rescuers. But of course, there's no hard-and-fast rule for dressing as a villain. If your little one wants to dress up as a hero instead of a villain, they'll still fit right in.
You can buy Halloween-themed Disney decor, or just put out regular Disney decor and add Halloween touches. Incorporate black, orange, green and purple colors and fun patterns. You can even make Disney Halloween cupcakes - just add mini Oreos for Mickey Mouse ears!
Mystery Jungle
Kids will be in awe of a Mystery Jungle Halloween party theme. Ask your little attendees to dress up as explorers or rainforest animals, ready to explore the jungle. Decorate with green lighting, lots of vines, a fog machine, and rain sound effects. True to a rainforest atmosphere, some of your snacks should look like creepy crawlies like frogs and spiders, and your table should be adorned with fake snakes, bugs, bats, and other critters. Depending on the age of the children, you could also put out a skull or two, or keep it less scary with jack-o'-lanterns.
To make it a true Mystery Jungle, hold a scavenger hunt where your guests have to find hidden objects or puzzle pieces - perhaps leading them to a jungle treasure trove of Halloween goodie bags!
Carnival of Chaos
A carnival or circus theme never goes out of style, especially not for a Halloween party. Some clown decor is a must, but nothing that's too scary for the littles. Play circus music and create the look of an old circus tent with red and white stripes and balloons throughout your home.
No carnival is complete without some games. Jack-o'-lantern bean bag toss, witch's hat ring toss, and bobbing for apples will keep your little guests entertained. Make yummy circus treats like caramel corn and creepy corn dogs to keep their bellies full on this fun night of festivities.
Ideas for Halloween Party Themes for Teens
If your kids are a little older and you want to come up with themed Halloween party idea for teens, think about what they like to do with their friends. Whether they like more of a chill vibe or something a little whackier, you can take the party in any direction. Ask your teenager for their opinion, and use these Halloween party themes for inspiration. Since they're a little older, you can definitely add more of a scare factor to these teen parties.
Camp Crystal Lake
You don't need an actual cursed lake to throw a spooky get-together based on the Friday the 13th franchise. Any outdoor space will do for this Halloween party theme idea that teens will love.
Set up a picnic table for food and drinks and gather your camp chairs to put around the bonfire for a cozy-but-creepy night outside. Dress as camp counselors and campers, inspired by the original film from 1980. Someone can (and should) dress up as Jason or Mrs. Vorhees, and the infamous "ch-ch-ch, ah-ah-ah" breathing effect should play randomly throughout the night.
If you do plan to be outdoors, serve a bloody red velvet hot chocolate that looks horrific but tastes delicious. Keep the food simple by roasting Hallo-weenies on the fire, and set up a spooky s'mores station, using ghost Peeps for the marshmallows!
Medieval Evil
What's creepier than an old, haunted castle? Transport your guests back to medieval times for this Halloween party. Teens can dress up as folks from the Medieval period like kings, queens, jesters, peasants, and knights. They can even dress as mythical creatures like fairies, witches, and wizards for a more magical feel.
To transform your place into an old castle, hang fake stone wall coverings and let fake rats run loose on the food table. Hang eerie portraits of noblemen and women of the past, and dangle chains around the room. If you're really dedicated, you can even put out a fake guillotine.
Your teenage peasants will thank you for providing a warm mulled cider on a cold autumn night. Treat them to a royal feast with filling foods like breads, meats, cheeses and fruits.
Stranger Things
Throw a Stranger Things-themed Halloween party for your teen and their friends if they're fans of the hit show. They can express their 80s fashion sense by dressing as favorite characters from the show, like Eleven, Dustin, Max, Eddie, Lucas, Steve, or Vecna. There are so many great options to choose from!
Transform your house into the Upside Down with dark lighting, black vines, and a fog machine. Or, if your teens would rather stay in the normal world where it's safe, you can go for the excessive Christmas light display meant to communicate with those who are stuck in the Upside Down. Serve Stranger Things cupcakes that your teens will devour like Demogorgons while they watch some of their favorite episodes.
Glow in the Dark
For teens who want to get their glow on, host a Glow-in-the-Dark Halloween party. A garage is a perfect setup, but any room that can be blacked out will do. Decorate the space in white and neon colors that will pop once the lights go off and the black lights come on. Hang glow-in-the-dark ghost balloons throughout your home for an extra eerie effect. Guests can come dressed as whatever they want, but black and white colors are encouraged!
Use LED ice cubes and clear cups for drinks so everyone has a flashy beverage. And of course, add glow-in-the-dark decor to your treats to make sure your hungry guests can easily find the snack table.
Scary Movie Night
When trying to think of ideas for Halloween party themes, don't limit your options to games and dancing. Get the gang together to watch a scary movie! A horror flick is best enjoyed in a dark and creepy place, like a basement. Or, set up a projector and screen in the backyard for outdoor viewing, with cozy blankets and pillows to snuggle up in (or hide behind) during the scariest scenes. Your movie night won't be complete without bowls of Halloween popcorn!
Scare tip: Secretly plan to have a parent dress up as the killer from the teens' chosen horror movie. Once the crowd is good and scared from the film, have that person jump-scare them for some laughs and screams.
Adult Halloween Theme Party Ideas
Halloween parties are definitely not just for youngsters. If you want to have a party for the grown-ups, these Halloween theme party ideas for adults will help you celebrate in style. Leave your little goblins at home for the night and get ready to have a scary good time.
Party Like Poe
You can definitely get creative with an Edgar Allan Poe-themed Halloween party, though he would prefer that you keep it dark and macabre. Think of a black-and-red color scheme, roses (dead or alive), black candles, old books, and plenty of ravens. Bonus points if you have a fake human heart to display. Play a heartbeat and a raven's caw over the speakers periodically throughout the night to give your guests the heebie-jeebies.
Get costume inspiration from Poe's greatest works - The Mask of the Red Death, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher, to name a few - or just dress up from Poe's era of the early-to-mid 1800s. The Tell-Tale Martini will win the hearts of your guests, along with a creepy charcuterie board as an appetizer.
Witches' Night In
This night is just for the wicked girls. Plan an enchanting evening to spend with your favorite witches. Spell-casting is encouraged, but not required.
Have everyone in your friend group come dressed as their own interpretation of a witch and hold a costume contest for the best-dressed. If anyone in your coven actually practices divination, this is the perfect opportunity for them to share their talents.
Adorn your witch hut however you want. Rats, bats, potions, pumpkins, and spell books make for an excellent ambiance. Make sure you have supplies to make caramel apples and Halloween hummus. And, of course, test your potion-making skills with a batch of Witch's Brew.
Dance With the Devil
Throw a dance party with your favorite demons for a true disco inferno. Decorate with reds, oranges, yellows, and fake flames for a fire-and-brimstone effect. For a really dark vibe, display the faces and hands of tormented souls. Only you can decide how morbid your hellscape should be.
No matter how frightening the decor is, you can always lighten the mood with some dance music. To make sure everyone is loosened up and ready to groove, whip up a few rounds of Devil's Eye shots. Your guests will be feeling good in no time, or as good as they can while hanging out in the underworld. Keep them fed with fiery snacks the Devil would approve of, like hot wings and spicy dips.
Boo-ze Fest
This get-together is exactly what it sounds like: an adults-only Halloween theme party for you and your friends to share spooky cocktails, punches and shots.
Have your guests bring a Halloween drink of their choice to share with the crowd for a taste test. Hold a vote for the best overall drink, and if you have enough people, you can do multiple categories like "best presentation" or "most unique flavors". Give out Halloween-themed prizes for the winners.
Your guests should bring all the ingredients they'll need to make their drinks. As the host, provide snacks to refresh palates in between tastings - bread and crackers are usually a good choice. Put out your Halloween decor and basic drink-making supplies to prepare for a fright night of fun.
Haunted Hollywood
For an adult Halloween theme party that your guests will never forget, transport them back to old Hollywood. Dress up as your favorite celebrity from a past era, like Marilyn Monroe or Bing Crosby. Make it extra eerie by adding a ghostly touch to your makeup.
Decorate your space with vintage vibes to capture the essence of old Hollywood. A blood red carpet, decaying roses, a cigar bar, old film reels, and cobwebs will tie the theme together. You can even hang vintage horror movie posters that any celeb ghost would appreciate.
Keep the beverage selections classic with old-fashioneds and martinis. Serve food fit for the stars with elegant appetizers like bruschetta, skewers, shrimp cups and canapes.
Texas Chainsaw
If you want to go for a more disturbing Halloween theme, plan a Texas Chainsaw party. Decorate with fake blood and body parts to make it as gruesome as you can handle, and play some terrifying sound effects. Other decor ideas are fake rattlesnakes, cow skulls, gritty rustic decor, and old tools. You know, like a chainsaw.
As the host, you should dress up as Leatherface himself or one of his family members. Your guests will really fit in if they come as a group of unsuspecting teens from the 1970s. Body part foods are a must for this one, like bloody finger sausages or a nightmarish charcuterie board. Pair with a blood orange margarita, which you can feel free to garnish with an eyeball or two.
Halloween Party Theme Ideas for an Unforgettable Night
Halloween parties are always a great time, but having a specific spooky theme will make your party stand out. Whether you are going for a scary theme for adults only, or something creepy but cute for the kiddos, choose an idea that you'll be excited to plan and set up for. There are also plenty of names for Halloween parties you can use to inspire your theme. Have family and friends help out with any custom decor or foods that will help you nail your design. When it's all said and done, you'll be proud of the work you put into your Halloween party!
