18 Can’t Miss Halloween Events for Kids in Chicago – From a Local!

1. Visit a Haunted House

If you’re looking for things to do with kids for Halloween that the whole family can enjoy, why not visit a haunted house? Chicago is home to some of the best haunted houses in the country, and there are plenty of options to choose from.

For something truly terrifying, check out the Haunted Pier. I wouldn’t consider this one of the Halloween events for kids in Chicago unless you have older teens.

If you’re looking for something a little less intense, why not try one of the locally-run haunted houses? Some are pretty scary but others are great for family Halloween events.

Several Chicago Park District parks also offer amazing haunted houses. While some are better for older kids (like at Austin Town Hall), others are fine for elementary-age kiddos. We loved the Pulaski Park fieldhouse haunted house.

2. Attend a Halloween Party

If you’re looking for something fun to do with the family on Halloween night, why not attend a Halloween party?

There are things to do with kids on Halloween all over the city, and you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for your family.

If you’re looking for something really unique, check out the Halloween Extravaganza at the Chicago Cultural Center.

This spooky party includes a costume contest, dance party, and more! And it’s all set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cultural Center.

For something a little more low-key, check out the several great ones at Chicago parks throughout the city.

We used to love attending the indoor Halloween themed party at the Smith Park fieldhouse on Chicago Ave.

Pro Tip: They usually have individually packaged caramel apples for all attendees. Yum!

3. Attend Boo-Palooza in Wicker Park

Looking for something fun to do with the kids during the day? Why not attend Boo-Palooza at the Wicker Park Farmer’s Market? It’s one of my favorite free Halloween picks. We went with our dog before even having kids!

This spooky event is perfect for kids of all ages, and it includes costume parades for both pets and kids as well as candy, games, and more!

Fun Fact: When he was a year old, Little Man actually won the toddler costume contest. I handmade his costume. Then I swore to never do it again!

Boo-Palooza is sponsored by the Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce typically held on the Saturday before Halloween from 10 am to 2 pm, and it’s completely free to attend.

4. Visit a pumpkin patch

No spooky bucket list for Chicago would be complete without a visit to a pumpkin patch! Luckily, there are plenty of great ones to choose from all over the city.

If you’re looking for a truly unique experience, check out the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns. This spooky event features over 1,000 hand-carved pumpkins, and it’s perfect for families with kids of all ages.

For something a little more low-key, check out one of the many local pumpkin patches.

We loved going to the patch at Goebbert’s Farm in South Barrington. They have a great selection of pumpkins, and the kids always have a blast running through the corn maze. My dad always used to join us, and we loved riding the hayride.

Whether you make a trip to the suburbs for one of the sprawling patches with a billion bonus activities, or you visit one of the many offered by the Chicago park district, there’s fun for everyone!

This is one of the kids activities Halloween that’s fun for the whole family.

Lincoln Park offers an excellent pumpkin patch not far from the Lincoln Park Zoo. 

5. Attend the Logan Square Halloween Parade

The Logan Square Halloween Parade is a spooky tradition that’s perfect Halloween family fun for kids of all ages.

This spooky parade features a volunteer Halloween parade marching band all dressed in costumes (except in 2021) as well as every family who shows up to march in it.

We attended several years in a row, and it’s one of the unique spooky bucket list items I miss most about the Windy City. I guarantee it’s sure to get you in the Halloween spirit!

The parade typically starts at 5 pm on the Sunday before Halloween night. Just show up at the Logan Square Monument across from Luna’s Bakery around 4:30 pm. You’ll see people massing before you all follow the band on the parade!

6. Explore the Creatures of the Night

Creatures of the Night at Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the most fun Halloween things to do in Chicago, that few people seem to know about. 

The Conservatory is one of our favorite places in the city and has over 2 acres of indoor landscaping to enjoy 365 days a year, including waterfalls, a children’s playground, and a fish pond!

This event is usually held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons before Halloween, so it’s the perfect way to get into the spooky spirit! It’s one of the most underrated Halloween activities for kids Chicago offers.

During Creatures of the Night, the Conservatory partners with local wildlife education programming providers to have up-close encounters with a variety of creepy and interesting (mostly nocturnal) creatures from lizards and turtles to sloths and foxes.

Visitors are allowed to touch some of the animals, but not all…and children are encouraged to come in costume so they can trick or treat for candy at each station.

Pro Tip: Take a small bag for trick or treating, as there aren’t always extra available if the event is really busy.

As with most Conservatory programming, there are usually arts and crafts areas as well as free face painters! One year, we made spooky trees out of brown paper lunch bags and tissue paper which our son thoroughly enjoyed!

Entry to the conservatory is free, but there is a suggested donation to help keep in running. Please consider contributing, or better yet…become a member! We spent our last two years in Chicago as members, and I don’t regret it!

7. Boo at the Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo

Boo at the Zoo is a great way to celebrate Halloween with your family without any of the usual tricks and treats.

The zoo itself is absolutely beautiful, and dressed up for Halloween it looks even more spectacular. There are numerous trick-or-treat booths all around, meaning there’s something for everyone in the family.

From candy and coupons to interactive activities like spooky story times and a haunted house, you can find something that every member of your family will enjoy!

Tickets must be reserved in advance, but with such an incredible event, it’s worth reserving ahead of time for your whole family.

8. Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade

The Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade is one of the best celebrations in the US, according to Fodor’s Travel Guide.

Yup, it beats Atlanta Boston Chicago’s suburbs, and NYC. And It’s perfect for families wanting to celebrate Halloween together!

I started attending this parade during my first year living in Chicago, and absolutely loved it. Many of my Chicago friends still attend with their kids yearly, and it’s easy to see why!

On Monday, October 31st – Halloween Night – you can register and join in on the parade at Halsted & Belmont that will end at Halsted & Brompton.

Throughout the parade, there are costume contests for kids and adults alike with awards being presented during an after-party at Halsted & Roscoe. In true Chicago form, this is a rain-or-shine (or snow) event!

9. Gallagher Way Annual Pumpkin Party

The Gallagher Way Pumpkin Party is one of the Chicago Halloween events that’s a perfect fall activity for the whole family in Chicago.

Kids of all ages are sure to have a great time with the festive and fun activities provided at this free event.

Music fans will love the Old Town School of Folk Music, which will be leading folksy and Halloween dance and sing-a-longs.

Creative kids can get their hands dirty with Kid Create Studio, where they can make paper ghosts or Halloween slime.

If you’re looking for something sweet, there are lots of candy stations offering a range of treats like chocolate, sweets, sours, tootsies, lollipops, and more to satisfy everyone’s cravings.

Don’t forget about take-home junior pumpkins as well!

Other activities include balloon artists, a roaming magician, a caricature artist, hay-stack bowling, stilt walkers, and lawn games galore. Mark your calendar for Saturday (or two) before Halloween in the afternoon!

10. Wicked West Trick or Treat

At Wicked West Trick or Treat, kids can have a safe and fun-filled Halloween Day. The parade includes floats from local businesses and organizations, followed by the after-party in Commercial Club Park.

During the after-party, there is a costume room where kids can try on different costumes, bounce houses for them to jump around in, fun activities to keep them occupied, and plenty of treats for all ages.

On top of that, participating West Town businesses have their doors open for trick or treating after the event is over! This was one of the Halloween events for kids near me for several years, and it’s a lot of fun!

11. Go on a Halloween Scavenger Hunt

If you’re looking for a spooky activity that’s perfect for kids of all ages, why not go on a Halloween scavenger hunt? Get some extra mileage out of those Halloween costumes while you’re at it!

There are generally several great Halloween scavenger hunts happening in parks all over the city, and you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for your family.

Or you can make one yourself pretty easily, too!

Businesses all over the city get in on the fun, so you can walk down any neighborhood’s commercial street with this free printable and see who can spot everything on the list first.

We’ve found both Wicker Park and Logan Square to be great places to do it, but almost anywhere in the city with a bustling commercial strip is a great place to go.

12. Trick or Treat!

Of course, no Halloween in Chicago would be complete without the quintessential spooky activity: trick or treating!

There are several fantastic choices for trick-or-treating in Chicago if you’re searching for a secure and enjoyable location to go with your kids. Head to a neighborhood Halloween party. They’re usually held the Saturday before Halloween.

Or, you can go to Navy Pier’s Trick or Treating event, which is held on Halloween night. This event is perfect for families with kids of all ages, and it’s always a lot of fun!

Again, businesses in many Chicago neighborhoods go all out for trick or treating in Chicago. This is because so many people live in multi-unit housing that doesn’t have access for people to ring the doorbell.

For several years, Little Man trick or treated at the restaurants and shops along Division Street in Wicker Park and got a nice bag of candy.

Then we discovered one of the best streets for trick or treating was in our own neighborhood! Walk north on Hoyne Avenue from Division street from 5 pm – 8 pm and you’re sure to have a fabulous time!

Another great option is Paseo Boricua in Humboldt Park! We spent several fun years trick or treating there, too. They even have a costume contest for kids, broken down by age group.

Pro Tip: Go all-in on family costumes as long as possible! During our final year in Chicago, we were a Family Farm!

Home-Based Halloween Events for Kids in Chicago

Whether you want to enjoy some festive fall family time or are planning a Halloween party for kids, these are some great kids activities Halloween ideas to get you started!

13. Enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte

I’m a sucker for pumpkin spice lattes (aka: PSLs) and even made them myself when we were in Malaysia but none of the Starbucks there carried them.

And I introduced my British neighbor to them (and now she’s hooked) because I’m such a bad influence.

If you’ve spent any amount of time in Chicago, you know that there’s a Starbucks on every third corner. But my favorite PSL is actually at Letizia’s Natural Bakery in Wicker Park. We lived down the street from it for almost 10 years.

14. Eat Candy Corn

No Halloween is complete without candy corn, and you can find it at any grocery store in Chicago. Personally, I love to get the mini packs so I don’t feel as guilty eating an entire bag in one sitting.

Plus, they’re perfect for sharing with friends (or not, I won’t judge).

Unless you’re one of those people who doesn’t like candy corn. Then I can’t help you.

15. Craft the Ultimate Spooky Movie Bucket List

Whether it’s Rocky Horror Picture Show with your teens or you want to watch hocus pocus with the elementary crowd, there is a Halloween-themed movie for you!

Or if your kids are up for it, have an all-day movie marathon watching a bunch of Halloween movies!

There are so many great options, but here are a few of my favorites:

☑️ The Addams Family
☑️ Beetlejuice
☑️ Coraline
☑️ E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
☑️ The Goonies
☑️ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
☑️ The Nightmare Before Christmas

Fun Fact: We went to Harry Potter-themed cafes in Mexico City!

16. Bake Halloween Cookies

This is a spooky bucket list item that the whole family can enjoy! Whether you’re making sugar cookies and decorating them with spooky icing or baking pumpkin spice cookies, there are plenty of recipes to choose from.

If you need some inspiration, check out the recipes from the Chicago Tribune Test Kitchen. They have everything from easy to spooky Halloween cookies!

If you’re on a tight schedule, you can also buy them from Dinkel’s or Bridgeport Bakery 2.0.

17. Bake pumpkin seeds

After you’ve carved your pumpkins, don’t throw out the seeds! baking pumpkin seeds is a spooky tradition that’s perfect for families with kids of all ages.

First, you’ll need to clean the seeds. This is easiest to do by spreading them on a baking sheet and rinsing them with water. Then, you can either spread them on a second baking sheet to dry or pat them dry with a paper towel.

Once they’re dry, you can either season them with salt or your favorite spices and bake them at a low temperature until they’re crispy. Or, you can coat them in melted chocolate for a spooky treat that’s perfect for Halloween parties.

Either way, baking pumpkin seeds is a fun and easy activity that’s perfect for families with kids of all ages. If you’re not into the seeds, you can also bake pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie.

Bottom Line: Something pumpkin needs to be baked in October to start the spooky bucket list season out correctly.