10 Last-Minute Halloween Ideas for Indoor Playgrounds and Play Café Businesses

Halloween month is here — and if you’re an indoor playground or play café owner who hasn’t planned a big event yet… take a deep breath. You are not behind.

I know this time of year can feel overwhelming. Between school parades, trunk-or-treat events, and packed community calendars, many owners feel pressure to throw an elaborate Halloween bash. But here’s the truth: most parents aren’t looking for one more big commitment. They’re looking for something easy, cozy, and fun — especially families with babies and toddlers who are too young for traditional trick-or-treating.

So whether you have a few days or just a few hours before Halloween, this guide is for you.

Below you’ll find simple, inexpensive, and quick-to-implement ideas that will make your space feel festive, draw families in, and boost engagement — both in-person and online — without burning you out or breaking your budget.

1. Social Media Costume Contest 

If you do nothing else, please do this one.

Here’s how it works: encourage every family that visits your play space the week of Halloween — or just on the 31st — to take a photo of their kids in costume inside your facility.

They can post it on Instagram or Facebook, tag your business, and use a fun branded hashtag like #SpookyPlayAt____ or #PlayCafeCostumeParty.

You can offer a simple prize — like a free play pass, a $10 café gift card, or a $25 party discount.

👉 And here’s a little insider tip: make sure you choose the winner publicly on your Instagram Stories or Facebook page. Tag the family, share the post, and thank everyone who participated.

This gives you user-generated content that you didn’t have to create, it boosts your reach in the algorithm, and it reminds people that your space is fun — even for quick weekday visits.

You can even add a “staff pick” category or a “funniest costume” option to make it more engaging.

I have an entire episode about the specifics of this one and what I have learned after many years of doing social media contests– some that fell flat and some that were wildly successful. So learn from my mistakes and listen to this episode if this is one you plan to execute– it’s Profitablt Play Podcast episode 127.

2. Activities for Babies & Toddlers Too Young to Trick-or-Treat 

I cannot emphasize this enough — Halloween is a prime opportunity to serve families with babies and very young toddlers.

Most traditional Halloween activities — like neighborhood trick-or-treating or school parties — are geared toward preschoolers and up. But parents with infants or one-year-olds still want to do something special that day.

Here are a few ideas that have worked really well:

• Baby’s First Halloween Parade: Set aside 15–20 minutes during your open play sessions for a mini “parade” inside your space. Play some upbeat Halloween music, and have parents walk their babies around in costume while you and your staff cheer and take photos.
  
  
• Sensory Play Table: Use things you already have — water beads, orange rice, pom-poms — and create a Halloween sensory bin. Add little scoops or cups and you’re good to go.
  
  
• Footprint Pumpkin Craft: Provide orange paper, baby wipes, and some washable paint so parents can stamp their baby’s footprint as a keepsake. You can even charge a small materials fee ($3–5) if you want.
  
  

Parents love this stuff, and they’ll share those sweet moments on social media — tagging your business in the process.

3. Halloween Café & Drink Specials 

Even if you don’t want to go full “event mode,” you can make your space feel festive with themed food or drinks.

This can be as simple as:

• Renaming your regular menu items — “Witch’s Brew Latte,” “Pumpkin Patch Hot Chocolate,” or “Ghost Milkshakes.”
  
  
• Adding Halloween-colored whipped cream, sprinkles, or candy corn to a drink.
  
  
• Creating a “Mummy Muffin” or “Monster Bagel” by just adding candy eyes to your regular baked goods.
  
  

If you really want to have fun with it, you can host a “Spooky Sips” happy hour — offer a small discount on drinks for parents who come in costume or who bring their kids dressed up.

And if your play café allows adult beverages, something like a “Boozy Brew” or “Haunted Hot Chocolate” could be a really fun, limited-time offer.

You can literally throw a sign on the counter that morning — it doesn’t need to be complicated.

4. Trick-or-Treat with What You Already Have 

If you don’t have time to buy bags of candy or create big goodie bags — no problem.

Go through your storage room and look for leftover birthday party favors, craft supplies, or small trinkets you already own:

• Stickers
  
  
• Bubbles
  
  
• Stamps
  
  
• Bouncy balls
  
  
• Erasers
  
  

You can even print out a small coupon like “$2 Off Your Next Visit” or “Free Drip Coffee with Play Admission.”

Set up a few trick-or-treat stations around your facility — maybe one at the check-in desk, one near the play area, and one at the café counter.

Kids LOVE walking around collecting items, and parents will think it’s adorable — especially if you have your staff wear costumes and greet families as they “trick-or-treat” inside.

If you want to partner locally, reach out to a dentist or bakery nearby — they might be happy to donate little giveaways in exchange for signage or a shout-out on your social media.

5. Low-Effort Décor & Staff Involvement 

You don’t need to go overboard.

Families with little kids don’t want anything too spooky — so you can skip the fake blood and skeletons. Instead:

• Add orange and purple string lights.
  
  
• Use a Halloween tablecloth on your café counter or party tables.
  
  
• Stick to friendly pumpkins, ghosts, and bats.
  
  

You can even print free coloring pages from Canva or Etsy and have them available for kids in your café seating area.

And get your team involved! Ask your staff to dress up and let customers vote on the best costume. You can give the winner a small Starbucks gift card or an extra paid break — whatever fits your vibe.

6. Spooky Story Time or Dance Party 

This is one of my favorite last-minute ideas because it’s fun, free, and doesn’t require decorations or supplies.

Pick a time during open play — maybe 11 a.m. — and host a 15-minute storytime. Choose a book like Room on the Broom, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, or even Five Little Pumpkins.

If reading aloud isn’t your thing, do a Halloween dance party instead. Play the Monster Mash, Ghostbusters, and Shake Your Bones — and hand out glow sticks or bubbles.

Parents love these moments because it breaks up their visit, gives them photo ops, and makes them feel like they got extra value from their play session.

7. “Guess How Many” Game 

This one takes five minutes to set up and kids LOVE it.

Grab a clear jar or pumpkin bucket, fill it with candy corn, Halloween erasers, or little toys, and have families guess how many items are inside.

They can write their guesses on a slip of paper with their name and email address — which, bonus, gives you a gentle way to build your email list.

Announce the winner on November 1st and give them a small prize like a free play pass or café treat.

8. Halloween-Themed Play Add-Ons

You don’t need a full event to make a little extra money this week.

Try offering small, low-cost add-ons:

• Face painting or temporary tattoos for $1–2 each.
  
  
• A “decorate your own paper pumpkin” craft station.
   
• Glow stick necklaces for a dollar.
  
  

Or, if you host open play at night, turn off a few lights and call it a Glow Play Halloween Party. Kids can wear white or neon costumes, and you can use inexpensive black lights or glow balloons to make the space feel special.

9. Build Community Partnerships 

Halloween is the perfect excuse to collaborate:

• Invite a local bakery to set up a cookie-decorating station and split the sales.
  
  
• Partner with a kids’ photographer who offers mini Halloween shoots in your space.
  
  
• Bring in a balloon artist for an hour during your busiest time—let them charge families directly, but you benefit from the attraction.
  

These partnerships cost you nothing but give your customers extra value.

10. Promote Last-Minute Birthday Party Upsells 

This one’s my sneaky strategy tip — use the Halloween foot traffic to fill your upcoming calendar.

Offer a “Halloween Flash Deal” for birthday parties or memberships:

Anyone who books a November party on Halloween gets a free upgrade— themed tablecloths, a balloon bouquet, unlimited coffee, or a candy buffet.

That way, you’re not just making Halloween fun — you’re using it as a sales tool to fill up any remaining openings in your party calendar next month.

To wrap this one up, if you’re feeling behind this year, or just KNOW you should be doing even more than you are to leverage the halloween holiday, remember—you don’t need to spend thousands on décor or plan a huge event. Even small touches like a social media contest, a keepsake baby craft, or a festive drink special can make Halloween feel special for your families. These ideas will create lasting memories and take something off the shoulders of your customers– which is why many of us opened our facilities in the first place, isn’t it?

If you try one of these last-minute ideas, tag me on Instagram—I’d love to share your creativity and give you a shout-out!