Get Your Hands on The Haunted Mansion Board Game Before It Sells Out

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Halloween is no longer a night — at least when you're celebrating with kids. If your family is anything like mine, Halloween is a whole season. There's kid-friendly Halloween movies to watch, family Halloween costumes to plan, scary stories to read and treats to make. It's not all about the candy anymore.

If you're filling a spooky basket, shopping for a Halloween gift or looking for something that kids can play with leading up to the big night, these are the best Halloween toys to buy in 2024. Some are small, little items that can be also used as favors for class parties, hand-outs on Halloween or at a Trunk-or-Treat event. Others are spooky family games that you can play together throughout October (or any time the mood strikes, really). There are a few baby toys for little ones celebrating their first Halloweens, activity books and DIY kits to keep them busy during downtime and Halloween plushes that kids can add to their never-ending stuffie collections. Gift these to the kids in your lives, and they might even forget about scarfing down all that candy (at least for a little while).

Bouncy Pals Skeleton Hopping Horse

They don't have to know about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to get a kick out of pretending to ride a spooky stallion into the night. They just have to plop themselves on this steed and start bouncing away, which also works on their gross motor coordination. Ages 18 months+

Bubble Bombs Spooky Surprise Set

They won't complain about jumping in the bath to wash off all that face paint and hair color when they have these bath bombs to look forward to. Each of the six bombs comes with a different scent and has a surprise Halloween-themed toy inside. The bombs also turn the water into a bubble bath!

Calico Critters Trick or Treat Parade

What can be cuter than the flocked Calico Critters? Seeing them all dressed up for Halloween! This set comes with five different animal figures in unique Halloween costumes (gotta love that Frankenstein-esque dog!), plus accessories like treat baskets and sweets. The costumes can also be removed. Ages 3+

Zombie Kittens Card Game by Exploding Kittens

Exploding Kittens is already a kind of irreverent card game, so it's a natural fit to come up with a zombified version for Halloween. In this edition, all players (alive or dead) stay in the game until the very end, and there's a new Zombie Kitten Card that lets players bring someone back from the dead. Ages 7+

Mumford Beanie Boo

Even though the "beanie bubble" is over, Ty fans still find the Beanie Boos irresistible! Halloween is the perfect reason to add the six-inch Mumford the Mummy to the collection. It's a two-for-one, because Mumford always keeps his friend spider with him. Ages 3+

Halloween Mad Libs Junior: World's Greatest Word Game

Mad Libs haven't changed since they were invented, but they still manage to make kids laugh! This book comes with 21 Halloween-themed stories to fill in (and might even get them to learn more vocabulary). Ages 6+

Halloween Squishies

After all these years, the squishy trend shows no signs of slowing down. These six Halloween squishies are the perfect way to add to dose of Halloween fun into any collection. Ages 3+

Halloween Bubble Wand

This toy does double-duty: It blows bubbles, much to the endless delight of children, and it also lights up, which gives an additional layer of safety while trick-or-treating. It comes with its own bubble solution, too.

Paige the Pumpkin Squishmallow

Kids go crazy for Squishmallows, the toy they can snuggle with, use as a pillow and collect. This pumpkin will look right at home in Halloween display, but it's not too frightening for the little ones. They come in several Halloween styles, including a winking bat, a witch cat and a devil ghost. Ages 2+

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Halloween Edition

If kids love the silly, fun Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game, they'll love having a Halloween edition. It's mostly played the same (which is one of those easy-to-learn, easy-to-pick-up-and-put-down games), but the art has Halloween-themed pictures and a couple of special thematic action cards. Ages 7+

Halloween Stampers

If you're looking for goodie bag or spooky basket fillers, these stamps are just the thing. They come in a set of 24, which is great for class parties or handouts, and kids can use them to DIY their own treat bags! Ages 3+

Owl Pinball Game

The dark owl makes this at-home pinball game spooky enough for a Halloween gift, but it's not so tied to Halloween that you have to put it away on November 1. Plus, all the shooting and tilting they'll have to do to get the balls in the correct slots will help them with their fine motor coordination. Ages 4+

Treasure X Monster Coffin

This coffin comes packed with 13 layers of ooey-gooey fun. Kids have to dig through sticky spider webs, create a squishy brain and more to find the Monster's treasure. The monster pops out of the coffin, which gives kids a fun, frightful start. Ages 5+

Hocus Pocus Collectors Set

Get all the Sanderson Sisters for one price. The nearly four-inch figurines are each holding an item (yep, Mary has cheese puffs), and they each come in their own case.

Untamed Skeleton T-Rex

They may look like regular dinosaur bones — but they're fierce! These glow-in-the-dark dinos hiss, growl, roar and even pass gas depending on how kids interact with them. Kids can also tame them, too, but where's the fun in that? Ages 5+

Monster Bowling

If you're having a kids' party and want a quick Halloween game, this monster bowling set is thematic without being scary. In fact, the monsters are so cute, you can probably get away with keeping this out year-round. Ages 2+

Halloween Cat and Mouse

At less than 400 pieces, this set is just the right amount of challenge. And when they've finished with it, it'll be the perfect piece to add to your Halloween decorations. If they're Minecraft fans, too, you might want to consider The Pumpkin Farm set for more autumnal fun. Ages 9+

Halloween Super Puffy Stickers

For some kids, stickers are just the ultimate treasure, and they can't get enough. Put a Halloween twist on their obsession with this set, which comes with 75 cutesy puffy stickers with Halloween themes. In addition, there are activity pages with mazes, drawings and search-and-finds for them to use. Ages 3+

Reversible Ghost Plushie

Friendly ghost or scary ghost? Why choose? Flipping this inside out will take you from one to the other, depending on your mood. (And the angry ghost even glows in the dark!) It's an oddly soothing thing to flip over and over. You can get other Halloween flip plushes, too, like a devil and angel or a pumpkin and spider. Ages 3+

My First Pumpkin Play Set

For the littlest ones, this set comes with four plush stuffies that can all be stored in a zippered pumpkin. But each one has a "trick" of its own: The candy corn crinkles, the cat meows, the spider rattles and the ghost squeaks.

Highlights 'Halloween Tales' Activity Book

If they like hidden pictures, fill-in-the-blank stories and stickers, this perfect activity book for them. In addition to hidden picture puzzles, kids can use stickers to complete different scenes and come up with silly, Halloween-themed stories. Ages 6+

Paint by Sticker Kids: Halloween

Kids peel off stickers to make mosaic-like pictures with Halloween themes. It's a perfect toy to keep them busy while they're waiting to go out trick-or-treating. Ages 5+

RELATED: Scary Books for Kids Who Like Sneaking Flashlights Under Their Blankets

Pokémon Trick or Trade BOOster Bundle

You'll be the most popular parents on the block if you fill Halloween goodie bags or hand out these tiny packs of Halloween-themed Pokémon trading cards. The set comes with 50 packs, and each pack has three cards. Ages 6+

Gross Gummy Candy Lab

What's better than trick-or-treating for Halloween candy? Making it yourself! This edible science kit includes all the ingredients kids need to make gross gummy worms and spiders, including food ingredients, molds and flavorings. Ages 6+

RELATED: The Best STEM Toys for Kids, According to the GH Institute

Halloween Pop Fidgets

Pop fidget toys are still so satisfying: Kids collect them, trade them and play with them mindlessly all day. You might find yourself popping those plastic bubbles, too. Ages 3+

RELATED: The Best Pop Fidget Toys

Halloween Window Art

As they get older, kids love to decorate their own rooms. Let them make their own Halloween decorations with this kit, with comes with enough materials to make up to 20 spooky suncatchers and window clings. Ages 6+

Zombie Dice

Since it's simple to learn and plays in 15 minutes, it's an easy party game. Players roll the dice hoping to get some delicious brains, but get three shotgun blasts instead and their turn is over. Ages 10+

The Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits Board Game

Gather your grim, grinning ghosts and come out to socialize with a board-game adaptation of the classic Disney attraction. Players go from room to room of the house — including the iconic ballroom and Madame Leota's séance room — trying to collect ghost cards of differing point values as they go. For older board game fanatics, Funko also has table games based on Five Nights at Freddy's, Scream and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ages 9+

Cranky Cathy Black Cat

Black cats are the mascot for Halloween, and you can gift your kids these serene-looking Cathy cat and be totally on-trend. But watch out: One flick of a button behind Cathy's ear, and the teeth come out! If cats aren't their favorite, there are plenty of other Feisty Pets, including a dragon and a unicorn. Ages 3+

Doomsday Temporary Tattoos

If they want to augment their costumes with something that's a little bit tough, but a little bit cute, these temporary tattoos are the thing. Each package comes with two tattoos (not three), and they have a holographic silver foil effect.

Scooby & Shaggy with Ghost

Is that a g-g-g-ghost?! Scooby and Shaggy can go investigate and find out who's really under the ghost costume — but they have to grab some snacks first. The set comes with a glow-in-the-dark ghost, Scooby, Shaggy, Scooby snacks and a hamburger. For real fans, this can be combined with the Scooby-Doo haunted mansion that comes with trick staircase — a Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner — among other Scooby-Doo-themed Playmobil sets. (They have Ghostbusters, too.) Ages 4+

Little Owl

Who....is going to get to take this little guy home? Jellycat stuffed animals have earned a cult following among kids and adults for being so, so soft. So if they're looking for a toy that fits the Halloween theme, but something they can cuddle up with at night, this bat will be right at home. Ages 0+

Create & Play Magnetic Monsters

Kids can be mad scientist, and combine and re-combine the parts of the monsters over and over again! The 20 pieces create four complete monsters or any number of mash-'em'ups, and Good Housekeeping Institute testers say strong magnets have grooves that make them easy for the pieces to fit together. Ages 3+

Hide & Seek Halloween Rock Painting Kit

Kids can decorate rocks to look like pumpkins, candy corn pieces, bats and other Halloween icons by using the included paint, rock transfers and stickers. Some of the colors even glow in the dark! Place them on the walkway up to your front door on Halloween night for some extra decoration. Ages 6+

Zombaes Forever

Sure, they may be zombies, but they look so stylish! Each one comes with accessories, stickers, a stand and a collector card, and you can swap their limbs with other Zombaes Forever figures. They even have surprise designs on their glittery brains! Ages 4+

Something Wild! The Nightmare Before Christmas Edition

Something Wild is a simple-to-learn card game that involves matching numbers or getting three cards in a row to make sets and earn points. The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed deck is small enough to slip into a spooky "boo" basket, or take along to Grandma's house for a family game night. Ages 6+

How We Choose the Best Halloween Toys for Kids

When it comes to toys, the Good Housekeeping Institute does year-long toy evaluation and testing to evaluate for safety, durability, and ease of use, then hands the toys over to real kids to make sure they have the all-important fun factor.

While not every Halloween on our list is evaluated in the Lab, editors still look for gifts put out by trusted brands, gifts with great reviews from purchasers, best-sellers and editors' favorites. The list is then vetted by Good Housekeeping editors, who, after years of curating gift guides and keeping track of trends, tries to match the items with what is popular now and what Good Housekeeping readers and families have loved in the past.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has provided expert reviews and advice on everything parents and children love, including STEM toys, educational toys, sensory toys, board games and outdoor toys.

Marisa LaScala, Good Housekeeping's Senior Parenting and Relationships Editor, has included brands and toys that Good Housekeeping and its readers have found trustworthy in the past. Marisa has covered all aspects of the world of parenting, from the postpartum years through the empty nests, since 2015, and she's pitched in with Good Housekeeping's toy coverage since 2018. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter, who are both avid toy (and Pokémon) collectors.

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