Get creative with one of these trunk or treat ideas to decorate your car spooky, cute, or something in between and hand out Halloween candy.
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Trunk or treat is a fun alternative to trick or treating on Halloween. We’ve been to a few, including one put on by the youth sports association in a neighboring town that’s huge!
What is trunk or treating
Trunk or treat is a fun alternative to trick or treating where participating families set up their cars in a parking lot or other area and decorate their trunks. Some hand out candy and treats while others set up games like a carnival.
You might have a trunk or treat at a church, school, or in a gated community, or maybe in a rural area where there aren’t as many doors to knock on. It’s a good way to make sure kids are safe (parking lots are closed to moving cars) and limit the group handing out candy to keep the crowd smaller.
How to plan a trunk or treat
Hosting your own trunk-or-treating night is a lot like planning a potluck supper. Decide who will be volunteering to set up their cards and who you’ll invite. The choose a location (somewhere with a nice parking lot) and a date (it doesn’t have to be Oct. 31).
Decide on any rules you’ll have, such as “nothing scarier than X” and make sure everyone knows. Encourage your participants to plan games and other activities at their cars in addition to handing out candy. You could even have some handing out carnival food or other treats that match their theme.
Trunk or treat ideas
If you’re planning to host or participate in a trunk-or-treat this Halloween, here are two dozen fun and creative trunk or treat ideas that are sure to inspire you.
1. Hogwarts | The Quiet Grove
There’s something about Harry Potter and Halloween that just goes together. This cute theme is easy to DIY with whatever Hogwarts goodies you have around the house. Plus, you can download and print the banner with the house crests.
2. Alice in Wonderland Tea Party | A Lovely Design
This Alice in Wonderland theme features the tea party scene with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. There are plenty of big, bright flowers and laying cards. Plus a tablescape with plates and teacups.
3. Glam Cemetery | Jordan’s Easy Entertaining
Glam and cemetery might not be the first combo you think of for Halloween but this is the perfect way to make your trunk or treat setup stand out. You could really go all out with accessories to make this theme extra special.
4. Bob Ross Painting | Whimsy Love
Dress up like famous artist Bob Ross and paint some happy little trees (or maybe a few spooky ones) for a fun and creative theme. This idea is cute on its own, and she also puts treats inside the balloons so when kids pop each one with a paintbrush, they get a surprise.
5. Candy Cottage | Intelligent Domestications
All you need to make this DIY candy cottage is a big empty box. Decorate it with whatever supplies you have on hand to make it cute or a little spooky. The best part is that the kids go in through one side and out the other, so it’s easy to keep the line moving.
6. Frozen | One Lemon Lane
Fans of Disney’s Frozen will love this trunk-or-treat theme. On top of being cool looking, it includes a game! There’s a detailed tutorial on how to make a cutout Marshmallow for a snowball toss.
7. Bat Cavern | Tikkido
This simple bat cavern theme is actually loaded with tons of details that make it fantastic. There are bats hanging from the door, on the serving trays, and even on the food. Most of them are simple crafts you can make, right down to the bat costume.
8. Nightmare Before Christmas | Lynlee’s
This is Halloween! Handmade paper embellishments turn regular items like a Christmas wreath, empty bottles, and boxes into creepy cute decor. Stencil or paint a pumpkin to look like pumpkin king Jack dressed up as Sandy Claws.
9. Double Double Toil and Trouble | Giggles Galore
The witches from Macbeth are so spooky and fun and they inspired this little setup, complete with potions and skeletons and books. The banner is made from old book pages. And of course, you’ll need to dress up as witches to complete the look.
10. Ghost Busters | Instructables
This Ghost Busters theme is easy to do with any vehicle, but bonus points if you drive a white sedan – or a vintage Cadillac! In addition to decking out your car to look like the Ectomobile, you’ll need a brown jumpsuit and a few accessories for your costume.
11. Trolls Movie | Nicole Hoover
If your kids aren’t into the creepy and spooky parts of Halloween, this Trolls theme is a colorful alternative that they’re sure to appreciate. The rainbow streamers down the sides might be the best part and you have to click through and see her Poppy costume!
12. Candyland Board Game | Deb CB
Halloween is all about the candy, right? Invite kids to play a life-sized version of the classic board game, complete with colored squares and giant lollypops. Everything in this DIY tutorial is from the dollar store or made with simple supplies.
13. Beetlejuice | Tikkido
This trunk or treat setup featuring everyone’s favorite demon is made mostly with dollar store goodies, which means it’s budget-friendly too. Plus, how adorable is this homemade sandworm costume?
14. Pirates | DIY Inspired
Fill your trunk with treasure to create this pirate horde, packed with costume jewelry and candy. Complete the abandoned cavern look with bones, bottles, and a few life-sized skeletons.
15. Super Mario Bros. | Frog Prince Paperie
Step aside Fortnite, the classic Super Mario Bros. game still holds a place in our hearts. This clever car decorating theme includes everything from mystery boxes and green pipes to chain chomps, boos, and piranha plants. There’s so much detail, but it’s mostly made with paper.
16. Willy Wonka | Fawn Handcrafted Celebrations
This colorful trunk or treat theme is inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a favorite movie of candy lovers. There are plenty of bright colors, balloons, and of course – sweet treats and other party favors.
17. Hocus Pocus | Pineapple Paper Co.
If you have a cutting machine, you’re going to want to grab all these SVG files to make your own decor for this Hocus Pocus Disney movie-inspired decor. There are candles and books and spells, but the tombstones and the vacuum really set the scene.
18. Shark | HGTV
This shark isn’t quite as friendly as a baby shark, but he won’t bite. Set up a painted cardboard shark and waves. Add a few fish and plenty of sweets. For an extra activity, find a toy fishing pole and have kids fish for a prize.
19. Jurassic Park | Oriental Trading
This Jurassic Park theme is a must-try if you have one of those inflatable t-rex costumes. Even if you don’t, you can easily build an epic park gate and some boulders to guard a paper dinosaur.
20. Minecraft | Hi, Jenny Brown
To make this clever Minecraft theme, cut paper to make pixelated features for balloons to look like pigs, creepers, and zombies. A chest holds the treats and you could even set up a craft station to make pickaxes from cardboard.
21. Wizard of Oz | Oriental Trading
Follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, on the other side of the rainbow for an amazing trick or treat setup for your car. This Wizard of Oz kit includes all the paper and other materials you’ll need to create an eye-catching display.
22. No Tricks Just Treats | Jen T by Design
If you want to be the cutest car in the parking lot, you have to see this adorable pastel theme. It’s full of sweet treats, pretty colors, and just a few pumpkins and spiders. The color scheme is perfect for a playful trunk or treat night!
23. Black Cat | Amazon
For a simple store-bought option, this black cat car decorating kit transforms your trunk into a big black cat with giant green eyes, pointy ears, and fangs.
24. Monster | Events to Celebrate
Turn the trunk of your car into a big scary-yet-cute monster with a little tape and a big black trash bag. With a few more embellishments, you’ve got a budget-friendly and quick place to hand out candy.
You can put together a fun trunk or treat theme on any budget – whether you DIY a few details or go all out with a kit. It’s all about how creative you can get.
What’s next? Try these other fun and creative ideas on One Mama’s Daily Drama:
The Harry Potter one is my favorite! So many cute Ideas!! I love your site!
Thanks so much, Jill!
These are so creative. I really love the Troll one, and the Jurassic Park one as well.
Thanks, Kim! I’d have a hard time picking my favorite!