With flu season ramping up and the colder months coming, I’m not even going to lie to y’all, I’m staying my tail INDOORS as much as I can. There are parties and various events happening around my area for the fall season and for Halloween (advertised as “safe and socially distanced”), but I’m not trying to take the chance right now. I’m a punk. Whatever.

If you’re like me and you plan to stay indoors this Halloween, there’s still some fun ideas that you can do with your family and friends, even at a safe distance! Keep reading to discover more.

Make S’mores Outdoors/Indoors

Making s’mores used to be so much fun as a kid! I try to bring it back at least once a year, and Halloween is the perfect time for it. So snag some marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate at the grocery store for spooky season!

If you have a fire pit or a small grill, you can carefully roast the marshmallows there. You can also use your stove to roast the marshmallows for the s’mores with low heat. I’ve done it and I love it. Just be careful not to accidentally light anything on fire!

Host a virtual movie night!

Sure, we’re all a little Zoom fatigued and over using all of these screens but make an exception for one night. Host a virtual movie night with friends from a distance where you all queue up the same movies at home, eat snacks, and scream together!

Some of my favorite flicks included Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, include and, obviously, The Nightmare Before Christmas! You can go even scarier with classics like the Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street series once the kids go to bed. I’ll be keeping it family-friendly because, again, I’m a scared punk and I need sleep, not nightmares!

Tell Scary Stories

To get into the spirit of spooky season, gather up the family and tell some Scary stories! Granted, there aren’t a lot of people who know and can tell real Scary Stories, but it’ll be fun making things up! You can tell stories outside around a fire pit or flashlights. If you’re keeping it indoors, simply dim the lights. Bonus points if it’s actually scary!

Have a Halloween Costume/Decoration Contest

Just because you may not be trick or treating or heading out to a traditional party doesn’t’ mean you can’t get dressed up! Host your own little mini Halloween costume or home decorations contest to get in the spirit still.

This is something that can be done in-house, maybe as a challenge with your kids or your roommates. Again, this is also something that can be done virtually with extended family and friends as well. Allow one person to judge based on the creativity of the costume (extra credit goes to those who can create a fly costume with clothes and props they already have!).

Attend A Halloween Parade

I’ve heard that different cities are offering Halloween parades, much like for birthdays and other special events during this pandemic. This gives kids and families an option to ride through an area and see fun (or scary) sights as well as get candy and other treats from a safe distance!

Halloween doesn’t have to be a bore this year. It just takes a little bit more work and creativity to make it fun, even in the midst of a pandemic.