Related guide
Halloween Themed Escape Room: Six Ideas by Scare Level
Planning a Halloween party where some kids love spooky and others hide behind a sofa?
The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill
A ghost with good manners has locked the Treat Chest.
A Halloween escape room for the kids' party, spooky-fun and never frightening
In this Halloween escape room, Oswin, the friendly ghost of Pumpkin Hill House, has sealed the Treat Chest and hidden his clues around the house. No gore, no horror: just bats, pumpkins, cobwebs and a ghost who is mostly made of fog and good manners.
- Ages8–12
- Players3–10 players
- Play45–60 minutes
- Print16 team pages
$12.99
Instant download. After payment you land on our thank-you page, and the files come to you by email.
Also in all 7 games for $49.99, about $7.14 a game.
Chapter IThe story
A lonely ghost and a dark pumpkin
Oswin, the friendly ghost of Pumpkin Hill House, has sealed the Treat Chest and hidden his clues around the house.
Halfway through, the crew finds out why: nobody has ever invited a ghost to a Halloween party, and the Great Pumpkin that lights his way downstairs has gone dark. The crew relights it, carves its face, reads its words, and opens the Treat Chest themselves.
Cover and one inside page, shown whole
Chapter IIWho it’s for
At a glance
- Ages
- Core players 8–12; younger siblings can help.
- Players
- 3–10 players; with 6 or more, two teams.
- Play
- Designed for about 45–60 minutes.
- Prep
- Designed for 20 minutes or less after printing.
- Hints
- Three graded hints for every puzzle, plus the answer key.
- The finish
- Everyone opens the Treat Chest.
Escape room mirror puzzles and six more kinds
The puzzle types: search and shape matching, a logic deduction with token selection, a fold-in, a jigsaw reconstruction, an observation and counting deduction, mirror writing and a cut-out overlay. A small mirror helps for the mirror writing, and the finale is acted out by the players.
Escape room party ideas at home for Halloween night
Put the door sign on the front door, send the invitations, give every guest a name badge, and fill a box or bag with treats for the Treat Chest. Turn the lights down and bring a flashlight for the finale. Certificates close the night.
Chapter IIIWhat you print
The Halloween escape room printable files
Team pages in colour or low-ink, a 5-page host guide and an optional party file. All US Letter.
The low-ink edition swaps the full-colour art for pale versions and drops the cream page backgrounds. Every clue works the same.
- PDFTeam pages, colourCover, Packets I–III, the host setup page and the ending letter for the Treat Chest.16 pages
- PDFTeam pages, low-inkThe same pages with pale art and white backgrounds.16 pages
- PDFHost guideOverview, print list, two-team mode, prep checklist, read-aloud intro, three graded hints per puzzle, answer key, finale, troubleshooting.5 pages
- PDFParty extrasDoor sign, invitations (2 per page), certificates (2 per page), name badges (8 per page)4 pages
- TXTStart hereA one-screen orientation for the host.1 screen
Chapter IVHow the night runs
Halloween escape room clues, packet by packet
Three packets, three gates where the crew tells you what they found. Play is designed for about 45–60 minutes.
Packet I: the front hall
You read the welcome. The crew hunts for the hidden bat cards and matches them to the roost, then works out from the family portraits which key to use.
Packet II: Oswin's diary
The story turns. The crew splits up: one group folds the bookcase page to find the right moon, the other rebuilds a torn recipe and uses it on the potion shelf.
Packet III: the Great Pumpkin
A note in mirror writing explains the last step. The crew carves the paper Great Pumpkin and reads the words through its face.
The Treat Chest
Everyone says the words together, breaks the Ghost Seal and opens the Treat Chest: the treats, and Oswin's thank-you letter.
Chapter VHints, prep and answers
Prep, designed for 20 minutes after printing
Cut
Straight lines only: 8 bat cards, 4 key cards, 6 recipe pieces, packet labels, the Treat Chest label and a Ghost Seal.
Hide
The 8 bat cards around the play room, in plain sight or half hidden, nothing high or locked.
Pack
Three envelopes (or folded sheets) per team: Packets I, II and III.
Treat Chest
A box or bag of treats with the ending letter inside, the label on the front and the Ghost Seal across the lid.
Optional
A small mirror and a flashlight for the finale.
Design targets
Play about 45–60 minutes, prep at most 20. No group of children has timed it yet.
How many kids can play The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill?
The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill is built for 3–10 players, with core players aged 8–12. With six or more, split into two teams and print the team pages once per team. Both teams share one Treat Chest and open it together, and younger siblings can help with the bat hunt and the counting.
Younger siblings can help
The core players are 8–12. Younger siblings can join in on the bat hunt, the counting, holding the mirror and saying the final words.
The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill is one of seven
Get this game and the next six parties
The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill is one of seven printable escape rooms. With the collection you also have the birthdays, Christmas, a big group, a classroom and a teen detective night covered, for $49.99 in total.
What are some fun activities for a Halloween escape room?
Fun activities for a Halloween escape room include a bat hunt around the room and matching family portraits. The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill also has a bookcase page to fold, a torn recipe to rebuild, mirror writing to read and a paper pumpkin to carve. The players act out the finale together.
Do they scare you in escape rooms?
Our Halloween escape room is made not to scare anyone. The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill is spooky-fun, never frightening: no gore, no horror, just bats, pumpkins, cobwebs and a friendly ghost who wants to be invited to the party.
What are some ideas for Halloween escape rooms?
A haunted house with a friendly ghost works well for kids: hidden bat cards to find, a sealed treat chest to open, and a pumpkin to relight. Add the printable door sign, invitations and name badges to make it the party.
What is a fun Halloween clue game?
The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill is a Halloween clue game for kids aged 8–12, played in three packets. The crew finds clues around the house, works out which key fits, and ends by opening the Treat Chest together.
What are some low-budget Halloween ideas?
A printed escape room is a low-budget Halloween idea: $12.99 for the game, plus paper and ink. You also need scissors, tape, pencils, envelopes or folded sheets, and a box or bag of treats.
What are some DIY activities I can do for Halloween?
Carving a paper pumpkin, hunting hidden bat cards and reading mirror writing are DIY activities in The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill. You print and cut the pieces at home, and the party extras add a door sign, invitations and name badges.
Related guide
Related guide from the blog
Pairs well with
You might also need
The Complete Escape Room Collection
The Ghost of Pumpkin Hill and the six other games, ages 6 to adult.
Tumble and the Birthday Box
A locked present. A very guilty puppy. Clues all over the house.
- Ages6–9
- Players4–10 children
- Play30–45 minutes
$12.99
The Midnight Skyport
Fog over the harbor, a silent beacon, and one last airship to bring home.
- Ages10–12
- Players3–5 players + organizer
- PlayNo timer
$12.99
The Ghost of Pumpkin HillHalloween Escape Room for Kids