Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Halloween Pumpkin Hide and Seek
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Halloween Pumpkin Hide and Seek is a free printable Halloween game from Jaques of London. You cut out the pumpkins, hide them around the house, and the children go hunting. It needs no special equipment beyond scissors and somewhere to hide things, and it suits a party, a rainy afternoon or a classroom treat.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print the sheet, cut out the pumpkins, and let an adult choose the hiding places.
What is on the sheet
Children play a classic hunting game with a Halloween twist. An adult cuts out the pumpkins and hides them in different rooms or around the classroom. The children then search, collect the pumpkins and bring them back. It gets them looking carefully, moving about, taking turns and talking about where things might be. Older children can take a turn at hiding the pumpkins for younger ones.
Ways to hide the pumpkins
Easy to spot
Place pumpkins where children can see them at eye level, such as on a chair or leaning against a book. This works well for the youngest children and gives everyone an early win.
Tricky corners
Tuck pumpkins half behind a cushion, a plant pot or a door. Part of the pumpkin should still show, so the search is fun and not frustrating.
Clue trail
Give each child a spoken clue for a hiding place, such as "somewhere you sit" or "somewhere with pages". Children use the clue to narrow down where to look.
Colour or room teams
Split the children into teams. Each team hunts in a different room, then swaps rooms to check for any pumpkins that were missed.
Why play hide and seek at Halloween?
Halloween is on 31 October. It is the eve of All Hallows' Day, which falls on 1 November. Today many children in the UK dress up, go to parties and decorate with pumpkins. Pumpkins have become one of the best known Halloween symbols, so they make a friendly, familiar theme for a game.
Hunting games are popular because they are simple and active. Children look carefully, remember where they have already searched and share what they find. Using paper pumpkins keeps things gentle and tidy. There is nothing to break, and no real pumpkin or sweets are needed to have a good time.
Adults should do the cutting out for younger children, or watch closely if older children use scissors. Keep real candles and carving tools well away from the game. Carving a real pumpkin and lighting it are jobs for adults only. Hide the paper pumpkins away from stairs, hot places and anything fragile.
Pumpkin facts for curious children
- A pumpkin is a fruit, because it grows from a flower and has seeds inside.
- Pumpkins grow on long, trailing plants called vines.
- Pumpkins belong to the same plant family as squashes and courgettes.
- Most pumpkins are orange, but some are white, yellow or green.
- The seeds inside a pumpkin can be dried and planted to grow new pumpkin plants.
Skills and curriculum link
- Looking carefully
- Listening to clues
- Taking turns
- Describing where things are
- Moving and searching safely
Ideas to help the game run smoothly
- Agree the boundariesTell children which rooms or areas are part of the game before they start. This keeps everyone safe and saves searching in places that have no pumpkins.
- Keep a recordBefore the children arrive, jot down where each pumpkin is hidden. Then you can tell when the last one is still missing.
- Use position wordsWords such as under, behind, beside and on top of help children describe what they see. Say them as you give hints.
- Share the findsDecide in advance whether children keep their own pumpkins or add them to a shared basket. Shared baskets feel kinder in mixed age groups.
Key words
- HideTo put something where it cannot easily be seen.
- SeekTo look carefully for something.
- ClueA small hint that helps you find the answer.
- BehindAt the back of something, out of sight from the front.
- BesideNext to something, at its side.
- PumpkinA large fruit with a thick skin that people often use at Halloween.
How to use it
- Print the sheet and cut out the pumpkins. Adults do the cutting for younger children.
- Choose the area for the game and tell the children where they can and cannot look.
- Hide the pumpkins while the children wait elsewhere, or let an older child do the hiding.
- Send the children to search. Offer a clue if someone has been looking for a long time.
- Gather the pumpkins together, talk about where they were found, then swap roles and play again.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Hide the pumpkins in easy places at first, where part of each one is clearly in view. Stay close and give gentle clues such as "look low" or "look near something soft". Let the child find one early so they feel confident.
To stretch confident children
Ask children to hide the pumpkins themselves, then give a spoken clue for each one using position words like beside, under or between. Another child follows the clue. Try making the clues rhyme for an extra challenge.
Make it a game
Play a Hot and Cold version. One child searches while the others say "warmer" when they are close and "colder" when they move away. Swap searchers after each pumpkin is found. Use a quiet voice so the game stays calm.
Talk about it
- Where do you think a good hiding place might be, and why?
- How did you decide where to look first?
- What clue would help someone find a pumpkin without giving it away?
- Which hiding place was the hardest to spot?
- How can we make the game fair for younger children?
- What other things could we hide and hunt for at a party?
Take it off the page
Pumpkin colouring
Draw or paint your own pumpkin faces on paper. Give each one a different expression, such as surprised, sleepy or silly, then talk about how you can tell.
Map the house
Draw a simple map of the room where you played. Mark where each pumpkin was found with a cross, then use the map to plan a new game.
Pumpkin seed sorting
Sort dried seeds, buttons or beads into groups by size or colour. Say which group has the most. Adults should supervise any small items with young children.
Who it is for
Parents
Play with your children rather than just setting it up. Take a turn at searching, and let them hide for you. Short rounds work best, and the game is easy to repeat on a Halloween afternoon.
Teachers
Use it as a calm end of term activity or a Halloween circle time game. It encourages listening, turn taking and spatial language. Hide the pumpkins before the lesson, and agree the search area clearly with the class.
Home educators
Good for mixed age groups at home. Younger children can hunt while older ones hide and give clues. Use it as a break between other activities, and talk about the seasons and traditions as you play.
Where this fits in
Games like this build on early skills such as looking, listening and following simple instructions. Children who have enjoyed searching for objects are ready for clues, maps and more careful descriptions of where things are.
Afterwards, children can move on to giving their own directions, drawing simple maps and playing other seasonal hunts. These all use the same skills of observing, describing and taking turns.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What do I need to play Halloween Pumpkin Hide and Seek?
You need the printed sheet, scissors and somewhere to hide the pumpkins. An adult should do the cutting for younger children. A small basket or bag for collecting the pumpkins is helpful, but not essential.
- Does it matter how many children play?
No. It works for one child with a grown up, or for a whole group. With a larger group, use teams or hide extra pumpkins in different rooms so that everyone gets a chance to find some.
- Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes. It suits a Halloween circle time, a wet playtime or an end of term treat. Agree the search area clearly, hide the pumpkins before the children arrive, and keep the rules simple and calm.
- Are there answers to check?
No, because it is a hiding game and not a test. Success simply means finding the pumpkins. You can talk about where each one was hidden and which clues helped, but nothing needs marking.
- How can I make it easier for younger children?
Hide the pumpkins at child height with part of each one showing. Stay close, give clues in simple words, and keep the search area small. Finding one early helps young children feel confident.
- How can I make it harder for older children?
Hide the pumpkins in trickier spots and give riddles or position clues instead of showing the way. Older children can also hide for younger ones and write or say their own clues.
- Is it safe to play indoors?
Yes, with sensible rules. Keep children away from stairs, hot places and breakable items, and keep real candles and carving tools out of the game. Walking, not running, helps in a busy room.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.