For your ultimate guide to trick-or-treating around Brisbane look no further!
Halloween is fast becoming one of the most popular dates on the Brisbane calendar for children. While it may have been only a handful of families who dressed up and door knocked for treats in years gone by, today the shops are overflowing with gruesome costumes and kids are hitting the streets in droves as they immerse themselves in the fun and spooky annual celebration.
For all things trick-or-treat in Brisbane this year, check out the information below on how to have the best, safest and most fun this Halloween.
How to Trick-or-Treat in Brisbane 2024
Before dressing the kids up and heading out to door knock the neighbourhood, it’s a good idea to check how involved in the event your neighbours are. The truth is, not everyone is into Halloween, but there are ways to find out to ensure Halloween trick-or-treating goes more smoothly.
Look for Lights On
If you are in a suburb with lots of families, you might be lucky enough to have an active Halloween suburb. If this is the case, all you need to look for is Halloween decorations or a house with the front lights on. Decorations are obviously a 100% green light, and in 11 years of trick or treating, lights on are 99% positive too.
The rule is, if you knock and no one comes to the door, obviously don’t knock again, but in all our trick-or-treating time in Brisbane, having your front lights on at Halloween is a welcoming sign the home is open for trick or treaters.
Talk to your Neighbours about Halloween
If you have a street or neighbourhood Facebook group, this can be a great way to let fellow neighbours know your kids will be trick-or-treating for Halloween. If you don’t have one, then now might be a good time to start one up.
Maybe write a small note letting them know and possibly even include a bag of treats (as a nice gesture) and some orange ribbon. Tell them if they are happy to have trick-or-treaters to tie the ribbon around their letterbox so families know who is up for a visit.
If you are in a community Facebook group, you will find chatter usually begins in early October. We recommend using the search function to locate any local Halloween events or popular streets in your area.
Hang Halloween signs on your letterbox or door
The general rule of thumb is, if the front light is on, then Halloween trick-or-treaters are welcome.
Another idea, along with the ribbon, is a simple sign which can be hung to let kids know trick-or-treaters are welcome. Below are some free Brisbane Kids Halloween printables you can use.
Halloween Door Sign Printables
Step 1 Select and print out some of these Brisbane Kids Halloween printables in full colour.
Click on these links for the print ready PDF versions
Print ready BK Halloween Printable # 1
Print ready BK Halloween Printable # 2
Print Read BK Halloween Printable # 3
How to Use Halloween Printable’s
- Print or colour photocopy your chosen design.
- If possible, laminate the signs to stop them from ripping. It also allows them to be re-used next year.
- Use a hole punch to put a hole in the top and attach some ribbon or string so it can easily hang on a door, letterbox or gate.
- Ask your neighbour to attach their poster to their door, gate or letterbox so it can easily be seen and to show trick-or-treaters they are welcome.
- Drop into letter boxes or visit your neighbours door-to-door to hand out the signs,
Host a Halloween Street Party
This is a big one, but if you have plenty of young families in your neighbourhood, it could be a great way to get to know them and make for a fun Halloween experience.
Kids can trick-or-treat at the beginning of the night and then afterwards the neighbours can bring along a plate to share at a central location. The kids can enjoy their treats together while the adults can enjoy the friendly neighbourhood catch-up.
Best Halloween Suburbs in Brisbane
While it’s usually advisable to trick-or-treat in your own area, we appreciate this is not always possible. It might be you live on acreage, in a block of units or in an area which doesn’t celebrate Halloween. For this reason, heading to one of the more festive suburbs may be your only option.
The truth is, some pretty awesome areas around Brisbane go that extra mile when in comes to Halloween. It may just be worth a drive to check out the ghoulish and freaky street decorations in another suburb near you.
Below are some of the best places to go trick-or-treating in Brisbane.
Note – We do not support driving your kids to popular suburbs and letting them jump out of the car while you drive them from house to house. The point of trick-or-treating is to get out of your car, walk around and get into the community spirit.
Brisbane Halloween Lovers
Brisbane Halloween Lovers is a Facebook group dedicated to finding the best spots in Brisbane to go trick-or-treating. They have even set up their own map for people to add their location to. Head to their facebook page for more details and to see the full map.
Best Northside Suburbs
- Joyner – Carn-Evil @ Mattie Lee is truly spooktacular. Not only is it wheelchair friendly, it has a special showing for those with special needs and fundraises for a worthy cause.
- Mango Hill – The Capestone estate in Mango Hill is always a popular place to park the car and walk the streets.
- North Lakes – Enter the Nightmare on Leslie to be spooked, scared and entertained.
- Nundah – Get your spooky on at the Best Little Haunt House in Nundah. It’s popular, it’s terrifying and it’s one to put on your haunt list.
- Sandgate – For a unique Halloween experience visit the Beetlejuice Dreamhouse of Horrors.
Best Southside Suburbs
- Booval – McGrath Manor stops at nothing to scare the socks off visitors featuring animatronics, actors, lights, walk-throughs, and four interactive areas to experience.
- Boronia Heights – Not content with just a Christmas display, Pete’s House also puts on a wicked Halloween display.
- Chuwar – Come and witness the Chuwar Horror Story if you dare. Lots of unique props you won’t find anywhere else.
- Logan Central – Nightmare on Blackton Street welcomes trick-or-treaters with a Halloween display and haunt.
- Rochedale – The Morgue at Rochedale is a popular Halloween destination each year featuring mazes, food trucks, entertainment, kids activities and a candy cannon! Entry donations go toward Black Dog Institute.
Tips for Trick-or-Treating
Teaching your children to trick-or-treat is not unlike teaching them how to receive a present at Christmas. It’s a great opportunity to teach them about etiquette, respect for others, and most importantly, personal safety.
- Choose costumes. Make them easy to walk in and super fun. Face painting is a great way enhance your outfit. You can buy Halloween costumes online or at most department stores, which usually sell them for less than $30. You could even make one.
- Try on costumes before the big day. There is nothing worse than a skeleton costume that doesn’t fit or a cape that is too long.
- Practice with your children on how to receive treats, even how to react when there is something they don’t like. Please and thank you’s go a long way!
- Educate the children about What Halloween is really about. Bust some myths and fill them with history.
- Begin trick-or-treating just before sunset. As a general rule, trick-or-treating should be wrapped up before 8pm (ish).
- Consider taking a few bags of lollies with you (individually wrapped lollies are the best) to give to homes who are super busy as a thank you.
- Provide each child with their own basket, bucket or bag to collect their goodies in. If you are stuck – a pillowcase will do.
- Consider applying a ‘pool your treats’ rule – at the end of the night everyone pools what they have and share it among all participants.
Tip for those handing out treats – Not all children like/can have sweet treats. Mix things up by having some small packets of chips or even stickers to hand out.
How to Have a Safe Halloween
While having fun at Halloween is important, being safe is imperative. Here are some friendly reminders on how to have a safe Halloween.
- Children under 12 should never trick-or-treat by themselves.
- Those over 12 should trick-or-treat in groups and in a familiar, well-lit neighbourhoods. Ideally, even children 13 and over should be accompanied by an adult.
- Buy some cheap glow sticks or torches so each child is illuminated for both safety and their own peace of mind.
- When driving at Halloween, move about slowly and carefully
- Discuss personal safety with the children before hitting the streets ie. not entering people’s houses, staying on footpaths, and crossing the road safely.
How to Manage Sensory Issues at Halloween
From experience, the best way to prepare any child for Halloween, especially one with sensory issues, is to first ask them if they want to participate . They may not want to trick-or-treat but they may be happy to dress up and walk around with others, or perhaps they would prefer to stay home and hand out treats.
Another alternative is to just trick-or-treat at places where the child feels comfortable, eg. at relatives, friendly neighbours or school friends houses.
Purchase a costume ahead of time to ensure they have time to get used to the feeling of the fabric and walking in the costume. Also, consider buying a costume with a mask so if they decide they don’t want to get into the costume they may still decide to wear a mask. Even a spooky t-shirt or a decorated hat could do the trick!
If they decide they want to trick-or-treat then there are a couple of things you can do to help ensure they are properly supported. Social stories are a great way to begin. You can either write your own OR at least support the idea of trick-or-treat in reality by planning a route on paper together and then pacing it out before the big night.
This is a social story which has been written for a general trick-or-treating experience https://www.andnextcomesl.com/2016/10/halloween-social-stories-for-kids-with-autism.html
Halloween Events in Brisbane 2024
There are many fun, family-friendly Halloween events in and around Brisbane this year. If you are looking to do something a little different with the family this Halloween in addition to the usual trick or treating, maybe check out Halloween Events for Kids in Brisbane 2024 for inspiration.
Help create magical childhood memories that are backed up with important social skills that will last a lifetime….lets get trick-or-treating Brisbane!
