Eyeball Halloween Game: Easy Eyeball Hunt for Kids

Looking for an easy Halloween game for kids that takes just minutes to set up? This Halloween eyeball hunt is a spooky, silly game that kids can play at home, in the classroom, at a Halloween party, or even at a fall festival.

All you need are plastic eyeballs or eyeball ping-pong balls, a timer, and some good hiding spots!

The idea is simple: hide the eyeballs, set the timer for one minute, and let the kids race to find as many as they can.

It’s part scavenger hunt, part Minute to Win It Halloween game, and a whole lot of Halloween fun!

Easy Halloween Eyeball Game for Kids

I originally created this game as a fun after-school Halloween surprise for my kids.

Before they came home from school, I hid ping-pong eyeballs all around our yard. I put them on trees, in the grass, around our outdoor furniture, and anywhere else I thought I could sneak in a creepy little eyeball.

When the kids got off the school bus, the Halloween eyeball hunt was ON!

For the first round, I turned it into a Halloween Minute to Win It game. I set the timer for 60 seconds, and they raced around the yard trying to collect as many hidden eyeballs as possible.

It was ridiculously simple to put together, but they had SO much fun with it!

And that’s exactly my kind of kids’ party game—easy setup, inexpensive supplies, and lots of laughs.

What You Need for a Halloween Eyeball Hunt

You don’t need much to put this Halloween game together! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Plastic eyeballs or eyeball ping-pong balls – These are the stars of the game! I like these plastic eyeballs because they’re easy to hide around the yard or party area.
• Tape or removable putty – Helpful for sticking eyeballs to trees, chairs, decorations, and other sneaky hiding spots.
• A timer – Your phone works perfectly if you’re playing the 60-second Minute to Win It version.
• Small buckets, bags, or baskets – Give each player something to carry all those creepy eyeballs they find.
• Halloween prizes (optional) – You definitely don’t need prizes, but they make it even more fun! These stretchy skeleton guys are a silly little prize kids can enjoy after the game.
• TIP: If several kids are playing, grab plenty of eyeballs so everyone has a chance to find a bunch. You can even hide one special eyeball that’s worth a bonus prize!

TIP: If several kids are playing, use plenty of eyeballs so everyone has a chance to find some.

How to Set Up the Eyeball Halloween Game

First, decide where you want to play.

We played outside, but you could easily turn this into an indoor Halloween party game or a classroom Halloween game too.

Hide the plastic eyeballs throughout the playing area. If you’re outside, you can use removable tape or putty to attach some eyeballs to trees, chairs, play equipment, or other surfaces.

Mix easy hiding spots with trickier ones.

For younger children, keep most of the eyeballs visible. For older kids, make them work a little harder!

Once all of your creepy little eyeballs are hiding and staring back at you, you’re ready to play.

How to Play the Halloween Eyeball Hunt

Gather everyone together and explain the rules.

When you say GO, players search for as many hidden eyeballs as possible.

For a Minute to Win It version, give everyone 60 seconds.

When the timer goes off, everybody stops searching and counts their eyeballs.

The player who collected the most eyeballs wins!

You can give the winner a small Halloween prize, piece of candy, sticker, or simply bragging rights.

Fun Eyeball Hiding Spot Ideas

Half the fun is finding funny places to hide the eyeballs.

Try hiding them:

• On tree branches
• In the grass
• Behind patio chairs
• Under an outdoor table
• Around the swing set
• Near pumpkins
• Behind decorations
• On a fence
• Around the porch
• Inside kid-safe containers
• Around the classroom
• On bookshelves
• Near Halloween decorations

Just make sure every hiding spot is safe and accessible for the ages of the kids playing.

Different Ways to Play This Halloween Game

One of the best things about this eyeball Halloween game is how easily you can change it depending on the age of the kids or type of Halloween party you’re having.

Minute to Win It Eyeball Hunt

Set a timer for exactly 60 seconds.

Players race to collect as many eyeballs as possible before time runs out.

The player with the most eyeballs wins.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt Version

Skip the timer and let the kids search until every eyeball has been found.

This version works especially well with younger children who may not enjoy racing against a clock.

Classroom Halloween Game

Hide the eyeballs throughout an approved area of the classroom.

You can have kids search individually, divide the class into teams, or assign different colored eyeballs to each team.

This could be a fun activity for a classroom Halloween party, PTO event, school fall festival, or Halloween celebration.

Team Eyeball Hunt

Divide everyone into teams and give each team a bucket or basket.

Set the timer and let them work together to find the eyeballs.

When time is up, count each team’s collection.

Most eyeballs wins!

How Many Eyeballs Do You Need?

The number of eyeballs you’ll need depends on how many kids are playing.

For just a few kids, around 15–25 eyeballs should give you plenty of hiding opportunities.

For a larger Halloween party or classroom, add more so every child has a good chance of finding several.

You can also hide one special eyeball that’s worth bonus points!

Can You Play the Eyeball Hunt Indoors?

Absolutely!

Although we originally played our Halloween eyeball hunt outside, this game can easily be moved indoors if the weather isn’t cooperating.

Hide eyeballs around a living room, basement, classroom, party room, or other kid-safe space.

Just avoid hiding them anywhere kids shouldn’t climb or reach.

What Ages Is This Halloween Game Best For?

This is an easy Halloween game to adjust for different ages.

For preschoolers and younger kids, use obvious hiding spots and give them more time.

Elementary-aged kids can handle trickier hiding spots and the 60-second challenge.

For older kids, make the eyeballs much harder to find, add clues, create teams, or assign different point values to certain eyeballs.

You might be surprised how competitive a bunch of kids can get over plastic eyeballs!

Why We Love This Easy Halloween Game

Halloween activities don’t have to be complicated to be memorable.

That’s one reason I love this one.

You don’t need an elaborate setup or a huge list of supplies. Hide some eyeballs, start a timer, and watch the chaos begin!

It’s an easy choice for:

• Halloween parties
• Classroom Halloween parties
• Fall festivals
• PTO events
• Birthday parties
• Backyard Halloween parties
• Family Halloween nights
• Minute to Win It competitions

Plus, you can bring the eyeballs back out next Halloween and play all over again.

More Halloween Games for Kids

If your kids had an eyeball of a good time with this one, don’t stop here!

Keep the Halloween fun going with more of our favorite Halloween party games:

• Frankenstein Race
• Pumpkin Drop
• Finding Bigfoot
• Hilarious Bigfoot Game
• Funny Ghost Fart Game
• Pumpkin on a String Game

Whether you’re planning a classroom party, fall festival, backyard Halloween bash, or just looking for something fun to surprise the kids with after school, this Halloween eyeball hunt is an easy game you’ll want to keep in your Halloween party arsenal.

Now grab those eyeballs, start hiding them, and get ready to see who has the best EYE for finding them! 

Keep the Halloween Fun Going! 🎃

If your kids had an EYE-mazing time with this Halloween eyeball hunt, don’t stop there! Whether you’re planning a classroom Halloween party, fall festival, backyard bash, or just want to make October a little more fun, here are a few more ideas to keep everyone entertained.

More Halloween Fun from Get Your Holiday On

Need another game after the eyeball hunt? Try our Mummy Wrap Relay Race all you need is toilet paper and some kids ready to laugh!

Don’t forget about the winners! Check out these Kids Halloween Game Prizes for inexpensive prizes, party favors, classroom rewards, and fun Halloween goodies.

Planning a bigger Halloween celebration? You’ll find even more inspiration in our collection of Halloween game prize ideas, including ideas for Halloween parties and pumpkin carving contests.

And if you’re ready to keep game night going, browse all of our party games for kids and families for even more easy ways to have fun together.

More Family-Friendly Halloween Ideas 👻

Looking for even more inspiration? Good Housekeeping’s Halloween games for kids and families has tons of Halloween party games, scavenger hunts, and activities to check out.

For families who want Halloween to feel more fun than frightening, these family-friendly Halloween ideas from Good Housekeeping have plenty of playful inspiration without making things too spooky.

Looking for Faith-Filled Fun for the Kids? 🌈

If you’re looking for activities that bring a little faith into family fun, visit Only JESUS Story for easy Bible snacks, Christian activities for kids, faith-filled family ideas, and plenty of encouragement.

Then grab those eyeballs, start the timer, and let the Halloween fun begin! 👀🎃