Boo Baskets for Kids

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Okay, let’s talk about boo baskets for kids! This is such a fun Halloween gift tradition that helps kick of spooky season each year. Here’s 27+ ideas, tips, and tricks your little one will love!

If you’re picturing something elaborate and Pinterest-perfect, I’ve got good news: last year my kids were more excited about the last-minute DIY ghost lollipop and a pack of dollar store glow sticks than anything else!

Let’s dig in!

Psst…I tried to make this as easy to navigate as possible, and have broken down boo basket ideas by category, age group, and theme. Feel free to skip ahead using the table of contents!

What Is a Boo Basket for Kids?

A boo basket for kids is a small surprise gift basket — usually a mix of candy, toys, and fun extras — left for them at the beginning of Halloween season (often October 1st).

It doesn’t have to be fancy, and of course you can skip it altogether!

Want the full rundown on boo baskets in general? Check out my main Boo Basket Ideas guide.

What to Put in a Boo Basket for Kids

1. Start with the basket itself—you can use a gift bag, thrifted basket, make this cute DIY ghost tote bag, something you have lying around the house, a plastic cauldron, dollar store laundry basket, etc.
2. Layer the basket with creepy cloth — optional but fun!

1. Add items to the basket — choose from the things below, or whatever your kiddo will like best!
2. Finish the basket with a tag and a fun accessory — I made a cute Halloween pennant flag for each kiddo, just to add something extra. I also used my xTool P2 laser to make an acrylic tag with each child’s name on it, but you can make a tag out of paper too!

Now, let’s dig into those basket fillers! I have this list broken down by category, with a few suggestions for each. I like to pick a few from each section. You know your kiddo best, so choose what they will like!

Plus, below I have some ideas for fun themed baskets for passionate littles, so check those out too!

Small Toys + Trinkets

• 3D printed mini animals — a genuine current favorite in our house
• Halloween pop tubes
• Needoh
• Flexi snake toy
• A few small containers of Play-Doh – I like to get a big pack and divide it throughout the year for random things!
• Calico Critters or accessory
• Haloween-themed LEGO kit like this jack-o-lantern set
• Glow sticks – the genuine favorite in my house every time!
• A bouncy ball or two
• A mini set of potion-themed fizzing bath bombs
• Stretchy skeletons
• Light up re-colorable pumpkin
• Stuffed animals like this plush bat are always hit
• A kaleidoscope
• Washable markers or a mini crayon pack
• Halloween-themed temporary tattoos

Activities + Books

• Highlights Hidden Picture Puzzle Book
• Sticker Faces Puzzle Book
• Brain Play Halloween Challenge Puzzle
• Halloween scavenger hunt cards
• Glow in the dark rock painting kits
• Paint by sticker Halloween book
• Crayons – your typical colors or these glitter crayons are fun!
• Neon markers with black paper notebook
• Magnatile spooky travel tin

Treats

Okay, I won’t pretend candy doesn’t belong in kids boo basket…it’s Halloween, and kids expect at least a little of it.

Just don’t feel like you need to fill the whole basket with sugar when one or two treats does the job!

• Halloween Peeps – I always find mine at the Dollar Tree!
• 3-4 fun-size chocolate bars
• DIY Halloween rice krispie treats – these take 10 minutes to make and are seriously cute!
• Fruit snacks like these organic Halloween gummies
• A decorated Halloween sugar cookie
• Drinks like an apple juice box or hot cocoa packet
• Pretty dipped pretzel rods – another super easy homemade treat
• A small bag of popcorn

Boo Basket Ideas for Toddlers

Shopping for a toddler? I’ve got you! While some of the ideas from above may work too, these toddler boo basket ideas are specifically for ages 2-4!

• wooden Halloween puzzle
• Halloween water coloring activity book
• dot marker Halloween set
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Peekaboo Halloween
• chunky toddler crayons for tiny hands
• Plush baby pumpkin Halloween set
• Pumpkin fidget
• Reusable Halloween sticker book
• Fuzzy socks with grip bottoms

Boo Basket Ideas for Baby

Honestly, this might be the easiest basket on this entire list, since a baby is just as thrilled by crinkly packaging as anything actually inside it. Keep everything soft, safe, and sensory, and you can’t go wrong.

• Halloween-themed teether
• You’re My Little Baby Boo board book
• Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch board book
• Dr. Seuss’s Spooky Things board books
• silicone training cup with snack lid
• Sock monkey halloween rattle
• new footed pjs like these baby girl bamboo pjs or this howdy Halloween pj
• pumpkin puree baby food – practical and on theme!
• Halloween burp cloths
• knitted pumpkin beanie

Cheap Boo Basket Ideas

If you’re short on time or budget, here’s the honest truth: 3-4 well-chosen dollar store items and a handwritten tag makes an awesome kids’ boo basket!

My kids proved this to me directly — the glow sticks, crayons, and the ghost lollipop outshined everything else in the basket, and both came from a dollar store.

Here’s what to look for at the Dollar store for your kids’ boo basket:

• Basket – a Halloween bucket or laundry basket
• Creepy cloth or spider webs – to line your basket (optional but fun!)
• Candy – Halloween peeps, chocolate, supplies to make DIY ghost lollipops
• Toys – monster trucks, creepy oversized flies, figurines
• Books – board books
• Coloring books and crayons
• Glow sticks, bouncing balls, and bubbles

Themed Boo Baskets for Kids

Want an easier way to decide what goes in the basket? Build around a theme instead of picking randomly from the categories above — or do both and mix and match. Here are four that work great for kids.

Movie Night Basket

Family movie night is always a hit at our house! Instead of individual baskets, gift your kiddos some goodies to enjoy along with a family movie.

Here are some ideas of what to include:

• A kids’ movie on DVD if you have a DVD player!
• A small bag of popcorn
• A cute cardboard popcorn container
• Movie theater box candy
• A cozy blanket for each kiddo
• Fuzzy socks
• A juice box or fun drink
• A stuffed animal to snuggle during the movie
• Star projector for cozy vibes
• A mini flashlight for a pretend “movie theater” moment

⭐️ TIP: want to kick movie night up a knotch? Make a fun Halloween charcuterie board or even a candy charcuterie board to go with the festivities!

Book Lover Boo Basket

This one’s an easy favorite if you’ve got a kid who already loves story time — a themed book basket feels special without needing a single toy in it.

The items you pick will depend on the age and interest of the kiddo, so swap out the book and accessories as necessary! That being said…it’s hard to top Harry Potter for a book basket!

• Book with Halloween vibes – like this gorgeous illustrated Harry Potter book!
• Supplies to make DIY Harry Potter wands
• A sticker pack to go with the story
• A bookmark
• A cozy reading blanket
• A small stuffed animal to read with
• A book light for reading in a blanket fort
• A journal for early writers
• A pack of new crayons for coloring after story time
• A mini flashlight for reading under the covers
• A cup for a bedtime drink alongside the book — tea or pumpkin juice perhaps? 😉

Art & Craft Boo Basket

This is genuinely one of the most fun boo basket themes, especially if your kids are craft like mine are! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Coloring books
• Crayons
• Markers
• Stickers
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Kid-safe scissors
• Glue sticks
• A mini paint set
• Stencils
• Pom poms

FAQs

What do you put in a kid’s boo basket?

A mix works best: a small toy or trinket, something to do (a book or activity), and a treat or two. You don’t need every category — 3-4 items total is a complete basket.

What age is a boo basket good for?

Any age, really — for younger toddlers, stick to larger items and avoid small choking-hazard pieces. For elementary-age kids, the sky’s the limit on toys and trinkets.

Do boo baskets have to include lots of candy?

Not at all. Candy is expected around Halloween, but toys, books, and activities go just as far — sometimes further. My own kids got more excited about glow sticks and a $1.25 DIY than anything sugar-related.

What container should I use for a kid’s boo basket?

Anything works — a mini cauldron, a thrifted basket, or even their own trick-or-treat bucket. My full container breakdown (including budget options) is in my main Boo Basket Ideas guide.

Should I build a themed basket or just pick from the categories?

Either works — a theme like Movie Night or Art & Craft makes the decision easier since it’s a ready-made list, while mixing categories lets you build something more specific to your kid. Feel free to combine both approaches.

Remember, boo baskets for kids is for fun — don’t stress too much about it! Your kiddo will love whatever you put together.

More Halloween

• Dollar Tree Halloween Decorations
• Halloween Crafts for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Halloween Crafts for Kids