Spooky season is upon us once more—and there’s no better way to prepare for it than with some spooky outdoor Halloween decorations. Get ready to turn your front yard into a haunted masterpiece with these seven different ideas. Each one will up the spookiness of your front yard so you’ll be ready for Halloween in next to no time.
Set the scene: Why spooky outdoor Halloween decorations matter
Decorating the inside your home for Halloween is super fun—but your yard is where you’ll make your first impressions. A great setup outdoors is something that the whole neighbourhood can enjoy, and super-spooky decorations are perfect for letting trick-or-treaters know that you’ll be handing out candy on the 31st.
Whether you’re planning to decorate with Halloween carved pumpkins and creepy jack-o’-lanterns or all-out inflatables and a speaker system, there’s something in this post for you.
1. Fill space with lawn inflatables and animatronics
One great way to start your Halloween setup is with the big stuff. Fill the majority of your space with showstoppers like lawn inflatables and animatronics, then fill in the gaps with smaller decor items as your vision for your front lawn progresses. Inflatable Halloween decorations are a great way to make a big impact with an item that stores small for the rest of the year.
I grew up with a neighbour who went all out for Halloween. He was always the only house on the block that decorated at all, but man—did he ever decorate. (And he still does!) Every single centimetre of his front lawn, garage, and driveway is occupied by a fun new Halloween blowup or animatronic from September to November. People from all over the city make special trips just to see his chaotic front lawn. It’s worth the trip, too—a couple of years ago, he even added a walking path that you can follow through his garage to view some of the blow-ups closer up.
His inflatable setups feature the biggest guys (think large ghosts and 20 foot skeletons) closest to the house and on the first-storey roof. Then, he fills out the rest of the lawn space with progressively smaller inflatables. The tiered layout makes it so that you can see each and every decoration from every height. Static pieces are kept toward the back and the edges of his property, in areas that are harder to see. Then, animatronics that spook and delight the neighbourhood kids are kept in the garage for better protection from the elements.
If you love inflatable dino suits and other big-impact Halloween costumes and decorations, start your decorating journey with a few of your favourite inflatables.
2. Add depth with creepy lighting effects
Next, add depth to your decor with creepy lighting effects. You can use simple accessories like LED spotlights, string lights, and flickering lanterns for big impact on a small budget. Lighting is great because it’s easy to reuse year after year, re-shaping your decor scene in different ways just by moving the lights.
Try using coloured lights like orange, purple, and green for an on-theme effect that isn’t scary or gory. Add motion-activated lighting or strobes to increase the scare factor, or to turn on your lights only when there’s someone there to appreciate them.
Add fun or creepy lighting effects with lights of different kinds
Trying to up the scare factor? Add dramatic LEDs and strobes to set the scene. Trying to tone it down for the neighbourhood kids? Look at fun, colourful lights that still stay on-theme.
3. How to DIY a spooky graveyard setup
Spooky graveyard setups are a classic Halloween decor theme! You can set yours up with store-bought tombstones and skeletons rising from the ground, or you can opt for the DIY route with foam and cardboard gravestones. I personally prefer a mix of the two: store-bought gravestones last longer for year-after-year use and are often easy to find as Halloween decorations on sale. Homemade gravestones, however, can be customized for your family. Add your kids’, friends’, and pets’ names to your gravestones as you DIY them for a customized twist—and feel free to add a funny quote on each to re-balance your decor’s vibes.
Just like stick figure decals and other identifying decor items, however, your DIY’d gravestones can include information about your family that you may not want to share with strangers. (We have a great article on security solutions for the home if that’s a concern for you). Make sure to add extra gravestones to your yard if you want to minimize the amount of identifying information in your yard, adding things like extra pets, kids, and imaginary friends to your setup.
Finally, amp up the spook factor with a graveyard staple—skeletons and zombies coming out of the ground!
Don’t forget to finish your graveyard decor
Finish up your picture-perfect dilapidated graveyard with zombies, ghouls, and skeletons that crawl right out of the ground at your guests.
4. Front porch haunted decor
Bring attention to your front porch with haunted porch decor. Items like hanging ghouls, cobwebs, and skeletons in rocking chairs are a great way to create an interesting, spooky front porch that’s all your own. Make sure to read our guide on creating a super-spooky front porch for even more decorating tips this season!
5. Creative window & door decorations
Get creative with your window and door decorations to add an air of mystery to your house, not just your front yard and porch. Add smaller details like spooky door wraps or other Halloween door decorations like wreaths and curtains. You can also enhance your front-facing windows with decorations from the inside—think backlit paper cutouts in your bedroom windows, washable “bloody” handprints, and fake boarded-up windows in areas of the house where you usually have the blinds drawn anyways.
6. Scary walkway ideas for spooky pathways
As you get ready to enter Halloween night itself, it’s time to make sure your front walkway is as spooky and scary as possible. The lead up to your house is just as important as the decor itself! Set the mood with outdoor Halloween decor so your trick-or-treaters are already primed for a good scare when they arrive at your door.
Motion sensor animatronics and lights are a great way to add and enhance jump scares. Use spooky path lighting to create an eerie effect while helping your trick-or-treaters along, and hang things like spiders and zombies from your trees to create a more claustrophobic effect.
Welcome your visitors onto the path… Of doom!!
Create spooky and not-so-spooky pathways with inflatables, animatronics, and other Halloween decor.
7. Easy DIY Halloween decor for kids
Decorating for fall holidays doesn’t have to be an adults-only project! DIY Halloween decor is a fun project for the whole family to take on, kids included. Add items like painted pumpkins, ghost jars, and hanging bats that the kids can help out with.
I love a little Halloween craft for any age—even as an adult. Try hosting a Halloween paint night for your pumpkins and hanging bats. The kiddos can design their own pumpkins without any worry about them cutting themselves on a knife or saw, and the adults can create more detailed works while sipping on a glass of wine or a custom mocktail.
Planning to match your decor with your costume? Check out our article on how to match your outdoor Halloween decor with your costume theme and browse our top picks for Halloween costumes too!
Tips for safety and weather-proofing
Finally, finish up your Halloween decorations by giving each category a once-over for safety and weather-proofing. Make sure that your front yard with delight and scare—not harm or damage. Avoid tripping hazards like loose cords by taping down anything at ground level and opting for rechargeables where you can. Keep non-waterproof electronics safe and dry in areas like the front porch and garage. Plus, make sure any unattended flames are flameless LEDs.
If your neighbourhood tends to attract a lot of young trick-or-treaters, it’s a good idea to keep your outdoor Halloween decorations spooky—but not nightmare-inducing. Check out our article on kid-friendly Halloween decorations (that aren’t too scary!) for inspiration that keeps things spooky and sweet.
With these 7 spooky outdoor Halloween decor ideas, you’re sure to find something that works for you and your home!
Shop outdoor Halloween decorations online at Best Buy this spooky season.
