Themes anyone can pull off
No pressure to go elaborate — these are meant to be achievable in an afternoon, not built by a pro. Pick one, make it yours, and have fun with it.
Candy Land
Bright colors, oversized candy, balloons, and sweet treats.
Superheroes
Comic-book decorations, superhero costumes, cityscape backdrop.
Sports Tailgate
Favorite team, football field, jerseys, and foam fingers.
Under the Sea
Blue streamers, fish, sharks, bubbles, and ocean decorations.
Western Roundup
Cowboy decorations, hay bales, stars, and western props.
Video Game World
Colorful game-inspired decorations, boxes, and characters.
Construction Zone
Traffic cones, caution tape, hard hats, and signage.
Camping & Outdoors
Tent, lanterns, an artificial campfire, and camping gear.
Fall Festival
Pumpkins, hay bales, fall leaves, plaid, and warm autumn tones.
Christmas in October
Christmas lights, presents, trees, and festive costumes.
Other Ideas
31 more themes and activities — tap to see them all
Twister — Spin for Candy
Decorate with classic Twister colors. Kids spin the wheel and receive candy that matches the color they land on.
Dinosaur Adventure — The Floor Is Lava
Create a prehistoric scene where kids have to make their way across the “lava” to reach the trunk and claim their candy.
Outer Space — Asteroid Toss
Transform your trunk into outer space and have kids toss soft “asteroids” at planets, aliens, or space-themed targets.
Gone Fishing — Fishing Pond
Create a fishing pond using a kiddie pool and floating ducks or fish. Kids pick or “catch” one to reveal their prize.
The Price Is Right — Plinko
Bring the classic game show to your trunk with a homemade Plinko board. Drop a chip and see which candy prize it lands on!
Shark Attack — Feed the Shark
Create a giant cardboard shark mouth and let kids toss soft “fish” into the shark’s mouth to earn their treat.
Under the Sea — Bubble Pop or Treasure Dig
Decorate your trunk like an underwater world and add a bubble-popping activity or a small sensory sand pit where kids can search for hidden treasures.
Pirate Adventure — Walk the Plank
Turn your trunk into a pirate ship and challenge kids to walk the plank before collecting their treasure.
Charlie Brown & the Great Pumpkin — Mini Pumpkin Patch
Re-create the Great Pumpkin patch with pumpkins, fall leaves, and familiar Peanuts-inspired decorations. Kids can choose a mini pumpkin or receive a pumpkin-themed treat.
Movie Theater — Pick a Ticket
Create a concession stand or movie theater trunk. Kids pull a ticket from a bucket to discover which candy or prize they receive.
Superhero Headquarters — Punch for a Prize
Decorate with comic-book signs, city skylines, and superhero colors. Kids punch through a covered cup to reveal their prize.
Down on the Farm — Milk Bottle Ring Toss
Create a barnyard scene and let kids toss rings around decorated milk bottles.
Basketball — Shoot for Candy
Set up a small basketball hoop and let kids take a shot for a candy prize.
Dr. Seuss — One Fish, Two Fish Matching Game
Bring the colorful world of Dr. Seuss to your trunk with a simple fish-themed matching game.
Video Game World — Mario Candy Pipes
Create a Mario-inspired trunk complete with green pipes. Send candy down a “Mario pipe” for kids to collect.
Favorite Movie — Character Carnival Game
Choose a favorite family movie and build a simple game around it. For example, a Minions trunk could feature a “Minion Knockdown” game using yellow decorated tubes or lightweight cans.
Toy Story — Toy Box Adventure
Turn your trunk into Andy’s toy box with Toy Story–inspired decorations. Add a simple toss, matching, or prize-pick game featuring favorite characters.
Pumpkin Patch — Pumpkin Ring Toss
Toss rings over pumpkin stems, small pumpkin props, or decorated bottles.
Pumpkin Bowling
Use mini pumpkins or orange balls as bowling balls and lightweight plastic bottles as pins.
Apple Orchard — Apple Toss
Toss beanbags or pretend apples into crates or use them to knock down stacked cans.
Fall Leaves — Leaf Pile Toss
Fill your trunk with colorful fall leaves and challenge kids to toss beanbags into a designated leaf pile or basket.
Pumpkin Patch — Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe
Use orange and white mini pumpkins as game pieces for a festive version of tic-tac-toe.
Fall Festival — Cornhole
Decorate cornhole boards with pumpkins, leaves, scarecrows, or other fall decorations and let kids take a few throws.
Harvest Guessing Game — Gourd Guess
Fill a clear container or basket with mini pumpkins or gourds and let kids guess how many are inside.
Apple Orchard — Apple Basket Toss
Set out apple baskets of different sizes or distances. Kids toss balls or pretend apples into the baskets to score points.
Apple Rescue — Save the Apples
Kids use tongs to move plastic apples or red pom-poms from one basket to another before time runs out.
Pumpkin Patch — Pumpkin Plinko
Create a homemade Plinko board decorated like a pumpkin patch. Drop the ball or chip and let the landing spot determine the prize.
Harvest Hunt
Hide paper pumpkins, apples, leaves, and corn around your decorated trunk. Give kids 30 seconds to find the designated items.
Pumpkin Patch Relay
Kids balance a small orange pom-pom or ping-pong ball on a spoon and carry it from one basket to another without dropping it.
Warehouse Sample Station
Create a warehouse-store-inspired trunk with pretend membership signs, oversized price tags, and individually wrapped candy handed out as “samples.”
Wheel of Fortune — Spin for Candy
Kids spin a colorful prize wheel to find out what happens next. Spaces could include “Pick Your Candy,” “Candy Swap,” “Two Pieces,” “Mystery Treat,” or other fun options.