Halloween Left Right Game: 7 Stories for Passing Treats

Last October we played the left-right game at our kitchen table — my four-year-old, my two-year-old, two neighbor kids — and I have never heard children laugh that hard at a story. Everyone sits in a circle holding a treat bag, one grown-up reads a Halloween story aloud, and every time the story says LEFT, the bags scoot one seat left; every time it says RIGHT, they scoot right. When the story ends, whatever bag is in your hands is yours.

Most versions make you hunt down a printable or buy a story pack, so I wrote seven complete original Halloween stories for this guide — every LEFT and RIGHT counted, so the host knows exactly how much passing each round involves.

Heads up: this post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, MamaKinder may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps keep these guides free.

⬇ Download all 7 stories (PDF)

How the Game Works

• What you need: one small treat bag, wrapped gift, or prize per player (or one prize for the whole circle), plus one of the seven stories below. No board, no pieces, no batteries.
• Setup: Everyone sits in a circle — floor, couch, or chairs. Hand each player one bag, pick a reader (the reader doesn’t pass). Works with 4 players; 6 to 20 is the sweet spot; split bigger parties into two circles.
• The rules: The reader reads the story aloud and sets the pace. Every LEFT means pass your bag left; every RIGHT means pass right. No pausing, no re-reads — the chaos is the point. When the story ends, whatever bag you’re holding is yours to keep. Say cues clearly without pausing before them; a silent read-through beforehand helps the reader find the rhythm.

What to pass: Small treat bags filled with wrapped candy are the classic; glow sticks or mini Play-Doh tubs work for a no-candy table, and a mini pumpkin makes a “pass the pumpkin” round. One bag per player means nobody ends empty-handed — and pick the most dramatic reader in the room, since spooky voices make it twice as fun.

Cue note: each LEFT and RIGHT below is bolded and counted — read only the story text aloud.

Quick Picks: Which Story Tonight?

⬇ Download all 7 stories (PDF)

The 7 Stories

1. The Night the Pumpkins Went Missing

Cues: L 8 · R 10 · Total 18

On Halloween morning, Mia woke up and looked LEFT. The three pumpkins on the porch were gone! She ran RIGHT to the kitchen. “The pumpkins are gone!” she cried. Her brother Noah came RIGHT over. They searched LEFT and RIGHT. Nothing was LEFT on the porch.

Flashlights ready, they stepped LEFT out the door and turned RIGHT down the path. A trail of pumpkin seeds led LEFT, then RIGHT, then LEFT again.

They followed the seeds LEFT past the fence, where a black cat darted RIGHT across their path!

They followed the seeds RIGHT around the garage and found all three pumpkins sitting in a wagon. A note was taped to the biggest one: “Borrowed for the block party — come RIGHT this way for cider!” The kids laughed and wheeled the wagon RIGHT down the street. The pumpkins were RIGHT where they belonged — at the block party. One seed stayed stuck to her LEFT shoe — her souvenir.

2. Wanda the Witch’s Backwards Broom

Cues: L 13 · R 10 · Total 23

Wanda the witch woke up on Halloween with her broom flying backwards. Every time she steered LEFT, the broom zoomed RIGHT. When she leaned RIGHT, it swooped LEFT! “This will never do,” she said, shaking the broom with her LEFT hand.

First she flew LEFT over the schoolyard. The kids below waved — and the broom looped RIGHT around the flagpole!

“Whoa!” said Wanda, steering LEFT hard. She drifted RIGHT over the pumpkin patch, where a scarecrow tipped his hat to the LEFT. Wanda rose LEFT above the rooftops.

At last she spotted Gertie the ghost. “You look turned around,” giggled Gertie. “Try patting the broom twice on the LEFT and once on the RIGHT.” Wanda patted LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT — and the broom straightened out at once!

Wanda flew home the RIGHT way around the moon, landed softly on her LEFT foot, and parked the broom RIGHT by the door. From that night on, she always checked her steering before takeoff — LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT — just to be sure.

3. The Haunted House on Maple Street

Cues: L 9 · R 10 · Total 19

Sam, Priya, and Leo decided to visit the haunted house at the end of Maple Street. Sam knocked with his RIGHT hand. The door creaked open to the LEFT. “After you,” said Priya, pointing RIGHT. “No way,” said Leo. “You first. Go LEFT.”

Inside, cobwebs hung to the LEFT and RIGHT. Sam’s flashlight beam swung LEFT — a rocking chair was rocking all by itself! Leo jumped RIGHT behind the couch.

“Stay calm,” whispered Priya, “and keep to the RIGHT.” They tiptoed RIGHT down the hallway. Something went bump on the LEFT! A tiny ghost popped out. “Boo!” it squeaked. The friends laughed — the ghost was no bigger than a kitten.

The little ghost pointed LEFT with one see-through hand and RIGHT with the other. “Treats are that way,” it said. They followed it LEFT to a kitchen table piled with candy. “Take some with your LEFT hand,” said the ghost, “and some with your RIGHT hand.”

The friends filled their bags and ran RIGHT out the front door. “Best haunted house ever,” said Sam. “Same time next year?” asked Priya. “LEFT or RIGHT?” laughed Leo. “Both!” they shouted together.

4. Ghost Pup’s First Halloween

Cues: L 8 · R 7 · Total 15

Ghost Pup was a small white puppy with a soft glow. On Halloween night, he wanted to join the parade. He peeked LEFT. He peeked RIGHT. The coast was clear!

Ghost Pup trotted LEFT down the sidewalk. He wagged his tail to the RIGHT. He saw a kitten in a pumpkin costume on the LEFT. “Happy Halloween!” barked Ghost Pup.

The kitten waved a tiny paw to the RIGHT. Ghost Pup picked up a treat — careful, gentle — and carried it LEFT to share.

Then Ghost Pup heard music. He turned RIGHT toward the sound. The parade was starting! He marched LEFT, then RIGHT, then LEFT again, keeping perfect time with the other pups.

At the end of the street, every pup got a treat. Ghost Pup got his in his LEFT paw… oops, he dropped it! A kind kid picked it up and put it RIGHT back. “Good pup,” said the kid.

Ghost Pup trotted home, tired and happy. He curled up on his blanket, first facing LEFT, then rolling RIGHT. “Best Halloween ever,” he sighed, and fell fast asleep.

5. The Candy Corn Caper

Cues: L 9 · R 9 · Total 18

Someone had taken the giant candy corn from the party table! Detective Dana grabbed her magnifying glass in her RIGHT hand and her notebook in her LEFT hand.

She questioned the guests. The vampire had been sitting to the LEFT of the punch bowl all night. The mummy had been standing to the RIGHT of the door. The werewolf just howled and pointed LEFT, then RIGHT, then LEFT again. Not helpful.

Dana followed the clues. A trail of orange crumbs led LEFT around the couch. Then the trail turned RIGHT toward the kitchen. In the kitchen, the crumbs stopped — but a sticky handprint was LEFT on the fridge door!

Dana opened the fridge with her LEFT hand. Inside, behind the apple juice, sat the giant candy corn — with one tiny bite taken out of the RIGHT side. “Aha!” said Dana.

Just then, Ben tiptoed RIGHT into the kitchen, crumbs on his chin. “I only took a nibble!” he said. “I LEFT the rest!” Dana laughed. “Case closed,” she said. “The candy corn stays RIGHT here on the table — and you, young man, are sharing it with everyone.”

Ben carried the candy corn back to the table. The guests cheered. The vampire raised his cup to the LEFT. The mummy clapped to the RIGHT. Even the werewolf howled, pointing RIGHT at the dessert table. Mystery solved, treats saved, party back on.

6. Skeletons in the Parade

Cues: L 13 · R 12 · Total 25

The skeleton parade stepped off at sundown. Rattling Rita led with her LEFT foot, then her RIGHT foot, then her LEFT foot again. Bony Bob drummed with his RIGHT hand behind her.

The crowd cheered on both sides of the street. Rita waved LEFT. Bob waved RIGHT. A little skeleton twirled — LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT — and everyone clapped.

At the corner, the parade turned LEFT. Rita tossed candy to the LEFT. Bob tossed candy to the RIGHT. Kids scrambled to catch it!

Halfway down Main Street, the parade stopped. “Dance break!” shouted Rita. Everyone shook their bones to the LEFT, then to the RIGHT. Even the grown-ups joined in — a dad did the robot to the LEFT while a grandma moonwalked to the RIGHT.

The parade marched RIGHT past the library and LEFT past the park. At the finish line, every skeleton got a sticker — Rita’s went on her LEFT rib, Bob’s on his RIGHT elbow. “Same time next year!” they rattled. The crowd cheered LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT — the loudest cheer of the night.

7. The Great Bat Migration

Cues: L 9 · R 8 · Total 17

Every Halloween, the Bell Tower bats fly south for the winter. This year, young Bella Bat was leading the way. “Follow me!” she squeaked. The flock banked LEFT. Then they swooped RIGHT.

They flew LEFT over the cornfield and RIGHT over the river. An old owl hooted from the LEFT. “Mind the windmill!” he called. The bats veered RIGHT just in time.

Bella spotted a storm cloud to the LEFT. “Detour!” she cried. The flock looped RIGHT around it, then dove LEFT under a rainbow… wait, a rainbow at night? It was the town’s Halloween light show! The bats did a happy loop — LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT — straight through the colored beams.

Past the light show, Bella counted heads. She looked LEFT: twenty bats. She looked RIGHT: twenty more. “Everyone’s here!” she cheered.

They glided into the valley and landed in the old oak trees. Bella hung upside down and smiled. “We flew LEFT when it mattered and RIGHT when it counted,” she said. “Best migration yet.” And the whole flock squeaked in agreement.

Host tip: fewer total passes means a calmer round (start toddlers on #4); more passes means a wilder one — #6 is the full three-minute chaos option.

Playing With Toddlers and Preschoolers

For the under-5 crowd, tweak it:

• Partner up. Each toddler sits with a grown-up who holds the bag with them and does the passing.
• Use story #4. Ghost Pup has the fewest cues (15) and zero scary moments. Read it at half speed.
• Everyone wins. Give every player their own treat bag at the start — each child keeps a bag, no tears.
• Teach the L-hand trick. Thumb and pointer finger make an “L” on the LEFT hand. My four-year-old still checks hers mid-game.

Fun Variations

• Pass the Pumpkin. Pass a mini pumpkin instead of treat bags — holder at the end wins a prize.
• Haunted Hot Potato. Play spooky music; when it stops, whoever holds a bag does a silly Halloween action (werewolf howl, witch cackle, zombie shuffle), then the story continues.
• Trick Card Surprise. Slip “Trick” and “Treat” cards into the bags — a cue landing on you means drawing one. Treat wins a small prize; Trick means doing something goofy like flapping like a bat.
• Trick-or-Treat Twist. Fill one big bag with little treats — stickers, candy, glow sticks. At the end, whoever holds it picks one item, then passes the rest on.
• Monster Circle Shuffle. On every RIGHT, pass right and take one step right; on every LEFT, the same to the left. The circle ends up shuffled like silly zombies.

Glow Sticks — 100 Pack

The non-candy passing prize — tuck one in every treat bag or pass them as the prize itself. A 100-pack covers the whole party with plenty to spare.

Check Price on Amazon

Treat Safety (Two Minutes, Worth It)

A grown-up should supervise when little kids play. Use wrapped candy only, keep an allergy-aware bag separate if needed, and keep small hard candies away from under-3s — choking hazard. Mini Play-Doh tubs and glow sticks make great non-candy prizes; a grown-up cracks the glow sticks.

Play-Doh 10-Pack of 2oz Colors

Mini tubs as little-kid prizes — a no-candy option toddlers love, and the perfect size for treat bags.

Check Price on Amazon

Shop This Post

Everything mentioned in this guide, in one place:

Product	Used For	Price
Glow Sticks — 100 Pack	The non-candy passing prize — one per treat bag, or the prize itself	Check Price
Play-Doh 10-Pack of 2oz Colors	Mini tubs as little-kid prizes — a no-candy option toddlers love	Check Price

Frequently Asked Questions

How many players do you need?

Four minimum; 6 to 20 is the sweet spot. Over 20? Split into two circles.

What do you pass?

Small treat bags — one per player, so everyone keeps something. Wrapped candy, glow sticks, mini Play-Doh tubs, stickers, or one wrapped gift per player all work. A mini pumpkin makes a fun “pass the pumpkin” round.

How do you play with toddlers?

Partner each toddler with a grown-up who passes with them, read story #4 (Ghost Pup) at half speed, and give every player a treat bag so everyone wins.

Can you write your own story?

Yes — pick a Halloween theme and weave 15–20 LEFT and RIGHT cues into a 1–3 minute story.

What if someone passes the wrong way?

Nothing — play on. The reader never stops or re-reads, and wrong-way passes are the funniest part.

Start With Ghost Pup Tonight

New to the game? Read story #4, Ghost Pup’s First Halloween, at tonight’s dinner table — 90 seconds, 15 cues, zero prep beyond a few treat bags.

Happy haunting, mama — and may your treat bag land exactly where you want it. (It won’t. That’s the game.)