Halloween in Mallorca with kids: family activities and local traditions

Halloween in Mallorca can mean an afternoon of costumes and games, a visit to a specially decorated attraction or a neighbourhood celebration. Some families enjoy the scares; others prefer a little mystery, a few stories and something sweet to share. Getting together to play games or going to the cinema can be part of the fun too.

This time of year also offers a chance to discover the Nit de les Ànimes and the traditions of Tots Sants, which bring a distinctly Mallorcan character to the celebrations. You can explore these local customs and enjoy Halloween without having to choose between them.

This guide brings together ideas for celebrating Halloween with kids in Mallorca, from simple activities at home to family outings, along with places to look for events. Check dates, opening times and programmes directly with the organisers, as these change from year to year.

Halloween in Mallorca’s towns and neighbourhoods

Celebrating Halloween as a family does not have to involve a major event. Local town and neighbourhood celebrations can be a good starting point, especially if you would like to stay close to home and spend the afternoon with friends.

Activities may include craft workshops, face painting, storytelling, costume competitions and walks through the streets. Some celebrations also feature haunted walk-through attractions, but check the recommended ages: friendly ghosts and pumpkin decorations are a very different experience from a dark route with sudden scares.

In many neighbourhoods in Palma, children go from house to house trick-or-treating, while parents use the occasion to get together with other families. Some homes also put up their own Halloween decorations.

When searching for activities, look for Halloween, Nit de les Ànimes and Tots Sants. These names can lead you to different kinds of events, from costume parties to workshops making sweet necklaces and lanterns, or storytelling based on Mallorcan traditions.

Where to find local events

Start with the local council’s website and official social media accounts. We discover plenty of activities through Instagram.

You can also check announcements from libraries, cultural centres, neighbourhood community centres, known locally as casals de barri, and residents’ associations. Many organise events, storytelling sessions and workshops.

Make sure the announcement is for the year you are interested in, as posters from previous years often remain online. Before setting off, check the location, recommended age and whether registration is required, even for free activities.

For younger children, an afternoon celebration with games or workshops may be enough to enjoy the atmosphere. Big scares are not essential for a memorable Halloween.

Places that transform for Halloween

The decorations can be an attraction in themselves: pumpkins, cobwebs, lights and characters turn familiar places into something different. In Mallorca, you can find everything from organised attractions to private gardens decorated for the occasion. One of the best-known examples is Katmandu Park in Magaluf, which marks the end of its season with Halloween-themed activities. Check its current programme and ticket offers before visiting. In Palma, El Pueblo Encantado transforms the Pueblo Español with themed decorations and activities. Its official channels provide details of each edition.

A different local initiative is the Halloween house in Palmanyola, also known as the Beetlejuice house. Its owners have transformed their garden into a setting filled with horror characters and decorations on several occasions. As this is a private initiative, look for the current announcement before planning a visit.

When choosing an activity, consider the type of experience and the recommended age. Walking among decorations, playing games or meeting characters may appeal to younger children, while darkness, loud noises and sudden scares can be too intense. If a venue offers several experiences, choose the ones that suit your children without feeling you have to do everything.

Halloween at shopping centres

Shopping centres are another place to look for Halloween activities for kids. Check the event listings and official channels of places such as Porto Pi and FAN Mallorca Shopping.

Depending on the year’s programme, there may be creative workshops, face painting, entertainment or costume competitions. These activities can work well for a short outing without setting aside a whole day.

If you are looking for a rainy-day option, check whether the activity takes place indoors or under cover, as some shopping centres also have outdoor areas. Find out whether you need to book a place or join a particular workshop session.

Films and stories for a mysterious afternoon

A film or storytelling session can be a great way to enjoy Halloween. Witches, ghosts and haunted houses feature in plenty of children’s stories, with adventures that combine mystery and humour without needing big scares.

If you fancy going to the cinema, check the listings and any seasonal screenings. In Mallorca, Aficine’s “12 horas de terror” at Ocimax Palma is a horror marathon for fans of the genre, rather than an activity aimed at young children. If you are considering going with teenagers, check the films, age ratings and admission conditions. See Aficine’s current programme.

At home, you could organise a family screening of Monsters, Inc., Hotel Transylvania or Coco. The last of these explores remembering loved ones through Mexico’s Día de Muertos, a tradition distinct from Mallorca’s Nit de les Ànimes.

If your family prefers stories, a torch and a few cushions are enough to create an atmosphere. Read a story together or make one up as you go: each person adds a sentence and decides what happens next. Letting children choose how mysterious the story becomes helps them enjoy it, particularly if they are still uneasy about darkness or certain characters.

Nit de les Ànimes and the traditions of Tots Sants

This time of year is also an opportunity to introduce children to Mallorcan customs associated with remembering those who have died. Nit de les Ànimes, the night before 1 November, and Tots Sants, or All Saints’ Day, are part of this heritage, with traditions involving lights, pumpkins and sweets.

Lights and pumpkins on Nit de les Ànimes

According to popular belief, on the night of 31 October the souls of deceased relatives returned to the homes where they had lived. Lights were left burning to welcome them and help them find their way.

Candles could be placed inside earthenware vessels or seasonal produce such as pumpkins, which were hollowed out and decorated. These lanterns were placed by the door or in rooms around the house. Illuminated pumpkins also have a place in Mallorcan tradition, even though today we mainly associate them with Halloween.

The flesh of suitable pumpkins was also used to make cabell d’àngel, a sweet preserve used in Mallorcan pastries, including filled ensaïmades and robiols.

Learning about these customs adds another meaning to a simple activity such as decorating a lantern. Families can use it as an opportunity to share memories and stories about loved ones who are no longer with them, adapting the conversation to the children’s ages.

The rosari ensucrat: Mallorca’s sweet necklace

One of the sweetest Tots Sants traditions involves godparents giving their godchildren a rosari ensucrat: a string of sweets arranged like rosary beads, which children can wear as a necklace.

Traditional versions include marzipan, candied fruit and a central piece called the patena, which may be made from candied pumpkin. There are also versions with chocolates, boiled sweets and other confectionery. The ingredients vary, but the custom of giving one at this time of year remains.

To learn more about these customs, consult the Tradicionari de Mallorca from Fundació Mallorca Literària, which devotes one of its booklets to Nit de les Ànimes and Tots Sants.

Ideas for celebrating Halloween at home with kids

Getting ready can be part of the fun. A few simple materials and games are enough to organise a Halloween afternoon at home, with friends or relatives joining in.

• Make costumes using things you already have. Clothes, hats and accessories can help create a character. Each child can choose a name and explain their character’s special powers.
• Decorate together. Making cardboard bats, paper ghosts or drawing faces on pumpkins lets younger children get involved. Use LED lights to illuminate your lanterns.
• Organise a treasure hunt. Hide pumpkin drawings or small objects around the house. Each clue can lead to the next until everyone finds a shared treasure.
• Prepare themed snacks. Peeled mandarins with a small green stalk can become pumpkins, while sandwiches can be cut into shapes with cutters. Let the children invent names for their creations.
• Play trick or treat. At home, each room can be a stop with a riddle or a fun challenge. If you go around the neighbourhood, agree on a route with the other families and households taking part beforehand.

Choose two or three ideas and leave plenty of time to play. Adapt the atmosphere to what your children enjoy, whether that means friendly characters or a little more mystery.