Author: Looking for an easy Halloween activity you can pull out on a rainy afternoon or set up for a classroom party? These printable Halloween memory games are full of pumpkins, ghosts, bats, and other spooky characters, with four different ways to play.
Kids can find matching pictures, pair up spooky shadows, match letters to pictures, or count Halloween objects. Just print, cut out the cards, and pick a game! You can start with a handful of pairs for younger children or spread out a bigger set when everyone is ready for a challenge.
They’re a handy screen-free activity for October, and once you’ve prepared the cards, you can use them again and again.
What’s Included in the Halloween Memory Games Printable?
This 15-page printable pack includes a cover and four different matching games, with instructions included on the game pages.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- Halloween Picture Match: Three pages with 22 matching pairs, making 44 cards.
- Halloween Shadow Match: Three pages with 22 picture-and-shadow pairs, making 44 cards.
- Halloween Alphabet Match: Four pages with 26 uppercase letter cards and 26 corresponding picture cards.
- Halloween Count & Match: Four pages with number cards from 1 to 20 and 20 matching quantity cards.
The cards are in full color, with orange and purple details and plenty of Halloween pictures to keep little players interested. Both halves of every pair are already included, so you only need to print each game page once to make a complete set.
Halloween Picture Match
This is the classic memory game with a Halloween twist. Kids look for two identical pictures, turning over cards and trying to remember where they’ve seen each one before.
The pictures include jack-o’-lanterns, haunted houses, spiderwebs, ghosts, mummies, bats, black cats, witches, and Halloween treats. There are 22 pairs altogether, but you don’t need to use them all at once.
This is a good starting point for children who are new to memory games because they can match the pictures without needing to recognize letters or numbers.
Halloween Shadow Match
Can you work out which shadow belongs to the bubbling cauldron? What about the bat or the witch’s hat?
This game includes colorful Halloween pictures and matching gray silhouettes. Instead of finding two identical images, children look closely at each outline to find its partner.
There are 22 pairs featuring pictures such as a stack of pumpkins, a mummy, a ghost, a black cat, a scarecrow, a flying witch, and a spider. It adds a little extra challenge while keeping the rules simple.
Halloween Alphabet Match
This alphabet game includes all 26 uppercase letters, along with a labeled picture card for each one.
Children match letters to the first letter of the picture’s name, such as A for Apple, B for Bat, C for Candy, and G for Ghost. Other pictures include a haunted house, jack-o’-lantern, owl, pumpkin, raven, witch, and zombie.
The printed picture labels are useful for checking matches and introducing words children might not know yet. Go through the pictures together before playing so everyone knows which names to use.
You can play with the whole alphabet or choose a few familiar letters to begin with.
Halloween Count & Match
This game pairs the numbers 1 through 20 with cards showing corresponding quantities of Halloween objects.
Kids count pictures such as cauldrons, ghosts, pumpkins, eyeballs, bats, and spiders, then find the matching numeral.
The number and picture cards are each spread across two pages. The first set covers 1–9, and the second adds 10–20, so it’s easy to choose a smaller number range for younger players.
What You’ll Need
You don’t need much to get these Halloween games ready. Grab the printable PDF, a printer, paper or cardstock, and scissors. A laminator is optional, but it’s helpful if you want to use the cards throughout October or bring them out again next year.
Cardstock works especially well for memory games because it makes the cards sturdier and helps stop the pictures from showing through the backs.
You might also want a few envelopes or small zip-top bags to keep the four games separate.
How to Prepare the Cards
- Choose a game. Print the pages for the activity you want to try, or print the whole pack.
- Cut out the individual cards. Follow the rectangular borders so each card is separate.
- Laminate if you’d like. You can laminate the printed sheets before cutting, or cut the cards first and leave a small sealed edge around each one.
- Select your pairs. For a shorter or easier game, set aside a small group of complete pairs.
- Shuffle and set up. Give the cards a good mix before laying them out.
Keep the different games in separate piles, especially when you’re cutting out the full pack. Some Halloween characters appear in more than one activity!
How to Play Halloween Picture Match
The goal is to find pairs of identical Halloween pictures.
- Shuffle your chosen pairs and place the cards face down in rows.
- The first player turns over two cards so everyone can see them.
- If the pictures match, the player keeps the pair.
- If they don’t match, turn both cards face down again in the same places.
- Take turns until all the pairs have been found.
The player with the most pairs at the end wins. For a simple version, take turns after every attempt, including successful matches. You can also agree that finding a pair earns another turn.
Playing alone? Your child can work through the cards at their own pace and try to find every pair.
How to Play Halloween Shadow Match
For this game, children match a colorful picture to its shadow.
- Separate the colorful picture cards from the gray shadow cards.
- Shuffle each group and lay them face down in two separate areas.
- On each turn, flip over one colorful picture and one shadow.
- If the outlines match, keep the pair.
- If they don’t, turn the cards back over and let the next player try.
Keep playing until every picture has found its shadow.
For younger children, start with the cards face up. They can practice comparing shapes before adding the challenge of remembering where the cards are hidden.
How to Play Halloween Alphabet Match
The aim is to match each uppercase letter with the picture whose name begins with that letter.
- Choose the letters you want to use and gather their matching picture cards.
- Shuffle the letter cards and picture cards separately.
- Lay them face down in two groups so players can choose one of each.
- Turn over one letter and one picture.
- Say the letter and the picture’s name aloud. If they match, keep the pair. If not, turn them back over.
For example, P and Pumpkin make a pair, but P and Bat do not.
Keep going until all the pairs are matched. An adult can help read the labels when needed, especially with less familiar words.
You can also skip the memory element and use the cards as a face-up alphabet matching activity.
How to Play Halloween Count & Match
This game combines counting with number recognition.
- Choose a number range and find the corresponding picture cards.
- Shuffle the cards and place them face down. You can keep numerals on one side and picture cards on the other to make choosing one of each easier.
- Turn over a number card and a picture card.
- Count the Halloween objects on the picture card.
- If the quantity matches the number, keep the pair. If not, turn both cards back over.
Continue until all the pairs have been found.
Encourage children to point to each object as they count. That can help them keep track, especially on the busier cards with larger quantities.
Start with numbers 1–5 for a quick first game, then add more cards as your child gets comfortable.
Easy Ways to Adjust the Games
One of the nicest things about printable matching games is that you can change the difficulty without changing the activity.
Use fewer pairs. Four to six pairs make a manageable starting point. A full set creates a much longer game.
Play face up first. Let children practice finding matches before turning the cards over for a memory challenge.
Work together. Instead of keeping score, make it a team effort to find every pair. This works well when children of different ages are playing together.
Add a few new cards at a time. Build up the alphabet or counting games gradually instead of introducing every card in one go.
Keep the cards in place. When a pair doesn’t match, return both cards to their original spots. Remembering those positions is part of the game!
When to Use These Halloween Games
These printable Halloween matching games are easy to fit into all sorts of October plans. Set out a small game for an after-school activity, tuck a set into your homeschool supplies, or use the different games as stations at a Halloween party.
For a classroom or a larger group, print extra copies so children can play in pairs or small groups. Smaller sets help keep turns moving and give everyone more chances to play.
They’re also handy for a quiet activity before trick-or-treating, when the costumes are on but it’s still a little too early to head out!
Download the Halloween Memory Games PDF
Ready for some spooky matching fun? Download the Halloween Memory Games printable pack below.
The 15-page PDF includes the picture matching game, shadow matching game, Alphabet match and number matching games. Ready for some spooky matching fun? Download the Halloween Memory Games printable pack below.
The 15-page PDF includes the picture matching game, shadow matching game, A–Z alphabet matching game, and number matching game from 1–20. Print the whole pack or choose the pages you need for your favorite activity.
Once your cards are cut out, keep each game in a labeled envelope or bag so it’s ready for the next round.
More Halloween Printables and Activities
Keep the October fun going with more Halloween printables, simple crafts, and easy activities for kids. Whether you’re putting together a classroom party or just need something to do on a chilly afternoon, having a few ready-to-print ideas makes planning a little easier.
Add a Halloween bingo game, a coloring activity, or a simple paper craft to turn an afternoon of matching into a whole afternoon of spooky fun.
If you enjoyed these Halloween memory games, share this post with a friend or save it to your Halloween Pinterest board so you can find it again!
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