Monster Mouth Trunk
The open boot becomes a giant monster mouth with felt teeth, a tongue rug and huge eyes on the rear window.
45 min Cost $ 4 items
21 Trunk or Treat Ideas
Decorating themes for car boots, SUVs and truck beds, plus interactive games that keep the queue moving. Every idea lists what you need and roughly how long setup takes.
21 ideas
Giant Spider Web
A rope or yarn web stretched across the open boot with one oversized spider guarding the candy.
30 min Cost $ 4 items
Haunted House
Black plastic sheeting, flickering lights and window cut-outs turn the boot into a creepy house.
1.5 hr Cost $$ 5 items
Graveyard Scene
Foam headstones, fake grass and skeleton hands poking out of the ground.
45 min Cost $$ 4 items
Pirate Ship
A cardboard ship hull, a skull-and-crossbones sail and a treasure chest full of candy.
1 hr Cost $$ 5 items
Under the Sea
Blue streamers, paper fish and a fishing game in a sea of blue tablecloths.
1 hr Cost $ 4 items
Outer Space
A black boot full of glowing planets, star lights and a cardboard rocket.
1.3 hr Cost $$ 5 items
Dinosaur Land
Jungle leaves, a giant paper dinosaur head and “dino eggs” with treats inside.
1 hr Cost $$ 4 items
Candy Land Sweet Shop
Giant paper lollipops, pool-noodle candy canes and a rainbow path to the treats.
1 hr Cost $ 5 items
Pumpkin Patch
Hay bales, pumpkins and a scarecrow — easy, autumnal and not scary at all.
30 min Cost $$ 4 items
Mad Scientist Lab
Glowing potion bottles, bubbling “experiments” and lab coats.
45 min Cost $$ 5 items
Hungry Blue Monster
A furry blue monster with googly eyes — kids “feed” it a beanbag to get a cookie.
1 hr Cost $$ 5 items
Bean Bag Toss Game
Kids throw a bean bag through a pumpkin-face board to win their treat.
30 min Cost $ 3 items
Fishing for Candy
A “pond” behind a sheet: kids cast a rod over and a helper clips on a treat.
15 min Cost $ 4 items
Witch Hat Ring Toss
Toss glow-stick rings onto witch hats for a treat — great after dark.
10 min Cost $ 2 items
Balloon Arch Boot
An orange, black and purple balloon arch around the boot — fastest way to look festive.
45 min Cost $ 4 items
Truck Bed Stage
Turn the truck bed into a mini stage with lights and a costume photo spot.
1 hr Cost $$ 4 items
What is trunk or treat?
Trunk or treat is a safe alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treating. Families park in one car park — often at a school, church or community centre — open their car boots (trunks), decorate them, and hand out treats to children who walk from car to car.
Events usually happen on or in the week before Halloween, and many include a decorating contest.
Trunk or treat safety tips
Use painter’s tape or magnets on paintwork, keep the engine off, use battery lights rather than candles, and keep candy bowls away from the exhaust. Have a non-food treat option, such as stickers, for children with allergies.
Trunk or Treat questions
What is trunk or treat?
A community Halloween event where families decorate their open car boots in one car park and hand out treats, so children can trick-or-treat safely in one place.
How long does it take to decorate a trunk?
Simple themes take 30–45 minutes on the day; contest-level scenes may need an evening of prep beforehand.
How much candy do I need?
Ask the organiser for expected numbers; for a busy event, plan on at least one treat per expected child plus extra.
How do I decorate a car without damaging the paint?
Use painter’s tape, magnets, suction hooks or tension rods — avoid duct tape and anything with sharp edges.