Halloween matching cards
Match a witch with her broom, a spider with its web, or hot cocoa with marshmallows. The printable list above contains 26 partner pairs to turn into 52 separate cards. Start with a few pairs face up, play memory with a face-down grid, or count your flips in a solo round. For children who are not reading yet, add pictures to the cards before playing.
What is in the Halloween pair list?
The four groups cover characters, a haunted house, snacks and things outside at night. Each match is two things that belong together, rather than two identical pictures: witch + broom is one pair, and vampire + cape is another. Show everyone the intended partners before shuffling; an owl and midnight may need more explanation than a spider and its web.
The full moon appears twice: once with the black cat and once with a howl. If you use both pairs, add a small cat symbol to the fronts of the cat-and-moon cards and a howling symbol to the fronts of the moon-and-howl cards. Keep the backs identical. You can also leave one of those pairs out of a smaller game.
Use the picker above to select a pair for a demonstration, or print all 26 entries as your reference. It prints the pair list, not separate illustrated cards. For another season, the Christmas matching cards and Thanksgiving matching cards pages offer different partner ideas.
Prepare the Halloween matching cards
Use the printed list to prepare one card for each half of a pair. A full set needs 52 cards; a six-pair game needs only 12. The suggested materials are 200 gsm card stock, a ruler, a paper trimmer or scissors, and markers. Check that your printer accepts the stock before using it.
- Print the pair list with the control above, or keep it beside you while preparing the cards.
- Mark out equal squares on card stock. A suggested size is 6 by 6 centimeters; use as many sheets as your paper size requires. Printing this page does not produce a fixed two-sheet card layout.
- Cut the squares and put one partner on each card. For example, draw a witch on one and a broom on another. Use words, pictures or both to suit your players.
- Snip the corners round if you prefer. Check that all cards are the same shape and size.
- Give every back the same design. Hold a card face down to check whether its picture shows through; a crayon pattern alone may not hide it.
- Sort the cards into pairs, check that each has its partner, then bag one set per table with a grid note and a score envelope.
For another project at the same table, Halloween lacing cards use card stock with holes and laces.
Play memory with the Halloween cards
Start with the youngest player’s needs and the space on your table. These are suggested starting grids; use fewer pairs if the group finds the game difficult.
| Players | Pairs and cards | Grid |
|---|---|---|
| Ages 3–4 | 6 pairs, 12 cards | 3 rows of 4 |
| Ages 5–6 | 10 pairs, 20 cards | 4 rows of 5 |
| Ages 7 and up | 26 pairs, 52 cards | 4 rows of 13, if there is room |
- Show the pairs, shuffle, and lay the chosen cards face down. Let the youngest player start.
- Turn over exactly two cards. Name each card as it is revealed, or have an adult name it.
- If the cards are partners, keep the pair and take another turn.
- If they do not match, let everyone see them, then turn them back over in the same places. Pass the turn to the left.
- Finish when the last pair is found. The player with the most pairs wins.
For a tie, you can share the win or use this optional tiebreak: take turns naming remembered pairs for 30 seconds and compare totals. Agree which you will use before the round starts. Children who would rather solve puzzles can try Halloween word games.
Play face up or try a solo round
Face-up matching for younger children
Take six familiar character pairs and spread all 12 cards face up. Ask a child to find two that belong together, such as the witch and broom, and name them together. Use pictures if they are not reading. When that feels easy, try the same six pairs face down in a 3-by-4 grid. Our preschool party games include other games you can demonstrate in one turn.
Count your flips in a solo game
Choose 12 pairs and lay the 24 cards face down in a 4-by-6 grid. Follow the memory rules, but count each card turned over as one flip. A two-card turn counts as two flips, including turns that find a match.
Write your total on the envelope and try to use fewer flips next round. The lowest possible total is 24, because every card must be turned over once. After practice, try an optional challenge: finish in under 30 flips.
Player: ____________________ Pairs used: ____________________
| Round | Total flips | Next-round target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ____________________ | ____________________ |
| 2 | ____________________ | ____________________ |
| 3 | ____________________ | ____________________ |
For more games around a table, browse quiet party games.
Play with a group or class
One deck can serve a table of four to six players. For 12 children, prepare two separate decks for two tables; for a class of 24, prepare four decks for four tables of six. Bag each set separately so cards do not move between tables.
For mixed ages, pair children up: the older child names the cards while the younger child turns them over. They share a turn and keep their pairs together. A smaller grid can make a better first round than the full set.
An optional three-card matching game
For three to five players, try this optional “flip-three steal” variant. Leave a missed pair face up, then see whether the next card matches either of them:
- Begin with all cards face down. The first player turns over two cards. Keep a matching pair and take another turn; leave a miss face up and pass left.
- When two unmatched cards are face up, the next player turns over one more card. Everyone looks for a partner among the three.
- The first player to name a correct pair keeps those two cards. Turn the unmatched third card face down, then begin a new two-card turn with the next player to the left.
- If none of the three match, turn all three face down and pass left. If two players call together, let the player taking the turn keep the pair.
Only a matching pair is kept; an unrelated third card stays in the game. Explain this variant before playing, or keep the ordinary turn-taking rules if calling out makes the table too busy.
Table: ____________________ Players: ____________________
Pairs used: ____________________ Grid: ____________________
Game rules: ____________________ Deck bag label: ____________________
You could allow eight minutes for a classroom round, then count pairs if cards remain and offer a rematch. This is a suggested time limit, not a promise that every grid will be finished. Between seated rounds, Halloween acting cards offer a movement break.
Get the cards ready before the party
Spread preparation over a few short sessions if that suits your week. Allow time to draw or label the cards; the pair list does not come with ready-made illustrations.
- A week before: Print the pair list, choose how many pairs each table will use, and gather card stock and markers.
- Over the weekend: Cut and label the cards, add pictures where needed, and check the backs.
- The night before: Check every pair and bag each table’s deck with its grid note and score envelope.
- Before guests arrive: Lay out a demonstration pair. Set the younger children’s cards face up and keep the other sets ready to shuffle.
More Halloween games for the same table
Try Halloween picture bingo if you want one caller leading a picture game. For a break from the table, the Halloween hunt around the house offers a clue trail to prepare beforehand.
If you are organizing the whole party, Halloween party games for kids has active and seated options. The Halloween games and food guide includes not-scary choices to go with the games.
Halloween matching card questions
How many decks do I need for 12 children?
Prepare two separate decks for two tables of six. The number of printed sheets depends on your card layout; this page prints a pair list, not a fixed two-sheet deck.
What size should I make the cards?
The suggested size is 6 by 6 centimeters. Make every card the same size and use identical backs so players cannot identify a card while it is face down.
Can children play without reading?
Yes, if you add recognizable pictures to the cards. Start with six familiar pairs face up and show which two cards belong together before playing.
How do I play on my own?
Lay 12 pairs face down in a 4-by-6 grid. Turn over two cards at a time and count each card turned over as one flip. Record the total and try to use fewer flips next round.
How can mixed ages play together?
Start with a grid the youngest player can manage. Pair an older child with a younger child: one names the cards while the other turns them over. Let the youngest player start.