Halloween Simon Says Game Printable: Monster Says Command Cards
One Monster, Thirty Commands, Zero Mercy
Some party games need supplies, setup, and a lot of explaining. This one needs none of that. One person plays the Monster, everyone else follows the commands — but only when the Monster says so. Get caught following a command that skipped the magic words, and you’re out (or you earn a strike, depending on how kind you’re feeling).
Kids love it because it’s silly. Adults love it because it’s fast, and nobody has to sit out for long. It’s the kind of game that works in a living room, a classroom, or a backyard, and it fills that awkward gap between arriving and eating candy without any fuss.
The version below plays as “Monster Says.” The leader is the Monster, the commands are monster-themed, and the whole game runs on listening carefully. We’ve written out all 30 command cards for you, plus the rules, the trick commands, and a few ways to change it up for different ages.
What You Need
Honestly? Almost nothing. You’ll need a group of players (four works, ten is even better), a bit of open floor space, and the command cards below printed out. A small prize for the last player standing is a nice touch — a bag of candy, a glow stick, or a silly sticker all work fine.
If you want to lean into the theme, the Monster can wear a mask, a cape, or a pair of goofy monster ears. It’s not required, but it makes the game feel like an event instead of just another activity, and kids tend to listen a little harder to someone in a cape.
Monster Says Command Cards 1–15: Classic Moves
MONSTER SAYS CARDS 1–15:
1. Stomp like Frankenstein
2. Flap like a bat
3. Stir the witch’s brew
4. Freeze like a statue
5. Creep like a zombie
6. Cackle like a witch
7. Roar like a werewolf
8. Wiggle like a worm
9. Float like a ghost
10. Prowl like a black cat
11. Shiver like you’re scared
12. March like a skeleton
13. Sniff the air like a vampire
14. Hop like a frog in a pumpkin patch
15. Wobble like a bowl of jelly
Monster Says Command Cards 16–30: Trickier Moves
MONSTER SAYS CARDS 16–30:
16. Howl at the moon
17. Tiptoe past the sleeping monster
18. Scratch like a mummy unwrapping
19. Spin in a circle three times
20. Crouch down small like a mouse
21. Wave your arms like a haunted tree
22. Snap your fingers like a skeleton dancing
23. Pretend to carve a pumpkin
24. Balance on one foot like a wobbly ghost
25. Make your scariest monster face
26. Giggle like a goblin
27. Pretend to fly on a broomstick
28. Shrug like you just saw a ghost
29. Clap twice and jump once
30. Do your best monster dance
How to Play
Pick one player to be the Monster. Everyone else stands facing the Monster, with enough room to move around without bumping into each other. The Monster holds the command cards (or just picks commands from the lists above) and calls them out one at a time.
Here’s the one rule that matters: players should only follow a command when the Monster says “Monster says” first. If the Monster says “Monster says stomp like Frankenstein,” everyone stomps. If the Monster just says “Stomp like Frankenstein” without the magic words, anyone who moves is caught.
The trick is that the Monster can mix it up. Call out three real commands in a row, then slip in a bare command with no “Monster says” and watch how many players move before they catch themselves. That’s where the laughs come from — and where the game gets its teeth.
In the classic elimination version, a player who follows a trick command is out. They step to the side and cheer on the rest. The last player still in wins and becomes the next Monster. Rounds are short, usually five to ten minutes, so nobody sits out for long.
If you’d rather keep everyone playing, use the friendly version instead: each player gets three strikes. Following a trick command earns one strike. At three strikes, the player sits out — or, for younger kids, they can just do a silly forfeit, like making their scariest face, and jump right back in. This version works best for mixed-age groups where you don’t want little ones feeling left out.
Ways to Change It Up
For a classroom party, slow the pace down and stick to the classic moves. The teacher (or a brave student) plays the Monster, and the three-strike version keeps the whole class involved. It’s also a sneaky listening exercise — kids have to hear the exact words before they move, which is exactly the skill teachers love to sneak into a party game.
For adults, speed it up and make the commands harder to catch. Chain two commands together (“Monster says spin in a circle three times and then freeze like a statue”), and slip in trick commands more often. Adults get competitive fast with this one, so a small prize — first pick of the candy bowl, or the honor of being the next Monster — keeps the energy high.
Another fun twist: let the winner of each round invent one new command for the next round. You’ll get wonderfully weird additions, and players feel like the game is theirs. You can also play a team version, with two Monsters calling commands at once — but only follow the Monster wearing the hat, or whichever signal you agree on before the round starts.
If you’re playing with very young kids, drop the trick commands entirely for the first round and let them just enjoy the moves. Add one trick command per round as they get the hang of it. The goal is giggles, not tears, and a game that ends with everyone laughing is a game worth playing again.
Free Printable + Premium Bundles
The command cards and rules above are free to print and use at your own party — just print this page, cut the cards apart if you’d like, and you’re ready to play. If you want the full premium printable bundles with matching Halloween games, decorations, and party printables, you’ll find them at Fukroo on Etsy.
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