Halloween Costume Swap Game Printable: Steal Rules + Swap Tracker
Trade Costumes, Steal Laughs, Leave in Someone Else’s Hat
The costume swap game is the party game where nobody stays in the costume they arrived in. Every guest brings a wrapped costume bundle, players take turns opening or stealing bundles, and by the end everyone is wearing something ridiculous that belonged to someone else. It is part white-elephant exchange, part fashion show, and entirely hilarious.
This page gives you the swap rules, the costume prop cards, a swap tracker you can copy, and variations for every age. Print this page, wrap a few bundles, and start swapping.
What You Need
One wrapped costume bundle per player, each with 1 to 3 wearable items such as a hat, glasses, a scarf, fake fangs, or a wig
Wrapping paper or non-transparent bags for the bundles
Number slips, one per player, drawn from a hat
The swap tracker below and a pencil
A timer or phone timer, optional
A mirror or a phone camera for the final fashion show
Optional: small prizes for the funniest final outfit and the best swap story
How to Prepare the Bundles
Ask every guest to bring one bundle, made from things they already own or found cheaply at a thrift store. Each bundle must contain items anyone can wear, in roughly one size, so nobody gets stuck with a costume they cannot put on. Wrap each bundle so nobody can see inside, and stack them in the middle of the room before the game starts. If a guest forgets a bundle, the host keeps two spare bundles ready, one silly and one spooky, so nobody sits out.
For classrooms or offices, collect the bundles ahead of time and check that every item is clean, safe, and appropriate for the group. No sharp props, no masks that block vision, and nothing that belongs to a specific person’s culture or uniform.
How to Play
Each player draws a number slip. Player 1 picks a wrapped bundle, opens it, and puts the costume on. Player 2 may either steal Player 1’s costume or open a new bundle. If Player 2 steals, Player 1 opens a new bundle. Play continues in number order, and every player on their turn may steal any costume already opened or open a new bundle. A costume may be stolen at most twice in the whole game, so the game ends instead of going in circles.
When every player is wearing a costume, the game ends and the fashion show begins. Each player walks the “runway,” which can be a hallway or just a gap between the couches, and tells the group one sentence about their new character. The group votes for the funniest final outfit, and the winner keeps their stolen costume as a prize, which is only fair, since they stole it already.
Costume Swap Tracker
Copy this tracker onto paper and let the scorekeeper fill it in as the game runs.
Player 1: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 2: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 3: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 4: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 5: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 6: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 7: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Player 8: __________ Opened bundle ______ Stole from ______ Stolen by ______ Final costume __________
Funniest final outfit: ____________________ Best swap story: ____________________
12 Costume Prop Card Ideas
If guests need inspiration for their bundles, share these ideas.
1. Witch: a pointed hat and a striped scarf.
2. Vampire: a cape and plastic fangs.
3. Ghost: a white sheet poncho and dark glasses.
4. Pirate: an eye patch and a bandana.
5. Skeleton: black gloves and a bone-pattern scarf.
6. Cat: ears on a headband and a tail.
7. Pumpkin: an orange hat and a green scarf.
8. Wizard: a starry hat and round glasses.
9. Zombie: torn fabric strips and grey face paint.
10. Bat: black wings made from fabric and a headband.
11. Mummy: rolls of white bandage fabric.
12. Superhero: a cape and a mask, Halloween colors only.
Variations for Every Age
For young children, skip stealing entirely: each child opens one bundle and keeps it, which is exciting enough without tears. For tweens, allow one steal per player for the whole game, which keeps the game moving and the drama high. For teens and adults, play the full steal rules with the two-steal limit, and add a “freeze” rule: after the final round, no more steals, so the fashion show can start. For offices, play it as a meeting icebreaker with a strict 15-minute timer, and let the funniest outfit win a small prize, like a candy bag or a silly trophy.
Tips for a Friendly Swap
Set the steal limit before the first bundle opens, because arguing about it mid-game ruins the mood. Remind players that a stolen costume is a compliment, not an insult, and that the best swap stories come from the boldest steals. Take a group photo at the end, because a room full of people wearing each other’s costumes is the kind of photo that gets framed. And remind everyone to take their new costume home, since a pile of abandoned capes at the end of the night is a real thing that really happens.
Want the Full Premium Bundle?
This free printable game is ready to play as written. If you want matching printable party bundles with more games, signs, and scorecards in one coordinated set, visit our Etsy shop at Fukroo on Etsy for the full premium printable bundles.
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