How to Make a Simple Pac-Man Trunk or Treat Car Decoration for Under $15
Looking for a budget-friendly and easy-to-store trunk-or-treat idea? This Pac-Man themed trunk-or-treat car decoration is just the thing to keep your Halloween happy and low-stress!
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You’ve probably been trick-or-treating, but have you ever been to a TRUNK or treat? It’s a fun way to celebrate Halloween and get the trick-or-treat experience…but with a LOT less walking!
What is Trunk-or-Treating?
Trunk-or-treating is a fun twist on traditional trick-or-treating where families park their cars in a designated area, decorate their trunks with creative Halloween themes, and hand out candy to excited trick-or-treaters. It’s a safe way for kids to enjoy Halloween, and for parents to get creative with decorating!
A quick Pinterest search will give you loads of amazing ideas for elaborate trunk or treat car decorations, and some of them are truly impressive! But in the real world, where we’re trying to help with class parties, and finish last-minute Halloween costumes…not to mention all the normal busy family life stuff, you probably don’t have time for something elaborate.
If you’re like me, you want a solution that is fun, inexpensive, and SIMPLE!
An Easy Trunk-or-Treat Idea
A few years ago, we were invited to participate in a church trunk-or-treat, and I did NOT have a lot of time to invest. Still, I wanted to bring something fun for the participants to enjoy. I just needed a simple idea that would give me a lot of bang for my buck! After a bit of brainstorming, I came up with something I was really excited about.
One quick trip to the store and a couple hours of crafting later, here’s what I ended up with:
I love how it turned out! The design is super simple, but the bright colors make it really eye-catching! It’s a fun blast from the past that I’ve used for three years in a row, and I’ll happily reuse for years and years to come.
Why You’ll Love This Pac-Man Trunk-or-Treat Idea:
This Pac-Man themed trunk-or-treat setup ticks all the boxes for busy moms looking to maximize their impact with minimal effort.
- The bright, neon colors make it bold and fun, especially at night.
- The supplies are basic and inexpensive. Everything you need can be found easily at your local craft store (or just Walmart!) for under $15.
- It’s easy to store. All the decorations fold flat inside the tri-fold board, so it’s easy to hide away in a basement, closet, or even slide under a bed!
- It only takes a couple of hours to make. It’s a fairly quick project that doesn’t require a lot of crafting experience, just basic cutting and gluing. Plus, since it’s so easy to store, you’ll never have to scramble for last minute decorations again!
Want to make your own? Here’s how!
How to Make a Simple Pac-Man Trunk or Treat Car Decoration
Materials Needed:
- 1 black tri-fold display board 36×48 (link for reference, but they’re cheaper in local stores)
- variety of neon poster boards (You can buy them in a pack, or individually in stores)
- Yellow poster board
- blue painter’s tape
- yellow dot stickers (or paint pen)
- white paper or cardstock
- black (or blue) paper or black marker
- scissors
- tape or glue
- Optional: Battery-operated Halloween string lights (can be found at most dollar or discount stores)
Instructions:
1. Create Your Pac-Man and Ghosts:
- Pac-Man: Start by cutting a large circle from the yellow poster board (I used a pencil and string to measure out the circle). To create the signature Pac-Man mouth, cut a triangle out of the circle.
- Ghosts: Cut large ghost shapes out of the neon poster boards. Use a circular object (like a large serving bowl) to trace the tops, and freehand cut the bottom to make wavy edges like the game characters.
- Use extra pieces of white and black poster board or leftover scrap paper to cut out large eyes for each ghost. Attach them with glue or double-sided tape. Note: To make your ghosts look “shifty”, glue the pupils on the side of the white eyes so the ghosts are looking to the side.
2. Design the Maze:
- Lay out your black tri-fold display board (this will form the background inside your car).
- Use blue painter’s tape to create the simple Pac-Man maze. Tape straight lines in a maze pattern across the display board to mimic the game’s iconic maze structure.
- Tip: Start with the middle box, then mirror the design outwards. Don’t worry too much about getting the design exactly “right.” Just play with it until you like the look.
- Optional: If you have extra time, you can use extra paper, dot stickers, or a paint pen to make the classic Pac-Man dots. But, seriously, no one will miss them if you hit a time crunch. I didn’t add them the first time we used these decorations.
3. Set Up the Trunk:
- Once your decorations are ready, attach the Pac-Man and ghost figures to the back of your car trunk using more painter’s tape. I put Pac-Man at the top of the open trunk, and then spaced out the ghosts on either side and at the bottom.
- Attach the tri-fold board maze to the back of the car, creating the background for your characters. This board fits easily into most vans and SUVs and provides a solid backdrop for your Pac-Man scene. (Note: I recommend putting down the back seats if you have a minivan so you have a higher “floor” to set everything up on.)
- Add your favorite Halloween treats or light-up toys to a bowl or basket to hand out to your visitors! I put an old black sheet on the floor of the van, and set our candy bowl on that. You could also use a plastic tablecloth or similar.
4. Add Some Lights (Optional):
- For added effect, string inexpensive Halloween lights around the inside of your trunk or around the display board. Our purple battery-operated LED lights added a spooky glow that made the neon colors really pop. If you have one, a blacklight will create an especially fun effect!
And there you have it! Super simple Trunk-or-Treat decorations that you can reuse every year!
Storing Your Trunk-or-Treat Decorations
When the event is over, disassemble the display by gently removing the posters and lights. Make sure to take off all the tape, so the pieces don’t stick together. Lay everything flat inside the tri-fold board.
Store the pieces in a large plastic trash bag to protect them from damage, and slide the whole setup under a bed, in the back of a closet, or in an out-of-the-way corner of your basement. That’s it!
Now you’re all set for every Trunk-or-Treat you’ll attend for years to come! Happy Halloween!
Want more simple ideas for Halloween Fun? Try these:
- Halloween Action Cards: A Spooky, Fun Printable Game for Kids!
- Free Printable Halloween BINGO Game for Kids
- Silly sidewalk chalk jack-o-lanterns: an easy Halloween activity for kids
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