Boo-yah! Netflix Has Created A Safe Way To Celebrate Halloween For The Whole Family

This article was published in partnership with Netflix.

Halloween sort of snuck up on all of us this year. Understandably so. Between many of us working from home, schools doing long-distance learning, and all of us dealing with the election, the real world is scary enough as it is. Even though this Halloween may come with a few more tricks than treats — from socially-distanced parties to a little less knocking on neighbors’ doors — you can still make the season special for you and your little ones with the help of Netflix.

Of course, that means marathoning all the Halloween classics as per usual. But this year, courtesy of Netflix, that also means making a haunted house in your own home. You’ll be able to #NetflixHauntsYourHouse with just a printer and your smartphone. Yes, that’s really all the things you’ll need.

In partnership with Snapchat, Netflix is bringing the ooky-spooky straight to your doorstep. This family-friendly experience — read: less jump scares, more silly Halloween spirit — brings everything your kids love about a haunted house right to your own home. No need to wait in long lines, worry about sanitizing your entire self, or figure out how to stuff a warm coat under a witch costume. You won’t even need to download and learn an entirely new app. You’ve likely already got everything you need to turn your house into a Netflix haunted home.

How Does It Work?

First and foremost, make sure you have Snapchat downloaded on your phone. I’m sure you do since the dog filter was basically the only quarantine-safe babysitter anyone could come by.

Then, go to NetflixHauntsYourHouse.com where you can download and print Snapcodes that, when scanned, lead you through a scared silly Halloween-themed experience centered around the moon. You’ll hang up these printed-off codes in specific areas of your home like your living room wall or floor, a wall or floor in your kitchen, and a hallway wall. As your family moves through the experience, the moon will reveal a surprise at the end, so it’s best to follow the Snapcodes in sequential order by beginning with the code marked #1.

From there, all you need to do is open Snapchat on your phone and press and hold on the

Snapcode to unlock each Halloween AR surprise. Next, you’ll welcome Chrissy — an adorable little car dressed like a ghost from Netflix’s own Go! Go! Cory Carson Halloween. Along the way you’ll see some familiar faces from your favorite Netflix shows, and the grand finale Snapcode will feature a surprise treat (it’s a good one).

Does This Mean I Have To Decorate My House For Halloween?

Absolutely not. In fact, it means the exact opposite! No need to stress out about where you put that Pinterest spider craft you begrudgingly made last year. Skip over that annual conversation you have with yourself about the point of putting up fake cobwebs just to take them down the next day. The Netflix Haunt Your House Snapcodes are essentially digital decoration and require very minimal cleanup. You can certainly level up the experience by decking out your home in full Halloween decor, adorning each room like you’re walking through a real haunted house. But as I said before, there is no wrong way to ‘ween.

When Is This Virtual Haunted House?

Right now! You can go to NetflixHauntsYourHouse.com to download and print the Snapcode. However, you’ll have to wait until Halloween day, October 31, for the Snapcodes to come to life. That gives you a solid ten days to offer up whatever sacrifices your printer requires to make it work reliably. It’s a small price to pay since you’ll get to skip out on haunted house ticket fees, convincing your kid that shoes are required for the experience, and making small talk with the college kid greeting you at the entrance.

Does Netflix do birthdays? Holiday parties? Zoom happy hours???

No, but one can certainly dream.

You can visit Netflix Haunts Your House to learn more and download the markers.