Halloween, Handled: My Prompts for Moms

Halloween with 3 kids used to live entirely in my head. The costumes, the class party, trick-or-treat night, pumpkin day, the candy. All the stuff you somehow end up in charge of as a mom.

So this year I gave ChatGPT some jobs. These are the full versions of the prompts from my Instagram carousel, plus everything else that comes up between now and November 1: trunk-or-treat, having friends over, the not-too-scary movie list, photos, and what to do with all that candy after. Copy a prompt, swap in your details where you see [brackets], and paste it into the AI you already use.

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A couple of tips before you start:

The more real details you give it (your kids' ages, your budget, your actual schedule), the better the answer.
If it guesses something it shouldn't, just tell it. "That's wrong, we're not free Friday" works great.
Nothing here buys, books or sends anything without asking you first. You stay in charge.
You don't have to use your kids' real names. "Kid 1, age 7" works just as well.

Which AI should you use?

Whichever one you already have. Every main prompt on this page works in all three. The add-ons tagged With Gmail, With Google Calendar or With browser AI depend on your app and your plan. Here's where each one shines for Halloween:

ChatGPT: My home base, and what I used for all of this. Make a Project (a folder where ChatGPT remembers everything about one topic) called Halloween. To connect Gmail and Google Calendar: Settings, then Apps (yours might say Plugins).

Claude: Great at the planning prompts, and it can also work inside your web browser, so it can fill an online cart while you watch. To connect Gmail and Google Calendar: Settings, then Connectors. Start with The Mom's Beginner Guide to Browser AI.

Gemini: Google's AI. If your family already runs on Gmail and Google Calendar, it's the easiest one to connect: Settings, then Connected Apps.

Menus move around a lot. If you get stuck, ask the AI itself: "How do I connect my Google Calendar to you?" More on each one in The AI Tools I Actually Use, and the step-by-step for connecting apps is in The AI Plugins Every Mom Should Connect.

Before you start: 2 minutes of setup

Do all of Halloween in one chat (or one Project). The AI remembers what you told it earlier in the same chat, so you only type your family's details once.
Connecting Gmail and Google Calendar is optional. The prompts tagged With Gmail or With Google Calendar use them. Every other prompt works on its own, and you can always paste a school email into the chat instead.
For anything with links, prices or hours (costumes, pumpkin patches, decorations), the AI needs to look things up online. If it answers without links, say "Search the web for this."
Tagged With browser AI? That one is for an AI that can click around a store's website for you, like Claude in your browser. It fills the cart and stops before checkout.

Your Halloween countdown

What to do when, so nothing turns into a 9 PM scramble. Each step has a prompt below.

As soon as you canRun Start here. Pick costumes and order anything that ships. Check the school calendar for parties, parades and dress-up days.
2 to 3 weeks outClass party sign-ups. Pumpkin day. Decorations up. Trunk-or-treat theme. Invites if you're having people over.
Halloween weekTry costumes on. Buy candy. Run the Halloween week sweep and the trick-or-treat plan with the real forecast.
Halloween nightQuick dinner, packed bag, photos, and a candy plan before anyone opens a bag.
November 1The after plan: candy, costumes, pumpkins and decorations, plus a note for next year.

The prompts show up right here.

Enter your first name and email in the form at the top of this page, and every prompt unlocks in this spot.

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Quick questions

Do I need a paid plan?

No. Every main prompt works on the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Some extras, like connecting apps or browser AI, depend on your plan, and plans change often, so check your app's settings.

It gave me a broken link or something that's sold out.

That happens. Say "That link doesn't work. Search again and only give me links you've checked." Always look at the store page yourself before you buy.

Is it safe to connect my Gmail and calendar?

Only connect what you'd be okay with your AI reading, and you can disconnect anytime in settings. Every connected prompt here ends with "ask me first" or "don't send or delete anything." My rules are in The AI Plugins Every Mom Should Connect.

What should I not share?

Skip passwords, payment details and anything private about your kids. Ages and first names (or "kid 1") are plenty.

Can I save these for next year?

Keep everything in one Project (ChatGPT and Claude both have them), screenshot your final checklist, and run the November 1 prompt so next year starts with your own notes.

Keep going after Halloween

Real life first. AI gets a job. Try these with me, and tell me which one you steal first.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok: @samantha.catanzaro