Meet David De’ Ath, co-founder, editor, and writer at Wonderful World English. With his extensive background as an English teacher, David provides valuable insights and practical tips on ESL for students and teachers alike.
Halloween is a fun and festive time of year, especially in classrooms across the United States!
This holiday provides a unique opportunity for teachers to participate in fun and educational activities in the spirit of Halloween.
The ideas are unlimited!
From creative arts and crafts to interactive games and spooky storytelling, these Halloween-themed classroom activities foster friendships among students and creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills.
We understand this may be daunting, especially for those who want to offer something new in their classroom.
Don’t worry! We got you covered!
There are plenty of great Halloween classroom activities that teachers can offer their students. Some of the best Halloween activities include doing projects and making decorations, having a costume parade, spooky storytime, and carving pumpkins. These activities will require planning and preparation but will surely give students a fantastic time!
This article will explore different Halloween classroom activities that will surely entertain and educate students of all ages.
By the end of the day, you will surely be making wonderful memories with your whole class that can last with them for a lifetime.
Make sure to grab your notebooks and take note of these activities; let’s go!
Halloween Classroom Activities
Halloween can be one of the most exciting times of the year, especially for kids!
Offering students the opportunity to partake in Halloween activities in the classroom can be a great way to keep them happy.
Below are some of the best ideas that you can apply in your classroom to give your students an incredible (and perhaps a little spooky) time!
1. Halloween Projects and Decorations
One of the most popular Halloween activities in the classroom is making spooky crafts and decorations.
Students can indulge their creativity by making paper bats, witch hats, jack-o-lanterns, and ghost mobiles.
Teachers can also provide templates and materials, allowing students to cut, color, and assemble their Halloween-themed creations.
These crafts can be displayed in class or brought home to decorate student homes, spreading the Halloween spirit.
In addition, classrooms can be transformed into spooky spaces by decorating them with cob nets, scary toy insects, and spooky lights.
Students can participate in the transformation of their classroom, creating an immersive environment that enhances the Halloween atmosphere.
Alternatively, teachers can lead in organizing a horror booth or classroom for all grade levels so that it can be a school-wide activity.
The students will decorate their classroom, dress up, and scare those who will enter the classroom/booth.
The students can also work together to create tickets or booth pass to make it more personalized.
This promotes healthy competition among levels as they try their best to create a horror booth, house, or classroom.
As teachers it is our job to ensure our students are safe, and that means instilling in them an understanding of what to do in certain situations.
Thanksgiving is another huge time of celebration that is just a few weeks after Halloween.
For some great ideas for Thanksgiving activities in the classroom, check out the guide below!
Related Article: Thanksgiving Classroom Activities: Five Fantastic Ideas
2. Costume Parade and Character Show
Halloween wouldn’t be complete without costume parades and character shows.
Organizing a costume show is fun for students to express their creativity and get into the Halloween spirit.
Teachers can encourage students to dress up as their favorite literary characters, superheroes, or historical figures or even come up with their unique creations.
The costumes can be paraded in the school or classroom, allowing each student to show off their costume and have their peers guess their character or theme.
Level up your activity by adding an interesting activity in which students give a short monologue or skit about the character they are wearing.
This allows students to develop their public speaking skills by infusing them with the spirit of Halloween.
Students can learn about history, literature, and cultures by providing research and information about their chosen characters.
Activities in the classroom can sometimes be quite daunting for those shyer students.
Fortunately there are some great icebreaker activities that can help enhance any lesson, especially with new students.
Check out the article below to find out more!
Related Article: ESL Icebreakers: 16 Simple and Effective Ideas for Teachers
3. Awesome Spooky Stories and Writing
One wouldn’t miss the chance to share some spine-tingling history during the Halloween celebration.
Teachers can dim the lights and use candles or flashlights to set the mood and create a relaxed atmosphere.
Students can take turns telling scary stories or reading stories about Halloween aloud.
This activity encourages active listening, imagination, and creativity, as students can contribute or add their twist to the story.
Teachers can also organize Halloween-themed writing activities, especially for higher-grade students.
Students can write their own ghost stories, compose Halloween-themed poems, and even compose Halloween-themed songs.
To make it more exciting, a Halloween jingle contest would surely make the students feel the Halloween spirit.
This project encourages students to explore their writing skills and express themselves in interesting and imaginative ways.
4. Spooky Games and Trick or Treat
A celebration wouldn’t be complete without fun games.
Here are four awesome games you can use in the classroom that would surely bring out the children’s competitive spirit:
a. Treats Musical Game
Think of the game “Musical Chair Game.”
The students will form a big circle and pass around a treat while the music is on.
The students should dance while the music is playing.
When the music stops, the one holding the treat is eliminated.
Repeat the process until only one player remains.
b. Scavenger Hunt
The teacher needs to prepare a template with a list of specific objects children need to find.
This game can be played indoors or outdoors.
The student who accomplishes all the things on the list wins.
c. Traffic Light Game
This game can be played indoors or outdoors and can develop students’ listening skills.
To play this game, one should choose a student as the “traffic light.”
All players will be on the starting line; meanwhile, the traffic light stands on his back, facing away from the starting line.
When the traffic light says, “green light,” the players will move forward. When the traffic light says, “red light,” the plays will stop moving.
If a player doesn’t stop moving, the player is eliminated.
The game will continue until a player reaches the traffic light.
d. Build a Skeleton Game
Form two teams in the class.
The team will work together to build a skeleton as fast as possible.
The team that finishes first wins.
Games and activities are excellent additions to the classroom at Halloween and any other time of the year!
For some great ideas for fun games to play in the classroom, check out the guide below.
Related Article: Fun Classroom Games – Free Guide
5. Carving Pumpkins and Searching for Seeds
Pumpkin art is a classic Halloween tradition that can be adapted for the classroom.
Teachers can provide pumpkins and essential carving tools and ensure students follow safety precautions.
Students can design and carve their own Jack-O lanterns, developing their fine motor skills and creativity in the process.
After carving, teachers can discuss the life cycle of a pumpkin and its fruit.
This hands-on activity allows students to learn about plant biology and have a memorable Halloween experience.
Conclusion
Halloween provides a wonderful opportunity for teachers to engage their students in fun and educational activities.
Classrooms can be transformed into vibrant and interactive learning spaces with crafts, fashion shows, spooky stories, and pumpkin exploration.
These Halloween-themed activities encourage creativity, critical thinking, and cooperation among students.
By incorporating the spirit of Halloween into the classroom, teachers can make learning fun and memorable while embracing the holiday traditions that students look forward to each year.
We hope this guide has inspired you on what you can do in your classroom to give your students the best Halloween experience!
Have a wonderful day!
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