Classroom Ideas
We have settled into a new school year by this point and it’s time to start looking for creative ways to engage students. The holidays are upon us, starting with Halloween, of course. This spooky time of year is also one of the best months of the school year because there are SO MANY amazing academic activities that can be incorporated into the school day. Whether you choose to do whole-class crafts or plan small centers in October, your students will be sure to love anything Halloween-themed.
Here are 15 engaging activities with a Halloween theme.
Halloween activities for Math
1. Spider squash
Students splat a spider over the correct answer to a number sentence.
2. Pumpkin magnatiles
Write math facts with a dry erase marker on magnatiles in the shape of a pumpkin. Line up math facts and answers so that, as students solve, the magnatiles will create the shape of a pumpkin, a ghost, or any other Halloween-themed shape.
3. Graph your snacks
Students can count and graph candy corn, spooky colored M&Ms, or any other fun Halloween snack.
4. A math-y craft-ivity!
Giving students the chance to be creative AND practice new math skills can be highly engaging for many students.
5. Halloween dice
Use dice games to engage students during centers. There are so many Halloween-themed dice games that are perfect for math centers. Students can be independent with this type of game!
Click here for a free math game with dice you can download and edit!
Reading & Writing activities
1. Read aloud a student favorite: Creepy Carrots
Follow up this reading with engaging games and question cards.
2. Review sounds by digging up boney cards
Have students dig for cards in a Halloween-themed treasure dig. They will match the image on the card to the sound choices on the game board.
3. Practice writing describing words on a gigantic pumpkin
Halloween is a great time to teach students about adding details to their writing!
4. Practice sequencing with The Hallo-Weiner by Dav Pilkey
Follow up this read aloud with a lesson on order of events. Students can sketch or write the order.
5. Sort facts vs. opinions
Everyone has opinions about creepy crawly spiders! Have kids sort facts and opinions about these classic Halloween creatures.
6. Label character traits of spooky characters from books read
Learn to identify character traits using spooky book characters as a guide.
Spooky, scary STEM!
1. Build Halloween monsters
You can make individual baggies or a tray of choice materials to use.
2. Use playdoh and plastic eyeballs to see how many can be stacked
Such a simple, fun, and spooky activity — perfect for STEM!
3. Weave a web
Use string and plastic spiders to weave a weave a web on a paper plate.
With so many choices, your students could be celebrating Halloween for the entire month of October.
