Welcome to our “Not-So-Spooky Halloween Classroom Guide” – your go-to resource for Halloween classroom ideas. This time of year, it’s all about adding a touch of Halloween magic to your classroom without all the frights! Halloween is when kids’ imaginations run wild, making it the perfect opportunity to bring some seasonal fun into your teaching.
In this guide, we’re going to explore all sorts of ways to make reading, writing, creating, and celebrating Halloween a blast in the classroom. From picking out captivating Halloween books to inspire young readers, to whipping up spooky stories with creative writing prompts, and diving into fun crafts and activities, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a teacher or a parent looking for fun Halloween classroom ideas, join us on this adventure to make Halloween in the classroom a whole lot of fun!
Before we begin, I think it’s always important to honor your kids’ cultures and belief systems so if you have students who do not celebrate Halloween then I don’t condone inundating your students with Halloween everything. Depending on your school rules, you may be able to do a little here and there.
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Write About on Halloween
Use Paperless Halloween Writing Prompts
Even if your morning routine already consists of these writing prompts, incorporating Halloween prompts for one week is sure to add a touch of whimsy and excitement to your classroom. The best part is that these prompts are free and you can download them here.
⭐️ BONUS: These writing slides also play Halloween music while students work.
Tell a Group Scary Story
Turn the lights off in your room (or keep them on, depending on the age and sensitivity levels of your kids) and sit in a circle. Start off by saying, “It was a dark and stormy night” or some other story starter. Each student in the circle adds a sentence to the story. You can write or record the story as it’s happening or it can be a purely oral event. You can encourage the students to tell a silly scary story so it’s age-appropriate, you can brainstorm characters and problems beforehand, or you can go complete off the cuff. This is a fun thing to try!
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Create on Halloween
Make Your Own Monster
This is one of my favorite art projects to do in October. You can read the full directions here, but the idea is that you have students blow paint through a straw on a piece of paper. You can tell them it’s going to be a monster or keep them in suspense. Once the paint has dried, students use googly eyes and other details to create their own monsters — all of which turn out adorable in their own quirky ways. As far as Halloween classroom ideas go, this is one you’ll want to keep in the rotation for years to come.
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Read on Halloween
Have a Halloween Book Marathon
Get a nice stack of Halloween books ready for this day, and display them somewhere in your classroom as a teaser. Alternatively, reveal 1 book per hour for a more exciting, suspenseful day of reading. You can check out my full list of recommended Halloween books here, but my #1 Halloween book (that isn’t even about Halloween) is Creepy Carrots. Make sure that’s part of your fall rotation no matter what!
Choose One Book As Your Theme
If you like one book so much that you can see making a DAY out of it (like Creepy Carrots), go for it! Some books lend themselves better to theme days than others, but some great themes would be books like Spookley the Square Pumpkin and Room on the Broom.
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Play and Do For Fun on Halloween
Have a Day of Spooky Games
Gone are the days of bobbing for apples at school (sadly), but we can still have some festive fun. I am a sucker for all things scary-ish so I created this Creepy Hands Knockout Game that checks all the boxes for me when it comes to finding Halloween classroom ideas. Festive, incorporates learning, involves all students at once, and can be used again and again. You can get it here:
Monster name generator and name tags
One of my favorite Halloween classroom ideas is also one of the easiest. Grab some good old-fashioned name tags and use those free monster name generator. You can use this alongside the monsters students created using paint, or students can assign themself a monster name for the day. Print them or write them on name tags like these ones.
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Watch on Halloween
Have a Halloween Movie Day
This again will depend on your school and classroom rules but…I love a good pajama/movie day combo. And a Halloween movie and pajama day just hits different. I will be the first to admit there is probably a shortage of school-friendly Halloween movies for the younger kids, but here are a few you might consider and look into (with admin and parent support, of course).
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Eat on Halloween
Witch’s Brew
There is a good chance your school has adopted the no-food in the classroom policy (one I’m very thankful for, as a food allergy parent). However, if you are in some bubble and/or privileged enough to have a school and classroom where allergies are not a concern, then I recommend Witches Brew for an amazingly memorable Halloween activity with your students. You can read more here.
Halloween Classroom Ideas About What to Listen To on Halloween
Halloween Sounds playlists that include songs like The Monster Mash, and soundtracks to Halloween movies are all good options to consider if you want to add a layer of lyrical goodness to your Halloween agenda. When searching for playlists, make sure to specify kid-friendly. I like the one below (the image is clickable).
And there you have it, our “Not-So-Spooky Halloween Classroom Guide”! We hope these Halloween classroom ideas help you make Halloween in YOUR classroom a memorable and fun experience. So go ahead, get creative, and let the Halloween spirit take over your teaching. It’s time to make some fantastic memories with your students and enjoy all the spooky fun that this season brings. Have a Happy Halloween, and may your classroom be filled with laughter and excitement!