A chill is in the air, costumes are filling the stores, and Halloween is right around the corner. That means spooky season is upon us! Celebrate the season with these fun and creative Halloween activities and games. You’ll find party games perfect for a class Halloween celebration as well as more educational finds like writing prompts and STEM and math challenges. There are enough Halloween activities on this list to do something different every day in October and then some!
1. Watch a Halloween video
Looking for quick and easy Halloween activities? Check out our roundup of terrific educational Halloween videos. Get some math practice, learn about Halloween around the world, or try some spooky yoga.
Try it: Educational Halloween Videos
2. Read Halloween poems
Poetry is a great topic to weave into Halloween celebrations. Try “My Next Door Neighbor Is a Witch,” “I Wouldn’t Live in a Haunted House,” and many more.
Try it: Halloween Poems
3. Do Halloween vocab activities
Capitalize on your students’ Halloween excitement and build their vocabulary skills with great words like eerie, spooky, bizarre, and more!
Try it: 225+ Halloween Words
4. Take a dance break set to spooky Halloween music
Take 10 and do the Monster Mash, swim with Halloween Baby Shark, or get down to “The Purple People Eater.”
Get the playlist: Thrillingly Fun Halloween Songs for Kids
5. Hand out Halloween coloring pages for free time
Have a supply of these adorable Halloween coloring pages on hand for fast finishers or during transition or free time.
Get the downloadable: Free Halloween Coloring Pages
6. Work on Halloween-themed word problems
There are so many spooky situations that could easily be turned into a math word problem! From trick-or-treating to ghosts and goblins, check out the fun collection below.
Try it: 25 Spooky Halloween Math Word Problems
7. Tell Halloween jokes
What’s a witch’s favorite subject in school? Spelling, of course! Share some belly laughs with our favorite Halloween jokes for kids.
Try it: Halloween Jokes
9. Have a pumpkin and witch’s broom race
Gather your brooms and a few small pumpkins, break the class into teams, then watch them race to see who can push the pumpkin across the finish line first!
Get the tutorial: Broom and Pumpkin Game
10. Make straw skeletons
Insert a little biology lesson about the skeletal system when you work on these bone-chilling skeletons for Halloween.
Get the tutorial: Straw Skeletons
11. Race to wrap up your friend like a mummy
Halloween activities can be a fun way to get kids moving. Grab some rolls of toilet paper, select teams, and then watch the hilarity ensue as the kids race to wrap up their friend like a mummy before the other team does!
Get the tutorial: Mummy Wrap Game
12. Turn plastic magnets into spiders
Make your own spider magnets for only a few bucks by gluing small magnets to the back of plastic spiders from the dollar store. Then, use them for Halloween math activities, arrange them to spell letters or words, or just decorate your classroom with them.
Get the tutorial: Spider Magnets
13. Create Picasso jack-o’-lanterns
Study Pablo Picasso and cubism, then use jack-o’-lanterns to practice a little cubism of your own. Encourage students to get creative as they mix up shapes and faces.
Get the template: Picasso Jack-o’-Lanterns
14. Feed alphabet letters to a ghost
Keep little learners busy by taping a large paper ghost with an open mouth to a doorway. Have kids feed letter magnets through the mouth as you call them out. This works with numbers and sight words too.
Get the tutorial: Ghost Game
15. Build STEM structures with toothpicks and pumpkin candies
STEM building challenges make great Halloween activities. Give this classic example a Halloween twist by using gummy pumpkins in place of marshmallows. And for more, download our free STEM challenge cards.
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin STEM Challenge
16. Wrap a mummy with yarn
These little mummies are just oh-so cute. Have the cutout people prepared and then let kids go to town with some white yarn and googly eyes.
Get the tutorial: Mummy Craft
17. Sort by initial sounds
Early readers and spellers can get some practice at initial letter sounds with this cute idea. Label Halloween-themed boxes with letters, and fill a plastic cauldron with small toys or mini erasers. Then, have students sort the items into the correct boxes by their initial sounds.
Get the tutorial: Halloween Sorting Activity
18. Assemble a geometric bat
Sesame Street‘s The Count would definitely approve of this bat. It’s made up of ONE rectangle, TWO squares, SIX triangles … mwah ha ha!
Get the tutorial: Bat Activity
19. Play a spiderweb walking game
Some Halloween activities, like this one, work on gross motor skills. Use some painter’s tape to create a spiderweb on the floor, then spread spiders or ghosts all around. Finally, let students try their hand at collecting them without losing their footing.
Get the tutorial: Spiderweb Activity
20. Sculpt pony bead pumpkins
This easy Halloween craft will give kids some fine motor skill practice. You can also have them count the beads as they string them. When you’re done, they’ll have a cute little pumpkin to decorate their room for fall!
Get the tutorial: Pony Bead Pumpkin
21. Do some Halloween-style creative writing
What is your favorite Halloween costume and why? Would you spend a night in a graveyard for $100? Why or why not? We have 18 more Halloween writing prompt ideas plus free printable writing paper for you to use!
Get the prompts and paper: Halloween Writing Paper and Prompts
22. Paint rocks to look like jack-o’-lanterns
So simple and yet so fun. Go on a nature hunt with your students and have them collect as many flat rocks as they can. Then let them bring their jack-o’-lanterns to life with some orange and black paint. Be sure to use non-washable paint if you plan on displaying them outside!
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin Rocks
23. Practice sequencing with Room on the Broom
Sequencing is a key skill for kids to master, so use the beloved book Room on the Broom to work on the concept.
Get the tutorial: Room on the Broom Literacy Activity
24. Play Poke-a-Pumpkin
Fill solo cups with cute Halloween-themed prizes, cover them with orange tissue paper, and then hang them on a poster. Kids will love poking through a pumpkin to reveal their prize when it is their turn.
Get the tutorial: Poke-a-Pumpkin Activity
25. Read a pumpkin book or two
If you’re looking for some not-so-spooky stories, try our roundup of pumpkin books. For kids who love to be scared, check out some of the (slightly) terrifying tales below instead.
Get the book list: Pumpkin Books
26. And more Halloween books!
Check out our collection of the best Halloween books for your classroom shelves.
Get the book list: Halloween Books
27. Create a pumpkin volcano
Every kid loves the standard baking-soda-and-lemon-juice volcano. So why not add some Halloween flair by doing the experiment in a pumpkin?! Also, check out our 20 Favorite Halloween Experiments.
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin Volcano
28. Have an eyeball relay race
Divide students into two teams, then have them race up and back trying not to drop the eyeball off their skeleton’s hand.
Get the tutorial: Eyeball Race
29. Carve up some pumpkin pi
How amazing would these look in your classroom or flickering away in the background of your Zoom screen? And they’re easy to make with our free printable templates.
Get the templates: Teacher Pumpkin-Carving Templates
30. Craft a climbing spider
Teach your students how spiders use their sticky webs to catch their food. Then have them make their very own spiders that really climb!
Get the tutorial: Climbing Spider Craft
31. Dig for witch fingers
Fill a tub or sand table with sand and some creepy, crawly Halloween items, then blindfold your students and have them race to see who can find the witch’s finger first!
Get tutorial: Creepy Sand Bin
32. Conjure up vanishing ghosts
Save and clean your hollowed-out eggshells, then fill them with cornstarch to create vanishing ghosts! Experiment with dropping or throwing them from different angles and heights to see what sorts of patterns you can create.
Get the tutorial: Vanishing Ghost
33. Roll and stack spiders
The best Halloween activities involve simple supplies and simple setup. Stick a drinking straw into a ball of play dough, then roll the dice and add that number of spider rings to your stack. The first to fill up their spider tower wins!
Get the tutorial: Spider Game
34. Make a ghost dance
Nothing spooky here! Make this cute little tissue ghost dance with just a balloon and a little static electricity.
Get the tutorial: Dancing Ghost
35. Do a giant Halloween word search
Work on word recognition while having fun at the same time! Remember to use painter’s tape so you can easily remove it from the wall when you’re done.
Get the tutorial: Halloween Word Search
36. Crawl like a spider, tiptoe like a cat
Need a movement break? Roll this free printable Halloween die, put it together, and let the fun begin!
Get the printable: Witch Activity
37. Experiment using Halloween candy
There’s always plenty of candy to go around on Halloween, so kids can definitely spare some of it for a cool science experiment like this.
Get the tutorial: Dancing Frankenworms
38. Decorate pumpkins with string art
Pumpkin carving is pretty messy in a classroom, so try this clever string-art activity using thumbtacks instead.
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin String Art
39. Use candy corn for Halloween math activities
Pick up a few bags of candy corn and grab our free printables, then engage your students in meaningful Halloween math activities, from matching to multiplication.
Get the printable: Candy Corn Math Activities
40. Spin inverted pumpkin tops
Paint wooden inverted tops to look like pumpkins, then give kids a lesson in physics as they try to spin them so they land on their stems!
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin Tops
41. Write on hair gel baggies
Fill a zipper baggie with hair gel and a few drops of orange food coloring, then knead to mix. Add pumpkin seeds or googly eyes, then lay it flat for kids to practice tracing letters or numbers.
Get the tutorial: Gel Baggie Activity
42. Conjure up some spooky bats
So simple and so cute! Simply cut egg cartons into three cup sections and have kids paint them black. When the paint is dry, add googly eyes and a pipe cleaner and they’re ready to swoop.
Get the printable: Egg Carton Bat
43. Stencil craft stick puzzles
Activities using wood craft sticks are inexpensive and lots of fun. Tape sticks together, then turn them over and stencil or draw a Halloween design on the front. Remove the tape and shuffle up the sticks, then reassemble your DIY puzzles.
Get the tutorial: Craft Stick Puzzles
44. Make a skeleton “you” with cotton swabs
Take and print photos of all of your students before getting started with this craft/anatomy lesson. Have students cut up different-size cotton swabs and then glue them to form the skeleton.
Get the tutorial: Skeleton Craft
45. Explore story elements with pumpkins
Craft 3D paper pumpkins, then use them to break down a story into elements like plot, theme, and characters.
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin Story Boards
46. Construct bone bridges
Cotton swab “bones” turn a bridge-building STEM challenge into a Halloween treat. You’ll need wood craft sticks, pipe cleaners, and rubber bands too.
Get the tutorial: Bones Activity
47. Learn about mixtures and solutions
Students learn about mixtures and solutions in this STEM activity using homemade snack mix. They get practice counting and graphing too.
Get the tutorial: Mixtures and Solutions Activity
48. Stack paper cup ghosts
This is bound to become one of your favorite Halloween activities. Draw faces on disposable cups to turn them into ghosts. Then challenge kids to stack and unstack them quickly, build the highest tower, and more.
Get the tutorial: Ghost Cups
49. Comparison-shop for candy
Learning how to add and subtract decimals is fun when candy is involved! Get the free printable task cards at the link, then use Halloween candy ads for a comparison shop of the best candy prices in town.
Get the printable: Candy Task Cards
50. Catapult pumpkins through the air
This is the perfect STEM activity for Halloween. Gather some large Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, bottle caps, and candy corn pumpkins, and get ready to see who can shoot their pumpkin the farthest!
Get the tutorial: Craft Stick Candy Catapult
51. Count with spiderweb 10-frames
Ten-frames are excellent learning tools for early math students. We love these free printable spiderwebs, which add a spooky seasonal twist to the learning.
Get the tutorial: Halloween Ten-Frames
52. Blow-paint silly ghosts
Pucker up and blow some strange and eerie ghosts using straws and white paint. Add googly eyes and a mouth with a black marker to give them each their own personality.
Get the tutorial: Ghost Painting
53. Play Pumpkin Emotions Bingo
Pumpkin faces help kids learn about different emotions as they play special Halloween games of bingo.
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin Emotions Bingo
54. Engineer a robot hand
Nothing says Halloween like a skeleton. Teach your students how our joints, muscles, and tendons work together to move our hands using just construction paper, plastic straws, string, and tape.
Get the tutorial: Robotic Hand
55. Create spiderweb resist art
Grab some sturdy cardboard, washable paint, and painter’s tape, then let your little artists go to work. Ripping off the tape to reveal the masterpiece will be oh-so satisfying for your little ones.
Get the tutorial: Spiderweb Tape Resist Art
56. Seek and find Halloween images
Use this free printable when you need a quick Halloween activity for your little monsters. It gives them counting practice with a seasonal theme.
Get the printable: Halloween I Spy Game
57. Calculate and match with pumpkins
Label mini pumpkin bowls with numbers, and write equations on wood craft sticks. Kids calculate the sums and place the sticks into the correct pumpkin.
Get the tutorial: Pumpkin Math Activity
58. Make play dough and cut fall shapes out of it
Play dough is the perfect sensory activity for little learners, so why not put a fun Halloween-themed spin on it? Make some homemade play dough or buy some pre-made if you are short on time, then have students cut shapes from it with Halloween cookie cutters.
Get the tutorial: Play Dough Pumpkins
59. Go bowling for ghosts
Stuff empty plastic bottles with cotton balls to turn them into ghost bowling pins, then have fun knocking them down. You can even turn this into a math activity by having kids tally or graph the number of pins they knock down on each turn.
Get the tutorial: Halloween Bowling
60. Explode ghost rockets
What kid wouldn’t love to see a ghost rocket flying through the air? This is a science demo that’s always fun to see in action.
Get the tutorial: Ghost Rockets
61. Complete spider equations
If you’re looking for Halloween activities that help kids practice math facts, check this out. How many different ways can kids make equivalent equations? They’ll need at least eight for this silly spider craft.
Get the tutorial: Spider Equations
62. Make a witch’s broom
Create a broomstick from cut-up yellow construction paper and a brown pipe cleaner, then let students personalize them by stringing beads of their choosing onto it.
Get the tutorial: Broomstick Craft
63. Make a silly spider headband
All you’ll need to create this adorable headband is some black construction paper, glue or a stapler, and some googly eyes. Your students will have fun personalizing them and then showing them off.
Get the tutorial: Spider Headband
64. Draw Frankenstein
Practice following directions to draw a Frankenstein monster, and then add watercolor paints to perfect the look. Pair with the book Crankenstein by Samantha Berger for an entire Franken-lesson.
Get the tutorial: Frankenstein Drawing
66. Play a monster addition game
Laminate monster face cards and have students roll the dice to create and solve addition problems by adding candy corn to the monster’s mouth. That’s the best way to use candy corn (in our opinion).
Get the printable: Monster Face Page
67. Sort words the way witches do
Print out and laminate word family cards and attach each to a mini cauldron. Then, students sort words by word family while mixing up a witch’s brew. So spooky cute!
Get the tutorial: Cauldron Word Sort
68. Make fizzing eyeballs
Let kids experiment with this baking soda and vinegar experiment variation. Cover large plastic eyeballs in baking soda, then let it sit overnight. The next day, put the eyeballs in different-colored vinegar and watch for the reaction.
Get the tutorial: Fizzing Eyeballs
69. Write a haunted house story
Spend a week writing about a haunted house. Start with a vocabulary list of spooky and scary words to describe a haunted house. Then, have students brainstorm what they would include in their own haunted house. Finally, have students write a story that occurs in a haunted house.
Get the tutorial: Haunted House Writing Lesson
70. Scary Night paintings
Looking for Halloween activities for art class? Teach about Van Gogh’s Starry Night, but change a few key details and turn the painting into “Scary Night.” Let students add their own take on this painting to see what else they can weave into this painting idea.
Get the tutorial: Scary Night Painting
71. Save the spiders!
Tie string over a bin, drop spider rings in, and give students a pair of tongs to rescue the spiders from below the web. A great fine motor and focus activity.
Get the tutorial: Save the Spiders Game
72. Put together paint chip puzzles
Turn paint chips into monster, pumpkin, and ghost puzzles. Then, put the puzzles into a center for students to complete or send sets home with students to work on at home.
Get the tutorial: Paint Chip Puzzles
74. Black cat zentangle
A zentangle is a structured pattern, called a tangle, created on square tiles in black and white. The patterns can be made with dots, lines, curves, or any other line you can think of. A black cat is perfect to fill with tangles.
Get the printable: Zentangle Cat
