Epic Halloween Fun: 7 Must-Try Activities for Early Elementary
October in an early elementary classroom is a whole kind of energy, isn’t it?
Between everyone asking “What are you gonna be for Halloween?” and the sugar rushes, trying to keep kindergarten, first, and second-grade students focused on academics can feel a bit like wrangling hyped up little ghosts.
But instead of fighting the spooky season, why not lean into it? I’ve pulled together a mix of math activities, creative writing prompts, and hands-on centers that will keep your students engaged, learning, and having fun all month long.
1. Spooky Mad Libs for Parts of Speech
What’s a better way to have some Halloween fun and sneak in grammar practice than with a fit of giggles? Pull out some Halloween-themed Mad Libs to review nouns, verbs, and adjectives. You can grab Halloween Mad Libs Jr. over on Amazon. If you want the regular version (not Junior) of Halloween Mad libs, find it here.
Then use the Mad Libs for a quick morning meeting activity or a fast-finisher station.
Pro tip: Copy the blank Mad Libs double-sided or slip them into dry-erase sleeves because your students will want to read their silly stories to anyone who will listen!
2. Spooky Place Value Math Centers
The math block doesn’t have to take a backseat just because a holiday is approaching. In fact, injecting a little Halloween fun is a great way to be productive while burning off some high-energy wiggles.
If your math block needs a seasonal refresh, check out my Halloween Place Value resource. It’s packed with practice that keeps kids focused on core math standards without feeling like “drill and kill.”
Ready to level up your October math stations? Grab the Halloween Place Value resource here!
3. Cross-Cultural Halloween Folktales & Mini-Writing
For a strong reading connection, consider exploring a variety of Halloween folktales from different cultures. After reading them aloud to your class, have a discussion about their origins and the moral or lesson we can learn from each tale.
It’s such a fun, cross-curricular reading activity that keeps the seasonal theme alive. You can even follow it up with some comprehension questions or challenge students to write their own short folktale with a spooky moral!
For resources you can try the American Literature website here or the New York Society Library here. Also check with your local children’ librarian and bookstores.
4. Science of Reading-Aligned Phonics & Decoding Practice
Let’s be honest—finding Halloween resources that actually align with the Science of Reading can feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack.
But phonics and decoding practice don’t have to stop for the holidays. My Feed the Frankenstein Decodable Words brings decodable routines, CVC, digraph and silent e words, and targeted small-group work right into your October plans. My reading intervention groups really feel the Halloween fun when we do this activity!
Want to keep your small groups structured and seasonal? Check out the Halloween Science of Reading Centers here!
5. Halloween Character Profiles and Creative Roles
Turn your students into little authors by having them create original Halloween characters—think friendly monsters, nervous vampires, or adventurous pumpkins.
Have them build character profiles where they write about what their character likes and what scares them. Students could even brainstorm what the characters would do if they popped up in their favorite story. It’s a low-pressure stepping stone to creative writing.
Keep reading for more Halloween fun!
6. Spooky Writing
October is an important month to practice writing skills, but your students need more than just one type of prompt to stay hooked.
If you want to cover your bases across multiple writing standards while keeping the fun factor high, take a look at my Spooky Halloween Writing Prompts resource. It gives students a choice of engaging prompts so they can master different writing styles seamlessly.
Looking for ready-to-print writing variety this October? Explore the Halloween Writing Prompts bundle here!
7. Read-Aloud Retelling with “Bone Soup”
Pair a seasonal read-aloud—like Bone Soup by Cambria Evans—with a sequencing or story-retelling craft. Read the book together and have students sequence the plot by drawing or writing steps on a fun template (like tossing spooky ingredients into a paper or plastic cauldron). It’s a brilliant way to bridge listening comprehension with hands-on art.
If you need a plastic cauldron for the classroom, this is the affordable one I got from Amazon.
Here are some other fun Halloween themed picture books that would be great for a retell activity.
- The Hallo-weiner by Dav Pilkey
- Froggy’s Halloween by Jonathan London
- Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds
- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles Schultz
Let’s Wrap It Up!
October doesn’t have to be chaotic—with the right mix of fun and low prep math activities, structured phonics, and creative writing, you can keep your classroom running smoothly all month long.
I’d love to hear from you: What is your absolute go-to activity for keeping kids focused during Halloween week? Drop a comment below and let me know! And if you want to save time planning this October, make sure to browse my full collection of Teachers Pay Teachers resources for more low-prep, high-engagement ideas designed specifically for K–3 teachers. Happy teaching!
Other blog posts you may want to check out:
- Daily Heart Word Practice That Takes Less Than 5 Minutes
- 5 Ways to Boost Phonemic Awareness Now for Your Early Learners
- Science of Reading Activities for Small Groups
- ✔️ Teacher’s Ultimate 5 Time-saving Geography Tips
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Good luck this week and remember: you got this!
