Halloween is time for great fun in my class!!
Among other things , we play lots of games during our Halloween party! I suggest that you try some of them, too…Part of teaching english or any other language , is teaching customs and traditions, a different way of life !
Well, here’s a short list of what I have tried over the years and has worked, in all different levels:
Costumes
To make a ghost ,take an old white sheet and cut two holes for the eyes…to make an easy Halloween costume use a black bin bag.You can cut wings to make a bat or a vampire!
Let your students improvise on the main idea and come up with their own costumes that very day, too.You’ll be surprised by the outcome!
The “Best Halloween costume contest” can follow ,on an imaginary …”catwalk”!
Games
Ask them to bring a pumpkin lantern to the party!
The volunteers who decide to do so, are always awarded a ‘scratch and sniff” sticker of a Halloween theme! Children can do anything, just to have that precious sticker, trust me!!
Bobbing for apples:Put a lot of apples in a bowl with water and then ask them to get them out , no hands!
Bobbing for doughnuts: Hang some doughnuts up on string in front of the students faces .the first one who eats the doughnut, no hands, is the winner!I usually play backgroud spooky music during this game!
Circle ghost story: Sit in a circle on the floor.I start a scary ghost story.The next person continues…and then the next student….until we get a scary end!
Pin the nose on the pumpkin: a variation of ” pin the tail on the donkey ” for very young learners!
Or “Pin the wart on the witch’s nose”!
Challege the class to come up with 20 Halloween related words in five minutes, working in teams or ask them to unjumble jumbled Halloween words!
Trick or Treat game-my favourite!
I offer them candies and lollipops and ask them to have as many as they wish!!!
Then – surprise!!-they are asked to write for homework ,as many sentences related to Halloween ,as the number of sweets they have in their hands! Tricky!!
Wrap the mummy:
Using toilet paper, pairs of students representing their teams, try to wrap their mummy first, top to toe! The first pair to finish , win Halloween stickers for their team! Really funny!!
Wiggly worms game : We need, spaghetti, grapes, cooking oil and wrapped sweets. This is something I bring in class…students have no idea, it’s a surprise!
Cook the spaghetti!Add cooking oil to make it slimy.Put a black plastic bag in a bin or a carton box.
Add the spaghetti and grapes.
Add the sweets and mix.
Make a cover for the bin.
Make a hole in the cover big enough for a hand.
Let your students find the sweets in the squishy worms for Trick or Treat!
Crafts
Foot ghost:I ask my students to trace their foot on a piece of paper.Draw a face on it , and write Halloween facts or words ( depends on the level) on it.Hang them in the classroom!
Halloween spooky tree: Build a spooky tree decoration either on the walls using card or in a bucket using plaster! Use little ghosts, or other Halloween images to decorate it!Good for teaching or revising Halloween vocabulary while decorating the tree as a class!
Food
Dead man’s fingers sandwiches: Cut some bread in slices.spread on some margarine and cream cheese.roll up the sandwiches and cut them in sticks. Stick an almond in each finger to make a nail!Add some tomato ketchup to make the blood!
Green slime dessert:Make a green or red jelly.Break it up with a fork and add some gummy worms to make a slimy dessert!
Toffee apples: I give the students the recipe first. They make the caramel, dip the apples in it with a stick and leave them to cool! Bring them in class to share with their classmates! Reading comprehension, plus fun!
Halloween Rhymes:
I saw a ghost (Fingers circle eyes)
He saw me too( Point to yourself)
I waved at him( wave your hand)
But, he said “Boo”!
Halloween magic spell competition
I ask the students to write their own magic spells for anything they wish for…eg peace, love, happiness, etc
We then hold a competition in class ,vote for the best spells and award the winners halloween treats!
Watch a Halloween movie
Make popcorn, and take in some spooky cinematic sights! Harry Potter, Ghostbusters and for younger students, Heffalump Halloween, starring Winnie the Pooh, The adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad by Disney Classics are great choices!
Aphro these ideas are great!!!! I am book asking this post for next year. I wish I were a fly on the wall in your classroom!
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Thanks, Vicky!! I am just, an ordinary teacher…..
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