Halloween - Teacher Survival Guide!

It’s late October. The students are excited, you’re feeling overwhelmed, and you can’t find that great Halloween resource you used last year. Halloween in the classroom can be a mix of excitement and chaos, but it doesn’t have to sap your energy.

Here’s how to make the most of the Halloween season without adding hours to your prep or losing control of the classroom. Yep, the exhausted teacher's Halloween survival guide!

Quick, No-Prep Spooky Starters

Sometimes you just need a five-minute activity to channel that Halloween buzz into something creative.

• Ghost in the Room – Each student writes one spooky sentence. You read them aloud to create a weird class ghost story.

• Halloween “Would You Rather” – Keep it light-hearted but creepy: “Would you rather be chased by 100 tiny zombies or 1 giant ghost?”

• Six-Word Horror – Challenge students to write a mini-horror story in exactly six words.

These quick activities are great for settling students, but you’ll want a few more tricks up your sleeve to keep the class on track.

Behaviour Tricks That Feel Like Treats

When you’re struggling to keep them engaged, use one of these ideas to get them back on track.

·Trick or Treat Jars

• Treat = a quick game, early pack-up, or a two-minute free chat at the end of class.

• Trick = a harmless but silly challenge, like you teaching in a spooky voice for the next instructions.

·Monster Points

Students earn body parts for a paper monster when they meet goals. Finish the creature by week’s end for a class reward.

Five-Minute Festivities

No one needs the stress of creating a Pinterest-perfect Halloween classroom. Instead, try these quick wins:

• Decorate the whiteboard with a class-drawn haunted house, with each student adding one spooky item.

• Play a “spooky soundtrack” playlist during transitions or quiet work.

End the lesson with a short mystery or ghost story.

Have students create a collaborative Halloween masterpiece on your whiteboard!

Embrace the Weird

Halloween is a chance to let creativity take the lead. You don’t need perfect décor or over-the-top costumes. Just pick a couple of ideas that work for you and sprinkle them into your week.

A few quick activities, and a relaxed mindset can turn the chaos into something memorable for you and your students.

If you want even more ready-to-use Halloween activities that are fun, curriculum-friendly, and take zero extra prep, our Halloween-themed workbook is packed with them.

Halloween doesn’t have to feel chaotic. With a few simple ideas, you can relax and even enjoy the season. Just pick one or two that suit your teaching style.

Happy haunting! 🎃

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