MORE THAN 80 HALLOWEEN GAMES for all ages!!! (Word and Letter Games at page bottom)
Updated October 2012...
HALLOWEEN BEAN BAG TOSS
Take a cardboard box and paint 3 pumpkins on it. Cut out large mouth shapes to throw in the bean bags. Put numbers of 5, 10, 15, above each mouth opening.
_________________________
How long can you keep WHITE SKELETON HEADS (Made from white balloons) in the air? Draw the faces with magic marker -You could also use nets to catch them.
____________
HALLOWEEN JOKE AND PUNCH LINE... Great as a 'Connector and Ice-breaker' (Get Halloween Jokes here)
1. Before the event: Write a joke on one card and a punch line on another. Be sure to mix the cards up. The number of different jokes depends on the size of the group.
2. Give each person a card. Explain that they may have a joke or a punch line on the card.
3. On a given signal, they are to walk around the group trying to find the other part of their joke/punch line. When they find their other half, you may ask them to get to know their new partner by asking things like favorite spooky movie, their best ever costume, dream costume, etc. When this is done, everyone can return to a circle and, with their partner, tell their joke.
________________________________
MUMMY WRAP Contest!
Dived kids into teams of three.
- Choose one child from each team to be a "mummy". The other 2 are the mummy wrappers.
- Have the mummy stand with their hands and at their sides and their feet together.
- At the signal, all wrappers wrap their mummy from head to foot (Leaving room to breathe of course)
- No clothing can show when the wrapping is done.
- Although the toilet paper will tear from the roll, teams must continue wrapping.
- Be sure to have a camera ready!!!
________________________
TRICK OR TREAT PARTY GAME
1. Before the party cut several strips of paper; about twice as many strips as there are children.
2. On half of the strips write the word 'treat'. On the other half write 'trick' with a trick such as "hop on one foot"”, "pat your head and rub your belly".
3. Place all of the strips in a Halloween bag.
4. Have the children form a circle. Walk around the circle. Each player draws a paper out of the bag and performs a trick or receives a treat such as a sticker, Halloween pencil or small piece of candy. (Be sure all kids receive a treat!)
___________________
HALLOWEEN SURPRISE GOOP-SCOOP
1. Carve out the insides of a pumpkin, but leave the pumpkin seeds and goop inside the pumpkin.
2. Blindfold one child at a time and have them reach in and grab out some messy seeds. Have small paper cups ready with each child's name on it. Put their 'goop' in their cup.
3. After each child takes their turn, have each one count out their seeds.
4. Whoever has the most seeds wins a prize. (Give all children a prize for being a good sport--and the winner an additional small prize)
Tip:
Games like this are fun if they are done behind a screen or door--where children previously don't see what they will be doing.
____________
PRIZE BUCKET OF GUTS
Fill a large tub-type container with something disgusting such as cooked pasta noodles or jello. It needs to feels gross, slimy or oozy!
Bury small plastic prizes in the 'guts'.
So children don't see what is in the container--dim the lights or put the container behind a screen. Blindfold players as they reach into the container to find the prizes. (Be sure to have a large bucket of water to then wash hands!)
__________
BLOOD-SHOT EYE BALLS (TEAM RACE)
Materials for two teams: 12 ping-pong balls, permanent markers
Using permanent markers, draw irises, pupils, and bloodshot veins on the 12 ping-pong balls.
1. Divide players into two teams.
2. The object of the game is to race around a specific course with a hand-ful of least six 'eye-balls'.
3. When the first players reach the end of the course, he/she hands the 'eye-balls' to the next player.
Dropped balls must be picked-up before the exchange of balls. The first team to complete the course wins.
(Children as young as 5 should be able to play this; if youth are older, consider adding more balls.
_________
TRICK OR TREAT - DON'T SAY 'THAT' WORD!
The object of this game is to catch fellow players saying one of the following words: Halloween, Candy, Witch, Party, Ghost, Pumpkin
To help players... post the words prominently on a board where they can be seen often.
TO PLAY: Give each player a goodie bag or box with 10 pieces of candy in it. (Have bags labeled with players' names, so they don't get mixed up.) Let players know at the start of the game exactly when the game will be ending--this game can be played throughout an entire event..
If someone is caught saying one of the words on the list, that person has to give up a piece of candy from their stash. The player with the biggest haul of candy at the end of the game is the winner! (Ages 7-12)
___________
A CIRCLE GHOST STORY...
Sit in a circle and start a scary ghost story.
Each player adds on to the story until it reaches a scary ending! It's best done when each person will say two or three sentences and then stop in the middle of the next sentence-saying..."and then..." The next player then continues.
_______________
FREEZE DANCE with a Halloween twist.
Instead of musical statues do MUSICAL SCARES--where the children get into a frightening pose whenever the music stops! Use Halloween music such as the Monster Bash, Purple People Eater and Halloween Sounds, etc.
__________
DRAW A 'PUMPKIN FACE' GAME
Draw a large pumpkin face shape for each player.
Give each artist/player an orange crayon and a blindfold.
Instruct each person to draw a jack-o-lantern face on the pumpkin face.
Laugh at the finished creative masterpieces!
____________________________________
SKELETON SCAVENGER HUNT
Purchase plastic skeletons and disassemble them. Hide the bones before the game starts. Have kids search for them and then reassemble the skeleton. For older kids, you can hide the bones and then write out clues for them to follow. You can also get a few skeletons and break the kids into teams.
_________________________
OUTDOOR SKELETON BONE HUNT
1. Save old chicken bones.
2. Clean in hot soapy water.
3. Hide/bury the bones in a sandy play area.
Award prizes in method of your choice, however, be sure each player gets a prize for participation.
__________________
PUMPKIN AND FOOT RACE
Set up starting and finish lines and have the children race to see who can get their smallish pumpkin over the finish line. Only feet can be used to push pumpkins along. There can be no kicking; if any kicking is observed, that child goes back to their starting line. This would also be a good team relay race.
__________________________
PUMPKIN & BROOM RACE (Can be played outdoors or in a gym!)
- This is a simple race but since pumpkins are not smooth balls and refuse to roll in straight lines, you'll need plenty of room!
- You need medium pumpkins and sturdy sticks (or brooms); Use one pumpkin and stick/broom for each team.
- The racers line up on the starting line with the pumpkins turned on their sides.
- On the signal, the racers use the stick to roll the pumpkins to the finish line.
- Younger players may want to use their hands instead of the stick.
- If you want to play this as teams, make it a relay race.
- When playing inside use smaller pumpkins.
______________
WITCHES BROOM OBSTACLE RACE...
Need:
Two brooms
An obstacle course (chairs and simple objects set up)
On the word start, the first person of each team "sweeps" a ball around the obstacles and come back to their team line.
The first team to finish wins.
_____________
WHO IS THE GHOST?
One child leaves the room and one child in the room puts a sheet over their head. The child who comes back in the room tries to guess who the ghost is.
____________________________
PASS THE PUMPKIN RELAY
- Line up into 2 teams.
- The first person passes the pumpkin OVER his/her head to the next person in line.
- The next person passes the pumpkin UNDER his/her legs to the next person, and so on.
- When you get to the end of the line the last person runs up to the front and starts it all over again.
- Whoever has the first person that was in line at the beginning of the game--- in the back of the line WINS.
_________________________
POPCORN RELAY RACE – All it takes are two big bowls of popcorn and some small cups per team. Have kids run and get a cupful of popcorn and transfer it to the bowl across the room. The first team finished wins. Because of potential popcorn mess, this would be good played outside! (For other popcorn games visit the Popcorn Theme!)
_________________________
HALLOWEEN MEMORY GAME
1. Place a few themed items such as a candy corn, an apple, mini pumpkin, plastic spider, etc. on a tray.
2. Show the tray to the children for a few seconds and then cover the tray or basket up with a cloth or towel
3. Based on children's ages-you can do this a few ways. Youth can call out as a group...or individually,in pairs or a teams. If the latter, they can then write down what they remember.
___________
NO HANDS USED CANDY GRAB!
1. Spread a pile of wrapped candy on a table or large tray. (If there is a large group-do this in several areas.)
2. Give each child a container (small bag, bowl, or paper cup).
3. Set a timer for 30 seconds and have kids put as much candy into their containers -- without using their hands.
4. When time is up, everyone gets to keep the candy they maneuvered into their containers.
_____________
PIN THE WART ON THE WITCH
Supplies:
Large picture of a witch, preferably with a wart already on it
Blindfold
A paper wart for each player with his or her name on it
Tape
How to play:
1. If the picture of the witch does not already have a wart on it, draw one.
2. Hang the witch on a wall or a door where there is lots of space around it.
3. When it is a player's turn, blindfold the child and give her the wart with a piece of tape stuck on it.
4. Spin the player around (not too fast!) and tell her to stick the wart on the witch's nose.
The player whose wart is closest to the real one is the winner! (You can also make a huge pumpkin and play put the nose on the pumkin!)
_____________________________
MELT THE WITCH
Draw a with on a blackboard, whiteboard or roll paper-- and attach it to a wall. Have children take turns throwing a wet sponge at the witch to try to melt her. You can mark certain areas with points and keep score if desired.
_____________________
COSTUME RELAY RACE
- Divide players into equal teams.
- For each team have a box containing a complete costume, each costume should have the same number of pieces (4 or 5 is fun - Shirt pants, shoes, wig or mask, etc.).
- In turn each player must put on the costume and run to a certain point where they take the costumes off and put them back in the box.
- They run back to start where the next player repeats the process until one team finishes and wins.
_______________
WITCHES BREW
1.Cut ten pieces of paper in Halloween related shapes, such as ghosts, bats, pumpkins, or spiders. The shapes need to be about the size of a Ritz-cracker.
2. Place the shapes in a pile beside a small bowl or witch's cauldron. Have straws available for each player, along with a stopwatch, or a watch with a second hand.
3. Using the straw as a vacuum, each contestant tries to pick up the shapes and drop them into the cauldron. The player with the fastest time wins. (Ages 6-12)
__________
FIND THE PUMPKIN
Supplies:
Ten pieces of white paper
Five pieces of yellow paper
Five pieces of orange paper
A crayon
Scissors
Directions:
1. Draw ten white pumpkins, five yellow pumpkins, and five orange pumpkins. (Or adjust the numbers to reflect the number of you group)
2. Cut out all the pumpkins.
3. Decorate each pumpkin with a funny face.
4. Write the number 1 on the backs of the white pumpkins.
5. Write the number 5 on the backs of the yellow pumpkins.
6. Write the number 10 on the backs of the orange pumpkins.
7. Hide all of the pumpkins.
8. Youth try to find as many pumpkins as you can before the adult says "Stop!"
9. Players will add up the numbers of collected pumpkins. The player with the most points wins! This can also be played in teams.
____________
OOZING EYEBALL
Peel a hard-boiled egg.(this is the eyeball) and then play the game as you would play 'Hot Potato".
Players sit in a circle and pass the 'oozing eyeball' until the Halloween inspired music or sounds stop.
The child holding the eyeball when the music stops is out. Keep passing the egg until only one player is left.
_____________________
ZOMBIE GAME
One person is IT'--the others must sit or lay as motionless and expressionless zombies. The person who is 'IT' must do whatever they can to make the zombies smile, giggle, or wiggle in any way without touching them! When 'IT' gets a zombie to wiggle, giggle, or smile, that zombie then joins 'IT' in trying to get others to smile, giggle, or wiggle. The last zombie wins!
______________________________________________________________________________
KNOCK OVER THE GHOSTS--PUMPKIN BOWLING!
Supplies: 3 small pumpkins, 30 empty 2 liter clear soda bottles (less if your group is smaller!), 1 can white spray paint, 1 permanent black marker, a bag of gravel or pebbles placed in bottom of bottles
- Ask parents to save empty, clean 2 liter soda bottles for your game.
- Spray paint the soda bottles white and draw eyes and mouths on the bottles once dried.
- Add about a cup of sand or pebbles in each bottle so they will stand without falling over.
- Divide kids into several teams of 3-8 kids each...line up and take turn at bowling over the Ghosts!
- The small pumpkins are the bowling balls.
- If it's for a party- consider prizes.
- The kids that get a Strike receive another turn to bowl a strike. If they bowl another strike, they receive a prize. hen using prizes BE SURE EVERYONE GETS SOMETHING for playing!
_______________________________________
BOBBING FOR APPLES OR DONUTS ON A STRING
APPLES:
Fill a large tub with water and several apples. The players must try to bite" into and "catch" and apple while holding their hands behind their backs. Don't forget to have some towels handy.
DONUTS: Using string, hang mini or regular doughnuts from the ceiling or a tree. The object of the game is to be the first to eat the donut with out using your hands! Do not use powdered or cinnamon doughnuts. Plain is the safest--it's would be unsafte to inhale the sugars.
_________________________________
PUMPKIN HUNT – While the kids are out of the room - hide pumpkins around the room. Challenge kids to find them all! When they have found all pumpkins you can serve a special snack or give each child a ‘goodie’.
_________________________________________
GAMES AND FUN from the Fall/Autumn category These work with HALLOWEEN!!!
PUMPKIN BOCCE BALL Object of Game: Roll a pumpkin closest to the big pumpkin. You need a large pumpkin. Also purchase several miniature or round sugar pumpkins. To play: Place the big, carved out (Or NOT carved out) pumpkin several feet away. Give each player a small pumpkin. Each player rolls (No tossing or throwing) their pumpkin and tries to be the closest to the big pumpkin. The player closest wins ...
_____________________________
WIN THE PUMPKIN!
Place children in a circle.
Start a Halloween themed song and pass a mini pumpkin from one person to another.
When the music stops-the person holding the pumpkin is out.
The last one left keeps the pumpkin!
_____________
Throw PENNIES IN THE PUMPKIN: Carve out a pumpkin; line the inside with plastic or aluminum foil. Make the top opening large. Option is to use small plastic pumpkins which are quicker and not messy! To play the game---place the pumpkins a couple feet away. Give each player about ten pennies...and try to get them in! Each time one gets in--a point is earned...
______________________
GUESS THE PUMPKIN'S WEIGHT!
Need: Large pumpkin
Bathroom or science class scale
Slips of paper
Have children write their estimates of the pumpkin's weight on a slip of paper. Kids write their names on the paper, fold them, and place in a box. At the end of the time-frame, weigh the pumpkin and award a prize or the pumpkin to the child with the closest guess.
_____________________
MR. PUMPKIN HEAD
Do you have Mr. Potato Head game pieces???! The kids can have some Halloween fun using them with small pumpkins!
Using a smallish to medium sized pumpkin, poke some holes where the eyes, nose and mouth would be (include hat and ears). Have the children decorate "Mr. Pumpkin Head" using Mr. Potato Head pieces.
____________________________________________
HALLOWEEN GOURD ROLL
Have each child take a turn rolling a small, round gourd. Try to find one with lots of bumps for extra craziness! The kid with the longest roll wins. Play on a sloped driveway or a small hill for extra fun.
____________________
GOURD BOWLING
Set up 'bowling' using empty two-liter soda bottles. If preferred, the bottles can be weighted with seeds or water. Use a round, bumpy gourd as the ball.
__________________________________________
MAGIC PUMPKIN SEEDS Really fun with young children!
Materials:
Pumpkin seeds, small paper bag and small pumpkins
- Show the children a small bag of pumpkin seeds and explain that you believe these are magic pumpkin seeds.
- Take the children outside to the playground where they toss the seeds onto the ground. Have them make up a few magic words, if they want.
- The next day, before children go outside--gather the seeds and put small pumpkins in their place. Take the children outside and delight them with the 'magical' pumpkins that have grown.
- If you have enough pumpkins, the children can take the pumpkins home and/or first decorate and paint them to add theme of your space.
Idea adapted from preschoolrainbow.org
_______________________________________
GUESS THE CANDY CORN...
Take a Halloween-theme container and fill it up with specified number of candy corn pieces. Let the children guess how many pieces are in the container. The closest to the right number wins the container and treats. (or shares with the group) A perfect way to end a successful Halloween party!
______________________________________________________
DRESS A SCARECROW AND RUN...
Stock up on over-sized plaid shirts, goofy pants, floppy hats and any other clothing that a scarecrow might wear. Make piles containing one of each item.
- The number of piles is determined either by the number of kids or teams participating.
- Line up kids and let the game begin!
- The children run to the pile, put on the outfit, and dart back to the starting line.
- If doing it as a team game, they then switch the outfit with their teammate--who run out and back.
- First team with their last team member dressed as a scarecrow wins.
___________________________________
PUMPKIN SEED TOSS
Number and line up 5 small baskets or crates; have children stand 3 feet (or farther depending on ages) in front of the first crate and toss seeds into the crates in sequence. Small prizes can be given for each of the crates they get their seeds in.
_____________________________
Party Game: PUMPKIN WALK
- This is like a regular cake walk except instead of numbers, place pictures of several Halloween items on the floor.
- Children walk on the pictures and the names of the items are called out instead numbers.
- Use themed music such as Monster Mash and Purple People Eater.
- Base prizes on Halloween theme…or cookies/cupcakes.
- After playing ALL CHILDREN receive something!
_________________________________
Idea***Have a PUMPKIN SEED SPITTING CONTEST OUTSIDE! Who's can go the farthest?!
____________________________________________________________
PIE EATER TAG GAME!
Good for October to December because of apple and pumpkin pies!
- Split the students into two different groups; one is apple pie and the other group is pumpkin pie.
- Have one student be the pie eater, who will be standing on the center line. The pie eater can only move from side to side on the center line.
- All the students say to the pie eater, "Pie eater, pie eater are you hungry?" The pie eater responds with a 'yes or no' answer.
- If the answer is no, the pies (students) ask again.
- If the answer is yes, then the pies ask again, "What kind of pie would you like?"
- The pie eater then says apple or pumpkin and that pie tries to make it to the other side.
- If the pie is tagged, then they become a pie eater.
____________________
PUMPKIN GOLF
Object of Game: Hit the golf ball into a pumpkin.
1. Carve out a pumpkin. Make the mouth extra large.
2. Build a cardboard ramp about one to two feet side from the ground to the bottom of the pumpkin's mouth.
3. You will probably need some support under the cardboard.
4. Tape the ramp to the floor for stability.
5. Mark a starting point a few feet from the start of the ramp: The older the kids, the farther away.
Playing the Game:
1. Each player gets to hit a golf ball three times.
2. Each time the ball goes into the pumpkin, the player wins a piece of candy. From: About.com
______________________________
CANDY CORN RELAY RACE
Designate a starting line and a finish line. Set out a bowl full of candy corn for each player at the starting line and an empty bowl at the finish line. The players must use a large spoon to scoop candy corn out of the full bowl and then carry it to the empty bowl and fill it. They cannot spill any candy corn or use their hands! If any candy corn falls off the spoon, they must immediately pick it up and bring it back to the starting line bowl and start over with that scoopful.
____________________________________________
HALLOWEEN CANDY HUNT...
Using the same idea as an Easter Egg Hunt hide small bags of fun candy around the event area (room or outside)
Set the kids loose and let them find the candy.
Be sure to have plenty extra in case a child doesn't find as much as others.
_______________
HALLOWEEN PARTY TOSS ACROSS
Object of Game: Get three O's or X's.
1. Use a "Toss Across” game.
2. Tape pieces of candy or small prizes on some of the O's and X's.
3. You can use a paper note stating the prize if the prizes are too big to put on the game.
Each player gets five or six bean bags.
Toss the bean bags at the game. There are two ways to win.
Win a prize by getting three O's or X's.
If the player turns over a prize, they win that prize.
________________________________________
GHOULS AND GOBLINS!
- Have the kids line up on a line, and count them off by twos.
- When finished, have the "ones" go on one side of the gym and the "twos" go to the other side of the gym.
- Have the two groups lined up across from each other. One group are the Goblins, and the other group are the Ghouls.
- The facilitator will shout out a group, either the Ghouls or Goblins; that group must then chase the opposite group and try to tag as many kids as they can.
- If a child gets tagged, that player joins the OTHER group.
Example: If the leader calls out 'ghouls' and four goblins were tagged, those four tagged goblins are now ghouls.
- This game goes on until there is only one person in the group, and that person is declared the winner.
____________________________
SPIDER WEB #1
Arrange groups of 4 to 8 children in a circle and give each one a golf ball-sized ball of yarn. Help each child tie an end of the yarn around their waist. Taking turns, each player tosses his yarn to someone else in the circle. When they reach the end of the yarn, they've created a web! Now the only challenge is to untangle themselves.
SPIDER WEB #2 – Take a ball of yarn and have one person start by holding the yarn. They throw it to another person and it continues until the yarn is all gone.
________________________________________
TRADITIONAL GAMES PLAYED HALLOWEEN STYLE
Play classic games such as:
1. WITCH, WITCH, GHOST... (Played like Duck, Duck, Goose)
Four or more children sit, stand, or kneel in a circle facing in. One child goes around the circle touching each person on the head as they pass and say "Witch". They continue around the circle tapping and saying "Witch" until they decide they are ready to tap someone on the head and say "Ghost". They then proceed to run around the circle. The "Ghost" must run around the circle in the opposite direction. Both are racing for the open spot in the circle. The loser gets to be the caller for the next round. Variations on this game are many including hopping, skipping etc.
•Or Play it as 'GHOST, SHOST, BOO!' or play it as...
•APPLE-APPLE-PUMPKIN : Play Apple, Apple, Pumpkin! Same game as above.
2. SKELETON, SKELETON, WHERE'S YOUR BONE?
This game is variation of the old favorite, "Doggy doggy where's your bone."
3. PASS THE PUMPKIN played like Hot Potato. Use a tiny pumpkin…
4. Instead of playing Pin the tail on the Donkey---PLAY 'PUT THE STEM ON THE PUMPKIN'--'PIN THE TAIL ON THE DEVIL'--- or 'PUT THE WART ON THE WITCH'...
5. Play Musical Chairs to the "MONSTER MASH"
6. Add ghoulish imagination to a SCAVENGER HUNT or game of HALLOWEEN CHARACTER CHARADES
7. Instead of 'Simon Says'...play the 'Pumpkin Says' ... or Witch, Ghost, Goblin, etc. ________________________________________
GAMES FROM THE 'WORM THEME'...that work for Halloween fun!
1. THE WORM SQUIRM Obstacle Course Game
... Great for a WORM THEME party"! This is an obstacle course made of pillows, boxes etc. when it's your turn, you squirm like a worm on your belly to complete the obstacle course
_____________________
Be sure to have your camera ready--this one is a good photo op!
2. GUMMY WORM HUNT CONTEST
This one is fun!
Give each child a plate with three gummy worms covered in whipped cream, and a cup.
The first child to find the gummy worms with their mouths and get them into their cup is the winner! No Hands used!!!
_________
3. SNAKES AND WORMS
1. Cut two colors of yarn, (brown and green) each about 20 feet long. (If you have a large group playing at the same time--you may need 3 colors of yarn and cut the pieces longer)
2. Next cut the long length into many pieces.
3. Hide the pieces of yarn outside.
4. When time to play, carefully explain rules and regulations to children.
Form two teams with one or two kids on each side as captains.
They will tie each yarn piece that is brought to them, to the next yarn piece.
The team with the longest finished yarn (Worm or Snake) wins!
______________________
4. WIGGLE WORM RELAY
Form relay lines.
1. Everyone in each line puts their left hand between their legs and the person behind grabs that hand with their right hand.
2. Then they run at a given signal to the other end of the playing area and back.
3. The first team to return 'intact' wins!
______________________
WORM THROUGH THE APPLE
1. Have children stand in a straight line with their feet apart.
2. The child at the end is the "worm."
3. They crawl through the "apples" (children's spread feet/legs).
4. When the player reaches the front of the apple line, the next person in line becomes the "worm".
_______________
6. THE INCH WORM WALK...
1. Stand with feet together, bend, and touch hands to the floor-- just in front of your feet.
2. Walk your hands forward - without moving your feet up - until you can't go any farther.
3. Next walk your feet up to your hands. Continue...
4. If some of the children cannot do this, they could always lie down on the floor and wiggle forward any way they can.
Play some music to go with the movement!!!
________
7. PLAY 'WORMS' WITH A PARACHUTE!
Place four to six skipping ropes on the chute. By shaking the chute, the children try to shake the 'worms' off.
_________________
**These are fun to do Halloween week for a gym warm up--or as "Pumpkin Says" (The Halloween version of Simon Says)
Also consider these before doing any fine motor or craft activities. Have the children do "warm ups" to get their hands and minds ready to work!
- Pumpkin Fists: Make tight fists.
- Boo Hands: Have the children stretch their hands as far as they can saying "boo!!"
- Spiders: Tapping fingers on the table/floor.
- Smashing Spiders: Smash "spiders" with flat hands onto table or floor.
- Witches hats: Use pincer fingers to make a triangle, place it on your head and make witch noises.
- Two Ghost Flying: Have children take their hands and press the palms together and "fly" with their arms.
- Frankenstein Sitting: Sit on a chair or floor and do sit ups with flat palms.
- Shake the Scaries out: Shake your whole arms and hands.
Source: perpetualpreschool.com by Cathy
_________________________________________
HALLOWEEN WALK Good for Pre-K to Gr. 1 as Drama Game or exercises...
Form line on one side of room. Cross the room in following ways:
- Fly... like a bat
- Gallop... like a cowboy on a horse
- Hop... like a bunny
- Roll... like a pumpkin
- Dance... like a princess
- Creep... like a cat
- Walk... like a skeleton
- Float... like a ghost
- Stomp... like a monster
_________
SPIDER WALK
Have children do a spider walk, by placing their hands and feet on the floor and lifting their bottom off the floor.
SPIDER WALK RACE...
Have the children race each other while walking like a spider. Or try a relay race.
___________________________________________________
HALLOWEEN WORD AND LETTER GAMES...
TELL SCARY STORIES
Sit around in a circle in a darkened room, with a flashlight in the middle of the circle.
One player starts the story by saying- "Once there was______".
two or three sentences and stops in the middle of a sentence. The next person picks up where the last left off. Each person builds upon what was previously said.
Try to make the stories scary or gross.
Some ideas to start:
Once there was an old man walking through the graveyard...
Once there was an old lady who look so much like a witch...
Once there was a shadow....
Once there was an erie sound that was like..
_________
THEMED BANNER RACE WORD RACE
Challenge friends to a race of the minds. Prepare two banners (or as many as you need for each team) that say whatever you want them to say. Example: Whoo Hoo! Happy Halloween!; Welcome to the Pumpkin Patch, etc. Also prepare a set of letters for the same words cut out in two different colors-- (Orange and Black) for two teams-- hidden randomly around the area.
Divide the group into teams with captains.The captains sit and wait for their teammates to bring the letters for their banner. If a student is on the "orange" team and sees a letter for the "black" team he/she just leaves it alone. The first team to cover their banner letters wins.
________
HALLOWEEN WORD FIND
Set a kitchen timer for one minute. When the time starts, write down as many Halloween themed related words that you can think of.
Example: Halloween, Spooky, Ghosts, Party, Candy, Goodies, Trick or Treat, Monsters, Costumes, Make-up, Blood, Creepy-Crawlies, Spirits, Cauldron, Witch, Pumpkin, Jack-O-Lantern, Broom Stick, Apples, Scarecrow, Haunted, Haunted House, Bats, Cobwebs, Spiders, Spider Web, Scary, etc.
____________
HALLOWEEN WORD RACE
Take a Halloween related word.
Example: Word choices could be Scarecrow, Broom stick, Costumes, etc.
Find as many little words as possible within that word - before the timer runs out. This can be played as individuls, pairs, or teams.
- Example for Scarecrow: crow, row, scare, care, car,rare, era, race, ace, are, sea, ear, we, case, rear, etc.
- Jack-O-Lantern example... jack, lantern, cola, jerk, crack, crackle, rack, car, neck, joke, learn, no, ran, rent, etc.
___________
HALLOWEEN PICTIONARY
Need:
Black board / chalk or dry erase board
Markers
Timer
Slips of paper with a different Halloween themed word of an item/object writen on each paper
Examples for a Halloween Theme: Halloween, Spooky, Ghosts, Party, Candy, Goodies, Trick or Treat, Monsters, Costumes, Make-up, Blood, Creepy, Creepy-Crawlies, Spirits, Cauldron, Witch, Pumpkin, Jack-O-Lantern, Broom Stick, Apples, Scarecrow, Haunt, Haunted House, Bats, Cobwebs, Spiders, Spider Web, Eerie, Mondsters, etc.
Divide the kids into teams. The first player draws a slip of paper from the bowl; reads it silently and hands to the facilitator. The player then draw clues as to what is on their paper and the team guesses what it is.
If the playing team guesses correctly, before the timer runs out, they get two points.
If the playing team cannot guess correctly, before the timer runs out, the opposing team may take one guess.
If the opposing team guesses correctly they get a point and the playing team loses a point. Most points wins. For younger children -- DON'T divide into teams; use a timer or keep track of points. Just play until someone calls out the right answer.
____________
***Idea-Make Everyday Literacy games a Themed game! How about playing TRADITIONAL HANG MAN or BINGO to go with your theme! Themed Bingo cards can be downloaded easily from internet sites such as DLK...also crossword puzzels, word search, etc. can all be theme based.
___________
SPOOKY WORD SCRAMBLE
Unscramble the words in the first row...Who can do it the fastest?
othsg ghost
keelnsto skeleton
wlso owls
bglsoni goblins
kpniuspm pumpkins
sbat bats
hictsew witches
rebootc October
yracs scary
pumaek makeup
entusoc costume
eripvam vampire
dyanc rnco candy corn
ckbla act black cat
roombkcits broomstick
llsku skull
roncalud cauldron
rkad dark
andyc candy
ikctr trick
rtaet treat
raytp party
detnauh haunted
bmoeiz zombie
_________
Looking for Themed Books? The Autumn Book List Category has good lists that include books of Pumpkins Only, Jack-O-Lanterns, Scary, and Halloween!
You may also be interested in:
____________________________________