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10 Fun & Creative Activities for Halloween Literature in Your Elementary Classroom

best halloween books classroom resources halloween holidays seasonal activities seasonal ideas student engagement

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Show Notes:

In my opinion, the season from October through December lends itself to the most fun activities and read alouds. I just absolutely love this time of the year. The kids are so excited and I am more than happy to feed into that excitement!

For today, let’s focus on October. With October comes Halloween, and with Halloween comes all the amazing Halloween literature. I could literally sit here all day and talk about all of my favorite Halloween books, but that would make for a very long podcast episode. Instead, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 10 fun and creative activities for Halloween.

I realize that we all have different school guidelines, volunteer support, and standards that we have to meet. Some schools are allowed to use the word Halloween, while others cannot. Some schools are free to have holiday-themed parties while others aren’t. For that reason, this list includes both book-specific activities and activities that you can use with your choice of text.

From dressed-up surprise guest readers to haunted house creations to creating a collaborative class book, there is an idea in here for everyone. One of my very favorite recommendations is to put together a “tickle trunk” of old clothes, accessories, and props. Head to the dollar store or the Target Dollar Spot for fun and inexpensive items like a witch’s hat or silly glasses. You can have your students take turns dressing up and become the volunteer reader of the day in their special costume. This is a great way to get even the most shy student excited about reading aloud.

I hope that this episode inspires your imagination and gives you some fun ideas for what you would like to do inside your classroom with your students during the Halloween season. With titles like Bone Soup and How to Catch a Monster, who wouldn’t be excited to sit on the carpet and listen to a story? If you try out any of these activities, tag me on Instagram @beginningteachertalk so that I can see all of the fun things that you’re doing in your classroom during this season!

Inside this week's show, you'll learn:

5 overarching ideas for how you can enjoy Halloween literature without being tied to one specific book.
5 book specific Fall and Halloween themed activities.
Suggestions on guest readers that you can invite into your classroom.
How to bring arts and crafts into your language arts block.
A fun way to incorporate nonfiction books into your Halloween celebration.

Links & resources mentioned inside this episode:

I hope this information is helpful as you prepare for your first, second, or third year of teaching. Until next time, remember, just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast, Beginning Teacher Talk, and creator of the innovative literacy program for 1st and 2nd grade, Dogs Help Kids Read and Succeed, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com and at howdogshelpkids.com.

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