1. Who Took The Candy?

"Who Took The Cookie From The Cookie Jar?" is a wonderful chant/game for teaching English rhythm and intonation patterns. Plus, it's a LOT of fun.

Click here for a video introduction to the game, "Who Took the Cookie?"

For Halloween, you can change the chant to "Who took the candy from the trick-or-treat bag?" To add even more of a Halloween theme, assign different roles to each of the students in the class. For example, one student is a ghost, one student is a witch, one student is a monster, one student is a pirate, etc.

Bring a "trick-or-treat" bag to class with one piece of candy inside. With everyone seated in a circle, show the students your trick-or-treat bag. Let them feel it and try to guess what is inside. After everyone has guessed, show the students the candy. "Mmmm! Candy! Do you like candy?"

Tell all the students, "Close your eyes." When all the students have closed their eyes, walk around the circle and place the piece of candy under one of the students. Return to your seat and tell the students, "Okay, open your eyes!" Show the students that your trick-or-treat bag is empty. Ask them "Who took the candy from the candy bag?" Look around the circle as if you are trying to figure out which student has the candy.

Pat your legs to start a slow rhythm, and then chant:

All: Who took the candy from the trick-or-treat bag?
Teacher: The ghost took the candy from the trick-or-treat bag!
Ghost: Who me?
All: Yes you!
Ghost: Not me!
All: Then who?
Ghost: The witch!

All: Who took the candy from the trick-or-treat bag?
All: The witch took the candy from the trick-or-treat bag!
Witch: Who me?
All: Yes you!
Witch: Not me!
All: Then who?
Witch: The pirate!

Continue until the student with the candy is identified! Play again, this time letting a student hide the candy!

To help introduce the chant, and to create a playfully spooky atmosphere, play "Who Took the Candy?" from the Super Simple Halloween Songs CD. Also included with Super Simple Halloween Songs is a set of 6 "Who Took the Candy" playing cards which allow you to play the game with younger students and pairs or small groups.

2. Trick or Treat! (Halloween variation of "What's the time, Mr. Wolf?")

Prepare a group of 10 or so Halloween-themed picture cards from the Super Simple Halloween Songs Teacher's Kit. Select one card to be the "it" card. Have all of the students line up against the wall on one side of the classroom, while the teacher stands with the picture cards on the other side of the classroom.

Review the picture cards with students, and then show them the "it" card. For example, choose the "ghost" flash card to be the "it" flash card. When the ghost flash card appears, the teacher will become a ghost and try to "catch" one of the students.

The students, in unison, say "Trick or Treat!"

The teacher asks one of the students, "How many pieces of candy do you want?" The student can say a number between 1 and 10. With the backs of the flash cards facing the students, the teacher shuffles through that number of cards. For example, if the student says "5!", the teacher shuffles through 5 cards, and then quickly turns the cards around to face the students. If the card is not the "it" card, the students are safe. The students should name the card and take one big step forward. The goal is to reach the teacher's side of the room and touch the wall.

If the "it" card (the ghost) appears, the students run back to their wall while the teacher acts like a ghost and tries to catch a student. If the teacher does catch a student, that student can now join the teacher, or replace the teacher.

Warning: This game can be scary for some children, especially children under 5. If you are acting like a ghost, be a friendly ghost, not a scary ghost. Smile, move slowly, and avoid making scary or loud voices. If you are acting like a monster, be a friendly tickle monster. It should be playful, with anticipation building as the students get closer and closer to the opposite side of the room. However, be very aware that some children may find this game too scary. If that is the case, ask them if they will help you shuffle the cards as you play the game. This game is best for kids 5 years old and older.

A great way to introduce this game is to sing "Knock Knock, Trick or Treat?" from the Super Simple Halloween Songs CD

3. Jack-o-lantern charades or pictionary

This game is a fun follow-up to singing, "Can You Make A Happy Face, Jack-o'-lantern?" from the Super Simple Halloween Songs CD.

Halloween, with the jack-o-lantern decorations all around, is a great time to discuss feelings facial expressions and feelings.

Use the jack-o'-lantern cards (happy, sad, scared, and angry) from the Super Simple Halloween Songs Teacher's Kit, or draw your own!

Look at one of the picture cards without letting the students see the card. Mimic the expression of the face on the pumpkin and try to elicit the emotion from the students. For example, if you are looking at the happy jack-o'-lantern card, make a happy face and try to elicit "happy" from the students. Repeat with several of the cards.

Next, have one student come to the front of the classroom. Without letting the rest of the students see, show the student one of the picture cards. The student mimics the emotion while the rest of the class tries to guess it. Let all the students have a chance to come to the front of the classroom. For shy students, the teacher should do it together with the student.

If you'd like to play this game competitively (for children 5 and older), you can separate the class into teams. If your class would prefer just to enjoy playing the game together (usually the best option for chlidren under 5), there is no need to make teams or keep score.

Enjoy!

Variations: Instead of making faces, you can draw a jack-o-lantern outline on the whiteboard, and have the students draw the emotions on the jack-o-lantern!

4. "Go Away, Tickle Monster" (Halloween Four Corners)

Select some Halloween character cards (for example, goblin, monster, skeleton, witch) from the Super Simple Halloween Songs Teacher's Kit, or draw some of your own!

Tape off sections in four corners of the room. Place one of the picture cards in each corner. The teacher stands at one end of the room and becomes the "Tickle Monster".

"I am the tickle monster. I like to tickle little kids! If I catch you, I will tickle you!"

The students start off standing in the center of the room. When the teacher calls out a flash card, the students should move to that corner of the room while avoiding the Tickle Monster.

The Tickle Monster should intentionally move slowly and not catch any of the students at first, allowing all the students to reach the correct corner. To ensure this, the Tickle Monster can walk on his/her knees, wear a blindfold, or walk like Frankenstein's monster!

When the students reach the corner, they can they can chant "Go away, Tickle Monster!" until the Tickle Monster retreats to the other side of the room.

If the Tickle Monster catches a student, he can tickle the student briefly and then the student becomes the Tickle Monster!

A great lead-in to this game is singing, "Go Away, Ghoulie Goblin" from the Super Simple Halloween Songs CD.