1. Halloween Dice Game

Print the free "Go Away" picture cards and place them at different places in the room. If possible, attach them to the wall with reusable adhesive. For example, place the monster, witch, black cat, ghost, and jack-o'-lantern cards at five different locations around the room. Next to each card, place a number 1-5. You can simply write the number on a piece of scratch paper and attach it to the card.

Review the card names with the students.
"What's #1?" "It's a monster!"
"What's #2?" "It's a witch!"
etc.

Next, take out one die. Roll the die. Elicit the name of the corresponding flash card from the students. For example, if you roll a "1", ask the students, "What is card #1?" Help them locate card #1 if necessary. Repeat this again several times until you are sure students are able to match the number on the die with the flashcards around the room. If you roll a "6", everyone shouts "Happy Halloween!"

Tell all the students to choose a card and stand next to it. If you have less than five students, have the students all choose a different card. When the students have chosen their cards, ask each of them, "Who are you?" and encourage them to answer, "I'm a monster/witch/ghost/etc."

Show the students that you are going to roll the die and whichever number appears, the student(s) standing at that card will be "out". For example, if you roll a "1", the student standing next the number 1 card, the monster, is "out" and joins the teacher.

Roll the die. All the students should name the card together. If there is a student standing next to that card, all the other students yell, "Go away, (ghost)!" That student joins the teacher. If there is no student standing next to that card, everyone is safe.

Tell all the students to choose a new card. Once more, ask the students, "Who are you?" and encourage them to answer, "I'm a monster/witch/ghost/etc."

Continue the game until there is just one student left. Make sure all of the students who are "out" stay involved by having them roll the die and ask the question "Who are you?" to the remaining students.

Variation:

Instead of using the numbers on the die, you can make a cardboard die and use images of the different Halloween characters on each side of the die. We made one for you here. These will print clearly in large A3 format or you can downsize them to smaller A4 when you're printing.

"Go Away!" Dice Game

2. 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.

For Halloween, you can change the chant to "Who took the candy from the candy 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.

Teach the students the Halloween version of the chant. (Watch the "Who Took The Cookie" video to learn how to introduce the game the chant.) Pat your legs to start a slow rhythm, and then chant:

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

All: Who took the candy from the candy bag?
All: The witch took the candy from the candy 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.

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

Prepare a group of 10 or so Halloween-themed flash cards. 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 flash cards on the other side of the classroom.

Review the flash 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.

4. Jack-o-lantern charades or pictionary

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

Print the "Five Little Pumpkins" picture cards. 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.

Look at one of the flash 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 pumpkin 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 "Five Little Pumpkins" 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.

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!

For more Halloween-themed practice of emotions, try "Can You Make a Happy Face, Jack-o'-lantern?" from Super Simple Halloween Songs.

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

Tape off sections in four corners of the room. Place one of the "Go Away!" flash cards (monster, black cat, witch, ghost) 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!