Halloween is a fun holiday – and one which kids of all ages and socio economic backgrounds can be involved! But of course what works for younger kids won’t necessarily work for high school aged students. Below we have some tips about appropriate Halloween activities for each age group.
Primary Grades (PreK – 3rd Grade)
Kids this age love to dress up and show off their costumes. If your school administration will allow it, organize a costume parade for students from the younger classes. Following the parade, you can have a small party in your room, complete with games and treats. Decorate your healthy treats to make them more exciting for little fingers:
“glue” an almond sliver to a carrot stick with cream cheese so it looks like a finger;
Slice a banana in half and add a face to it with Cheerios or chocolate chips for a ghoulish ghost;
Cheesy witch brooms – slice the bottom of a cheese slice with a knife or scissors and tie it to a pretzel stick with a fresh chive
(More snack ideas: Healthy Sugarless Halloween Snack Ideas from our friends at Positive Health Wellness)
Middle School (4th – 8th Grade)
Play into the kids’ competitive spirits and host a costume competition! But to make it fair for everyone, have a “Make-Your-Own” Costume competition. Either purchase a large basket of random clothes from a thrift store yourself (many second hand stores have bins where you can load a basket for just a dollar) or tell your students that their spend limit is $5 (require receipts). Give awards for Best Costume, Best Upcycle, Best Group Costume, etc.!
High School
It may be more difficult to get high school students to dress up in costume, but there are still fun ways you can celebrate Halloween with your older students. English classes can read a ghoulish book during the month of October (Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book is a good, non-scary, non-gory choice). History students can learn about the history behind Halloween and how it came to be the trick-or-treating version that we celebrate today. Math or economics classes can plan a haunted house on a limited budget.
Do you celebrate Halloween in school with your students? Share your favorite activities with us!