Looking for fun and engaging Halloween activities to do with your preschool or kindergarten students during circle time? This page features 16 kid-friendly Halloween games and activities that are perfect for getting young children excited about the spooky season. With instructions for classics like pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern as well as unique games like melt the witch, these Halloween circle time activities will keep your students entertained while fostering socialization, movement, and more. The games utilize basic materials like construction paper, ping pong balls, and spooky music to get kids imagining, laughing, and learning.
Pin The Tail On The Cat
Original Author: Unknown
Cut out a cat shape from black felt. Use fabric paint to add the eyes, nose, and whiskers. Cut out several tails from black felt and sew or glue the hook side of Velcro onto the end that attaches to the cat. The hook Velcro will stick to the felt anywhere the children put it. They play the game just like pin the tail on the donkey.
Ghost Callers/Ghost Hunt
Original Author: Unknown
Need:
Two ghosts; draw them or use two ghost figures.
Directions:
Cut white construction paper into 4″x5″ pieces. Roll and tape to form tubes. These are the ghost callers. Make one for each child.
1. Go on a ghost hunt. Show everyone the two ghosts. Have children close their eyes. Teacher hides the ghosts.
2. Children open eyes and count 1-2-3 GHOST! On the count of “ghost” the hunt begins.
3. The children who find the two ghosts sit by the teacher. Give them a ghost caller and let them make ghost noises for the next ghost hunt. The noise helps call the ghosts from their hiding places.
4. Continue until all children are making ghost noises.
Pass The Pumpkin
Original Author: Unknown
Need:
Hallow plastic pumpkin
crayons
paper
Put crayons in pumpkin. The players sit in a circle. Music plays, the players pass the pumpkin. When the music stops, the child holding the pumpkin reaches in and pulls out a crayon. The child must name the color and place in the middle of the circle.
Once everyone has had a turn or two, dump all the colors in the middle and make Halloween pictures.
Spook-E-Do
Original Author: Unknown
Tell the children that each one of them will have a chance to show the others in the group a trick. Call on a child and lead the group to chant:
Hello, (name), Spook-E-Do
What is the trick you are going to do
Will you hop, or bend, or spin around
Stretch, or wiggle, or touch the ground
Continue until all the children have had a chance to show their trick.
Pin The Stem On The Pumpkin
Original Author: Unknown
Have the children paint a large cardboard pumpkin shape. When the pumpkin is dry, secure it to the wall or your bulletin board. Give each child a construction paper stem with a piece of tape looped at the top. Let each child cover or close their eyes and let them try to pin the stem on the pumpkin.
Pass the Witches Broomstick
Original Author: Unknown
All you need is a broom. Padded the wooden handle with foam because the kids get excited and clunk themselves and others in the head sometimes while passing.. The kids sit in chairs or stand in a circle and pass the broom around the room on the steady beat until the music stops. Whoever has the broomstick when the music stops has to ride it around the room (if the want to) while everyone else claps. Let them wear a witch’s hat to get the mood going. The song goes like this. You could say it as a chant if you like:
“Pass the witches broomstick round and round the room.
While the music’s playing, quickly pass the broom.
Anyone is out, if the broomstick drops,
Or the one who has it when the music stops!”
Melt The Witch Game
Original Author: Unknown
Need:
A moveable chalkboard
Colored Chalk
Sponges
Bin of water
Directions:
Draw a witch’s head (not too scary) or whole body on the chalkboard. Filled the bin with water and sponges. Have children stand close enough to the board to be able to hit it accurately with a wet sponge. Place water bin and sponges near this spot. Tell children to take turns throwing wet sponges at the witch to try and “melt” her away. As the witch becomes wet and water drips down the board, it will appear as if she is melting. Be sure the children are squeezing out to the sponges before throwing.
Peek-A-Boo Ghost/ Who’s Missing!
Original Author: Unknown
Play a game of who’s missing with a small white blanket (crib sized). The adult gets down on the floor. Pick One Child to leave the circle. They go cover there eyes. Pick another child to sit in front of the adult. Cover the child with the blanket. When the Child returns have them guess who’s missing. Some children will want to put the blanket over their head & have a turn. Those who don’t want a turn enjoy watching the others.
For Older Children:
I Went A Trick Or Treating
Original Author: Unknown
Everyone sits in a circle. Each player starts by saying “I went trick-or-treating and got ……..” Each player names a treat they either got or would like to receive.
The next player in the circle repeats what all the other children said and adds their own treat of choice.
Keep playing until everyone has had a turn.
Witch’s Spell
Original Author: Unknown
Have kids form a circle. The Witch (teacher) will stand in the middle of the circle, spin around, then raise her hand and cast a spell on the kids, turning them into a particular animal.
Say: “Hocus, Pocus, Ala Kazam!
Turn into dogs, if you can!”
To change all animals back into kids:
Say: “Hocus Pocus Ala Kazam!
Now turn back into you!”
Dog, cat, bird, cow, rabbit, fish, horse, sheep, ghost, witch, etc.
Pumpkin Face
Original Author: Unknown
Cut a pumpkin shape out of orange construction paper, complete with eyes, nose, and a happy mouth. Then have children sit in a circle and all close their eyes. Tap one child on the shoulder and he/she comes and sits with caregiver. Put the happy pumpkin face in front of her/his face. Tell the rest of the kids to open their eyes and then sing together:
Who’s behind the pumpkin face
Nobody knows but me!
Who’s behind the pumpkin face
Nobody knows but me!
I won’t tell you,
You will have to guess!
If the answer’s right,
I will tell you YES!
Then they take turns guessing who it is. Talk a bit about how we knew
who it was, because of their curly hair or blue shirt etc. They love
this game and we play it again and again.
Mummy Dress Up
Original Author: Unknown
Let the children wrap each other in toilet paper and pretend to be a mummy
Pass The Hat
Original Author: Unknown
This game is similar to hot potato. The children sit in a circle and they pass a witches hat around. When the music stops the child that is holding the witches hats gets to ride around the room wearing the witches hat and riding a broom.
Pin the Nose on the Jack-0-Lantern
Original Author: Unknown
On a sheet of posterboard draw a jack-o-lantern without a nose. Also, cut several black triangles from construction paper to represent the nose. Number each nose with a white or yellow crayon. Display the jack-o-lantern on the wall at the children’s eye level. Place a piece of rolled tape on the back of each triangle and have the children take turns closing their eyes and trying to place the nose on the jack-o-lantern. If you wish, and the children agree, use a blindfold on each child at his/her turn. See how close to the center each child can place the nose.
Bobbing Jack-O-Lanterns
Original Author: Unknown
Use a black permanent marker and draw jack-o-lantern faces on a quantity of orange ping-pong balls (or white if you can’t find orange). Then float the balls in your water table. Place a small fishnet or large spoon in a jack-o-lantern bucket near the table. Have the children scoop the small jack-o-lanterns with the net and put into the big jack-o-lantern.
Pumpkin Toss
Original Author: Unknown
Use a black permanent marker and draw jack-o-lantern faces on a
This can be a fun game when you are lacking in activities. Take a few pumpkins, varying in size, and line them up. Give the some sort of ring that will fit over each pumpkin; such as a hula hoop. If you are using very small pumpkins, you can use an embroidery hoop, or the metal rings you can find in varying sizes at the craft store. Then mark the line where they are to stand, and have the child try to toss the hoop over the pumpkins. It doesn’t matter if they get it or not, you can reward them with small prizes or stickers.