Halloween can be one of the most exciting times of year for ESL students. Pumpkins, costumes, and spooky stories bring instant energy to the classroom. But for teachers, it often means one more thing to prepare — which is why having a few simple Halloween ESL activities ready can save time and keep your lessons stress-free.
The good news? You don’t need to spend hours creating seasonal slides or hunting for themed activities. With a few simple strategies, you can spark Halloween magic in your online lessons — without the scramble. (If you’re looking for even more ideas, Cambridge English also shares some Halloween classroom activities here.)
In this post, I’ll share five engaging Halloween ESL activities you can use right away. (Plus, I’ll show you how to get done-for-you seasonal lessons inside the Florentis Learning Complete Classroom Curriculum.)
🎭 1. Costume Roleplay
A classic activity that works with all ages: pretend to dress up as different characters and practice questions like:
- What are you wearing?
- I’m wearing a witch’s hat.
- Are you a superhero?
💡 Pro Tip: Use simple props — even a hat or scarf — to make it more fun on camera.
2. Trick-or-Treat Q&A
Turn review questions into a “trick-or-treat” game.
- Hold up a pumpkin icon (or even just a piece of candy).
- Students “knock” by saying trick or treat!
- They answer a question before “getting candy.”
This works beautifully for vocabulary, grammar, or even conversation practice.
📖 3. Spooky Story Builder
Collaborative storytelling is a Halloween winner.
- Start with a sentence: It was a dark and stormy night…
- Each student adds one sentence.
- Keep it silly, spooky, or even funny.
Students love hearing where the story goes — and you’ll sneak in natural speaking practice.
👻 4. Halloween Vocabulary Hunt
Share a spooky picture or scene (e.g., a Halloween street, a pumpkin patch) and ask students to name as many words as they can. Then challenge them to make sentences:
- The ghost is flying.
- The pumpkin is big.
Students love spotting and labeling new words in themed images — and it’s a natural way to build confidence. (You can also find printable activities and songs on the British Council’s Halloween page if you’d like extra inspiration.)
🕯 5. Halloween “Would You Rather?”
Perfect for speaking practice:
- Would you rather eat candy corn or chocolate bars?
- Would you rather dress up as a ghost or a vampire?
- Would you rather go trick-or-treating or tell a spooky story?
This activity is simple to set up and always sparks laughter.
🌟 Want Ready-to-Teach Halloween Lessons?
If you’d rather not spend your evenings making slides, Florentis Learning has you covered with ready to use Halloween ESL activities.
Inside the Complete Classroom Curriculum, you’ll find:
- Seasonal Halloween lessons ready to teach.
- Four brand-new Advanced Speaking lessons with Halloween themes (perfect for older learners).
🎃 No more scrambling — everything you need is already there.
Florentis Learning’s Complete Classroom ESL Curriculum is designed for independent online teachers who want to save time, engage students, and deliver real results.
When you join with our Lifetime Membership, you get:
✅ A six level core curriculum with engaging topics
✅ A complete phonics progression from letter sounds to advanced spelling patterns
✅ Interactive slides ready for online teaching – currently more than 500 lessons
✅ Conversation curriculum with FOUR levels of speaking lessons
✅ Test Preparation Lessons to help prepare students for English exams
✅ Writing Lessons – Two levels, beginner and intermediate
✅ Built-in games and activities that keep learners engaged
✅ Seamless integration with reading, writing, speaking, and listening tasks
✅ Access to all levels, all units, and all future updates—forever
You can join with a Lifetime Membership (one payment, forever access) or choose a Monthly Plan if you’d prefer to spread it out. No commitment. Cancel any time.
Conclusion
Halloween is the perfect chance to add a little seasonal magic to your lessons. With these simple activities (and ready-to-go lessons if you want to skip the prep), you’ll keep your students engaged and excited — without adding stress to your plate.
Happy teaching, and Happy Halloween! 👻
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