October is such an exciting time in the classroom! With fall in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to integrate seasonal themes into your lesson plans with fall activities or spooky activities for Halloween.
If you’re looking for fall activities for kids or Halloween activities for kids in the classroom, you’re in the right place!
Thematic teaching not only makes learning more fun, but it also helps students make connections across subjects. Here are a few creative and engaging thematic lesson ideas for October that your kindergarten and first-grade students will love.
1. Pumpkin Math
Pumpkins aren’t just for carving—they can also be used to teach important math concepts! You can have students estimate and count pumpkin seeds, measure the circumference of pumpkins, and even compare the weight of different sizes. These activities allow students to practice counting, measuring, and comparing in a hands-on way that keeps them engaged. Need ready-made resources? My Pumpkin Activities Resource includes everything you need to get started with pumpkin-themed learning.
2. Fall Literacy Centers
Bring the beauty of autumn into your literacy centers with fall-themed activities. Use fall vocabulary words for sight word practice, or create a writing prompt about what happens during fall, encouraging students to describe the changing leaves, the weather, and their favorite fall activities. Incorporating thematic word walls or writing activities makes literacy practice more engaging for young learners. Looking for a way to simplify planning? My Fall Literacy and Math Bundle provides a range of activities, from letter writing to sight words practice, with a seasonal twist!
3. Halloween Fun with Social Studies
October is a great time to introduce a simple lesson on cultural traditions with a Halloween-themed social studies unit. Explore how different cultures celebrate fall festivals around the world, or dive into the history of Halloween. This is a fun way to make social studies more relatable and interesting for young students. You can even combine this with a Halloween art project to solidify what they’ve learned.
4. Spooky Science
What better time than October to introduce some spooky science experiments? You can teach concepts like density, chemical reactions, or weather patterns through fun, Halloween-themed science experiments. Try creating ghost rockets (baking soda and vinegar-powered) or make “slime” to get students excited about learning!
Need More Thematic Lessons or Fall Activities?
If you’re looking for more thematic lessons that make planning easy, check out my Fall Themed Would You Rather resource! You’ll be every student’s favorite teacher by making writing enjoyable! Would You Rather Prompts are great conversation starters, ice breakers or writing prompts. Use these interactive, editable Google Slides to easily have students show one or two fingers to share their choice.
Want more fall activities? Check out my post here!
