Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and it’s no secret that they love all of the sugary candy that they get to consume. However, Halloween also comes with health concerns with regard to childhood obesity. Each year, the average American child consumes 7,000 calories in candy alone on Halloween or the equivalent of 169 standard sugar cubes (Mukerjee). By adding physical activity into the classroom, you can promote a balanced lifestyle (and help your students work through a sugar crash!). In this article, you will find fun activities for this time of year that your students will love. 

Frankenstein by 5’s Active Math Movement 

Put your right arm out like Frankenstein and whisper “one.” 

Put your left arm out like Frankenstein and whisper “two.” 

Step forward with your right foot and whisper “three.” 

Step forward with your left foot and whisper “four.”

Jump together, clap your hands and yell “five!” 

The Skeleton Dance 

The skeleton dance is a classic way to get students moving and grooving, all while learning about the bones in their body! Play the song and have your students sing along while pointing to each bone in their body. Once students start to feel confident in knowing the bones, you can ask for volunteers to lead the class. You can find the song for the dance here. 

Spider Hunt 

Hide plastic spiders around the room and give your students two minutes to search for as many as they can possibly find. At the end of the two minutes, have your students come back together and count how many spiders they found. After the spiders are tallied up, ask every student to stand and start counting up from zero as a class. As you’re counting, students will sit down when their number of spiders is called. The last one standing will get a special Halloween treat, such as a pencil or eraser. 

Let us know if you use any of these activities in your classroom this spooky season!