Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I know how exciting it can be to bring a little spooky spirit into the dance studio! Usually, I keep games in my dance classes educational, but I know many of you love celebrating with themed games and activities. So, this month’s post is packed with 17 Halloween dance class games and ideas to add a little 'treat' to your lessons and keep students engaged. Plus, I added a free trick-or-treat bonus at the end. Happy spooky season!
Games:
Pass the Witch's Broomstick Song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvsK6eUGIa0
Limbo with broomstick
Corn hole/bean bag toss into a witches cauldron
Dress the scarecrow - Work in teams to make a scarecrow out of last years' dance costumes. Judge the winner.
No mess alternative: Divide class into teams. Each team selects 1 student to lay limp on the ground (in a leotard and tights) as a pretend scarecrow. Teammates have to put a costume on the scarecrow and then sit the scarecrow up into a fun pose for a picture.
Dress a mummy - Use streamers (instead of T.P.) and have a contest who can wrap up a partner the fastest.
Witch hat ring toss
Eyeball race - Balance an eyeball (painted egg or ping pong ball) on a spoon and conduct relay races.
Pumpkin bowling
Dances:
Thriller: Great Resource -> Thrill the World https://thrilltheworld.com/
Kids bop has a thriller song that’s not as scary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLuHFku1l9M
Shadow flashlight dance party
Improvise tap steps to the Adams family beat
Improvise with eyes closed giving Halloween prompts (zombies, spiders, pumpkins, ghost, etc.)
Choreography - As a group identify Halloween action movements and have students create a dance.
Examples: Roll like a pumpkin, float like ghosts, fly like bats or witches, shake your skeleton bones, stretch and bend like a stiff scarecrow, jump/pounce like cats, leap/hop like frogs and march like Frankenstein
Choreography- Divide students into groups and give each group a different Halloween word. Have the groups create a movement phrase by spelling out the provided word using dance vocabulary. No talking in the movement! Have each group present their phrase to the class while the other students try to guess the Halloween word.
Example: Ghosts - Grapevine, hop, over, slide, turn, stretch
Freeze dance - Any songs work but here are a couple special Halloween ones:
"Halloween Freeze Dance for Children" By The Kiboomers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho8NXCvwElY
"Pumpkin Man DANCE and FREEZE!" By Jack Hartmann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrtNt-Aexp4
Skills:
Balance soft pumpkins or spiders on your head during barre work.
Collect spiders with your toes and put them on a plate. The first student to 10 wins.
Trick-or-Treat Bonus:
Check out our Halloween playlists with over 250 songs appropriate for all ages and dance styles:
Happy Halloween!
