Halloween is a Spooktacular Time for Reading

Oct 6

Reading Time: 2 min

Halloween is a wonderful time for spooky storytelling and creepy books. Lucky for educators, parents and caregivers, there are endless options for Halloween themed books available in local libraries, book stores and online to fright & ignite young imaginations. Halloween books can range from slightly spooky to scare-jump worthy. Knowing your children’s tolerance for spooky tales should guide you on the quest to find the most appropriate collection of books for the children in your life during the Halloween season.

Local libraries will typically begin displaying Halloween themed books around mid-September. Making a weekly visit to the library is a great way to encourage reading and create a sense of excitement around the stories that you will explore together. There are some fun and engaging ways to get the most out of your Halloween reading and storytelling this season:

Set A Spooktacular Mood

Depending on the age of your child, setting the mood for Halloween themed reading can vary in degree. For younger children, dressing up in costumes and setting up orange and purple lights in a homemade sheet fort is the perfect place to read about great pumpkins and creepy carrots. For older children, you can set the mood by dimming the lights, inviting friends over to sit around a makeshift cauldron or some other creepy (and safe) Halloween prop. Outdoor campfires are another great place to set the mood for some spooky reading & storytelling.

Ghoulish Story Telling

Halloween is the perfect backdrop for spooky storytelling. In the classroom, ask students to share their favorite stories that they have read in books, folk lore or their own imaginations. Then ask them to sit down and write the story using a complete story structure. At home, parents and children can read together and share their thoughts on the spookiest parts of the story. Children can illustrate those spooky parts using their favorite Halloween themed paper & crayons.

Inspiration for Ghostly Creative Writing

To help students tap into their creative imaginations, we have some writing prompts that can get their creative juices flowing while creating something that is in the Halloween spirit! Students can work in groups or as individuals for this type of exercise. Use these spooky prompts to get your students writing: