Playful Halloween Music & Movement Activities for Circle Time

There are so many fun ways to bring music and movement into your Halloween themes! These activities are not only entertaining but also packed with developmental benefits for kids.

Why Music and Movement Are Great for Kids

Music and movement have so many benefits! Using music in the classroom supports child development in multiple ways:

Self-Regulation: An upbeat freeze dance helps children practice self-regulation as they listen to the music and control their movements when it stops. It’s all about helping kids learn to pause, listen, and manage their energy — skills that support learning and everyday life.

Energy Release: Kids get to burn off energy, preparing them for tasks that require focus.

Creative Expression: Music and movement stretch children’s imaginations, allowing them to move like different animals—or Halloween characters!

Language and Learning Benefits: Interactive action songs promote language development, rhythm awareness, and memory.

So, adding some Halloween-themed music and movement to your circle time this October is not only fun—it also helps children grow in all these ways and more!

Halloween Music and Movement Activity Ideas for Circle Time

1. Monster Freeze Dance

This twist on the classic freeze dance adds an exciting visual element! Display monster pictures around the room. When the music stops, children must find a monster picture and freeze in the same pose.

Alternatively, you can hold up a new monster picture each time the music stops, and children have to imitate that pose. It’s a fun, silly way to practice motor skills and creativity!

2. Monster Boogie by Laurie Berkner

I absolutely love using this song for Halloween! The kids enjoy acting like a big, scary monster, and then dancing along with the playful, upbeat Monster Boogie. The contrast in the music keeps children engaged, making it a hit every year.

3. Halloween is Almost Here

This is a perfect song for younger kids! It’s set to the familiar, not-so-spooky tune of “London Bridge” and is simple and repetitive, which is great for little ones.

You can also add in movements as you sing -- or invite kids to come up with their own. Pairing this song with Halloween Movement Flashcards adds a fun visual element!

4. In the Pumpkin Patch

I learned this song a few years ago called "This Is Big, Big, Big" and adapted it to suit a pumpkin patch theme. This one is part of my Pumpkin Activity Pack,

if you’d like more songs, visuals, and playful pumpkin-themed ideas!

As you sing, pretend you’re picking different pumpkins! You can incorporate actions to explore opposites (big vs. small, short vs. tall) and help children understand the words they’re singing.

This activity is perfect for imaginative play and language development. Seated action songs like this are also great for transitions—from a high-energy activity or free play to something more focused.

5. Singable Story: If You’re Spooky and You Know It

Singable stories are a favorite in my music sessions, and If You’re Spooky and You Know It is no exception! It uses the familiar tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It and encourages kids to join in with movements.

Books like this are a wonderful way to combine literacy, music, and movement into one engaging circle time activity.

6. Spider Web Scarf Dancing

A go-to prop for music time is dancing scarves—so versatile and so fun! Scarves can easily become part of imaginative play. For Halloween, have them become spider webs!

Play a spider or Halloween-themed song and invite children to pretend they’re spiders spinning their scarf webs. I like to play “Spider-Man Theme” by Michael Bublé for this. If you’d like to extend the activity, my Spider Activity Pack includes spider web scarf flashcards that guide children to spin their webs in different ways.

7. Alphabet Magic Potion

   
   

   

Here’s another seated action song that taps into imagination—kids get to pretend to make a magical alphabet potion!

Chant the rhyme:

Mix the potion all around

Add a letter make its sound

Stirring, stirring almost done

Out comes a (something that starts with that letter)

Oh what fun!

Children can join in by stirring and mixing their own pretend potions while the teacher leads with a large “magic pot.” Before the activity, hide a small object or picture inside that matches the focus letter (for example, a frog for the letter F).

When the rhyme ends, reveal the surprise from the pot! This activity brings together movement, imagination, and phonics in a playful, interactive way.

If you’d like visuals to support this alphabet magic potion activity during circle time, you can find them [here].

I hope these Halloween activities bring joy and connection to your autumn circle time!🎃