A Halloween Crossword Puzzle is a great activity for kids to do during a Halloween party, for school or just for fun.
This printable Halloween activity page is full of Halloween-themed words and works for boys and girls. There are seven pictures of items associated with Halloween โ the kids will need to figure out what each item is in order to complete the puzzle.
Crossword puzzles are a way for kids to learn while having fun. Children in elementary school will enjoy working on this printable crossword.
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How can Crossword Puzzles Help Kids Learn?
Crossword puzzles are effective teaching tools because the kids actually enjoy completing them so they’re more willing to learn.
Here are just a few of the skills these puzzles help children learn:
Vocabulary
Crossword puzzles are a great way to grow a child’s vocabulary. They can learn that there may be more than one word that can describe a picture.
For example, even though the Halloween images in this puzzle are familiar, the kids may not know all of the words โ like “cauldron” instead of “pot.”
Spelling
Proper spelling is incredible important in a crossword. Since the words intersect with each other, if any words are spelled incorrectly, the puzzle won’t be able to be completed.
Problem-Solving
If the puzzle can’t be completed, the child will need to figure out what the problem is.
They’ll need to look at the words to make sure they’re spelled correctly. If they’re all spelled correctly, then they’ll need to figure out if there’s another word that can be used in that space instead.
Halloween Reading for Kids
Since crossword puzzles can grow a child’s vocabulary and spelling, it’s a great idea to continue the learning fun with these Halloween books for kids of all ages.
- Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson is for children pre-k through 2nd grade.
- Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O’Connell is for children 4-8 years old.
- Princess Pumpkin Patch by Andi Cann is for ages 2-8 years old and is beautifully illustrated.
- The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams is a fun book for kids up to 3rd grade.
- Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt by Marjorie Sharmat is a chapter book for kids from 1st to 4th grade.
- The Happy and Heinous Halloween of Classroom 13 is a hilarious chapter book by Honest Lee for kids up to 5th grade.
- Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories will keep teenagers occupied and entertained.
Creative Ways to Use This Printable
There are many ways to get creative with the crossword for your class or at home. Here are some ideas:
Tape Clues to Student’s Backs
Before class, cut the clues off of the crossword puzzle. Then, when you’re ready to start the activity, tape the clues to each student’s back.
Students walk around the room reading the clues and filling in the crossword. This activity is especially fun for younger students.
Spooky Timer Challenge
Divide kids into teams, and have a timed challenge to see which group can complete the crossword puzzle the fastest. You can add Halloween-themed prizes for the winners, like spooky stickers or small toys.
Create a Story
Once the kids solve the crossword puzzle, ask them to write or act out a short Halloween story using as many words from the puzzle as possible. Encourage them to be creative and spooky.
Scavenger Hunt
Use each word in the crossword as a clue for a scavenger hunt around the house, classroom, or yard. Hide objects related to the words in the crossword (like a stuffed animal for “cat”) and let kids solve the clues by searching for the items.
Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools for Printables
Printer: This one is a great budget printer. If youโre willing to spend just a little more though, this is a better option. And if youโre looking for an all-in-one home office machine, this one does it all, has high reviews and includes 2 years of ink.
Ink cartridges: Speaking of ink, this is where the cost of using printables can really add up! To save BIG on ink, buy it from CompAndSave.com. It’s substantially cheaper than anywhere else and they carry ink for all major printer brands and models.
Printer paper or cardstock: If youโre printing for one-time, quick use, print on regular printer paper. If you need the printout to hold up to being handled often or if you plan to laminate the clues to use multiple times, choose cardstock.
Laminator: Laminating the clues is an inexpensive way to use them multiple times. Alternately, you can cover the clues with clear contact paper to achieve the same thing.
Binder or Folder: If you’re using page protectors for your printables, binders are such an easy way to keep them together and organized. I love this colorful set. If you prefer to stick with standard white though, this set is highly rated and very affordable. And if you need larger binders, this set is terrific. If you go with folders, I like these.
Storage boxes: I like to keep a collection of coloring pages and activity sheets for kids in these plastic storage boxes that I pull out whenever I need to keep kids occupied.
Clipboard: I love this clipboard for on-the-go with the kids. It has built in storage for both printables and markers or pencils.
Download the Halloween Crossword Puzzle
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Printable FAQs
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Additional Halloween fun for Kids
There are so many opportunities during October to do family activities and make Halloween extra enjoyable for the kids.
Here are some ideas on how to make Halloween month special this year:
- Make a new Halloween treat each week during October. You can always take the goodies to neighbors or your local fire and police stations. My kids love making Nutter Butter Ghosts and Spider Donuts.
- We love family movie night during October and this Halloween Movies list will give you more movie ideas then you will have time to watch.
- Try some fun Halloween crafts and DIY projects with the kids. It only takes minutes to make 2-ingredient Halloween slime and kids can play with it all month.
- Decorate the porch for Halloween. There are plenty of non-spooky Halloween front porch ideas that will be fun to create.
- Print off a one month calendar of fall fun and try to do as many things as you can on the calendar.
- Do this printable Halloween crossword puzzle together as a family. This crossword puzzle is just one of the many fun games in the Halloween Activity Kit for Kids. Get the complete kit here: