At Halloween time, I’m always looking for fun classroom games that actually keep students engaged in learning. It’s easy to get distracted by all the holiday trappings: themed food, over-the-top decorations, and wild parties. But I like to make the most of my students’ excitement by choosing seasonal activities that still incorporate the standards.
That’s why I started using escape challenges in my classroom. These popular games allow students to work collaboratively to solve puzzles, all while actively trying to “escape” a themed situation. My Escape from the Emoji Pumpkin Patch classroom games are perfect to use at Halloween time! With 3 different levels of difficulty, these escape challenges are low-prep for teachers and highly motivating for students.
Getting Started
All my Halloween escape games include a quick start guide with all the details you need to get them up and running in your classroom in no time! Simply print the materials and place them in envelopes for students to use during the challenge. You can use the printed or digital map for students to track their progress through the game.
Divide your class into teams and read through the Emoji Pumpkin Patch simulation. The head pumpkin has trapped everyone in his pumpkin patch and only the group that solves all the challenges first can escape. Groups will work through a series of math puzzles to find the codes they need to escape.
Teams who need help can ask a friendly pumpkin emoji for a hint card. But if players aren’t careful, they might get lost in the corn maze. By the end of the game, only one team will emerge, earning a winner badge and bragging rights!
Classroom Options: 3 Different Halloween Games
Throughout the game, students will be applying math skills to solve each puzzle. These Emoji Pumpkin Patch challenges focus on multi-digit addition and subtraction fluency. In my experience, students are having so much fun trying to escape the pumpkin patch, they don’t even realize they’re practicing math!
I created three different levels of difficulty for these games. While they all follow the same story and include identical clues, each game has varying levels of complexity. The grade levels below outline the differences in each game; however, you can choose the level that fits best the needs of your students.
- 3rd Grade: Addition and Subtraction within 1,000
- 4th Grade: Addition and Subtraction within 1,000,000
- 5th Grade: Addition and Subtraction with Decimals
This was the perfect activity for my 3rd graders as we wrapped up our first quarter math. Every single student loved this escape room challenge. The engagement was off the charts, and the excitement of actually escaping was so fun to see on their faces! It was easy for me to prepare, and I will use this each year. I will be purchasing more of these escape rooms for sure!
Melissa S.
Decorating Your Classroom for Halloween Games
In order to fully immerse students in the Pumpkin Patch Escape Challenge, I like to prep my classroom by adding fun decorations. Even just a few pieces of decor can help set the scene and increase student motivation. For these Halloween games, there’s a few easy ways to make this work in your classroom.
Halloween Tablecloths
Grab some pumpkin-themed tablecloths at the dollar store. These are perfect for spreading out over several desks, giving each team their own place to work. You can also use tablecloths as a wall hanging or photo backdrop.
Orange Balloons
To create the pumpkin patch feel, place inflated orange balloons around the floor of your classroom. You can add some fun emoji faces to each balloon, or let students create their own! Use a coiled green pipe cleaner to wrap around the knot of the balloon to create the stem and vine.
Glow in the Dark
For a spookier pumpkin patch, turn the lights down and let students use flashlights or glow wands as they work. Some teachers even add a black light and glow in the dark tape to transform their classroom! Use a fun Halloween-themed light set draped around the room to create an eerie feel. I love these jack-o-lantern light strings!
I love to see all the creative ways teachers are using these Halloween escape games in their classrooms! If you have photos to share, tag me on social media @performingineducation. Want more escape room games? Check out all my classroom escape challenges!
Jennifer says
I love this time of year, and of course my students do, too! What a fun way to celebrate and learn. It actually fits perfectly with where my students are in math. I can’t wait! Thank you.
Terri W says
For fall decorations I generally go with a fall feel. A pumpkin themed door, with some wall decorations/stickers on the walls. I have pumpkins and scarecrows helping point to words on the word wall, and anchor charts. space
Molly says
I have pumpkins on each table and we decorated creepy carrots to go along with our data collection math unit! We are going to turn our table pumpkins into characters at the end of the month!
Brittany Steinman says
So grateful for all the resources that you provide at such a reasonable price! Can’t wait to use the escape room to keep my kiddos engaged in some math since our scripted program is difficult to make interactive!
Maureen L says
I love to decorate with fall leaves
Tiffany L. says
This year I have an outdoor classroom and decorated with scarves from the Dollar Tree inspired By the Day of the Dead for October. They float in the breeze. It’s colorful and soothing.
Tara Brown says
Our school colors are orange & black, and even though it’s fun to spice things up with cobwebs and such, I actually take on a different approach. I love teaching about Day of the Dead and since it begins the day after Halloween, I decorate my room día de muertos style! 🙂 It’s sooo much fun because kids go the whole week thinking the room looks how it does because it’s Halloween, but once they learn what Day of the Dead actually is, the decorations begin to have new meaning. After our unit, we all make masks to honor loved ones (or someone of choice) to add to the “decorations” already up in our room. 🙂
Ann says
I usually put a few window clings on the side windows next to my door. Nothing too major!
Renee Sanders says
I teach second grade and love to decorate with a pumpkin theme.
I really like the Glow idea!
Renee Sanders says
I teach second grade and love to decorate with a pumpkin theme. We do writing , art, and a pumpkin place value that I display in the hall and in the classroom.