Perfect for warm-ups, full lessons, and Halloween parties
Looking for a Halloween activity that gets your students speaking English, drawing, and laughing? 👻
“Build a Monster” is one of my all-time favorite Halloween games for ESL classrooms. It works brilliantly in both one-on-one lessons and large group classes, and you can easily adjust the level of complexity to suit your students.
This activity is taken directly from my book, Trick or Treat! Get on Your Feet! Easy Classroom Activities for Halloween, which is packed with teacher-tested Halloween games and lesson ideas for ESL classrooms.
🧠 Step 1: Set Up the Activity
All you need to start is a blank sheet of paper for each student (and one for yourself). Sit down together and tell them, “Today we’re going to build monsters!” Build excitement — this is Halloween, after all!
🗣️ Step 2: Practice Body Parts in English
Start with the monster’s head. Have your student describe what they want you to draw in as much detail as possible — shape, color, size, special features — all in English. You draw their monster’s head based on their description.
Then switch roles: describe your own monster head, and have them draw.
Repeat this process for all the body parts: arms, legs, eyes, tails, horns… you name it. The only rule is:
👉 All body parts must be described in English.
This step can also be done in student pairs for group classes, encouraging collaboration and communication.
🖼️ Step 3: Turn It Into a Halloween Poster Project
Want to take “Build a Monster” to the next level? Turn it into a classroom art poster!
Decorating the classroom with student-made monster posters not only brings Halloween spirit into your school but also reminds students, parents, and staff how engaging your English lessons are.
For large classes, divide students into groups of up to eight. Then choose one of two poster-making methods:
- Body Part Method: Each group designs one body part. This leads to funny, mismatched “Frankenstein-style” monsters.
- Group Monster Method: Each group creates its own complete monster. Appoint a team captain using Rock-Paper-Scissors to help with organization.
Both approaches work wonderfully. Your students will talk about these monsters for years — I’ve had adults tell me they still remember doing this activity when they were kids!
🕸️ Why Teachers Love This Activity
- ✅ Minimal prep — just paper and colors
- ✅ 100% adaptable (warm-up or full lesson)
- ✅ Boosts vocabulary, speaking, and creativity
- ✅ Works for 1-on-1 or classes of 40+ students
- ✅ Leaves a lasting impression on students and the school
📘 Want More Halloween ESL Activities?
“Build a Monster” is just one of many fun, easy-to-use activities you’ll find in my book:
👉 Trick or Treat! Get on Your Feet! Easy Classroom Activities for Halloween
Whether you’re teaching online, in a private lesson, or at a busy elementary school, this book gives you ready-to-go Halloween lessons that your students will love.