Using Halloween Coloring Pages in Spanish & French Class to Add Seasonal Fun

As Halloween approaches, many of us foreign language teachers look for creative ways to bring the season’s excitement into our classrooms while keeping students engaged in their target language. One of my favorite resources for this time of year is Halloween-themed coloring books and coloring pages in Spanish and French. Not only do these seasonal activities bring a bit of festive fun, but they also allow students to build Halloween-related vocabulary.

Why Use Halloween Coloring Pages in Language Class?

Coloring pages may seem simple, but they offer incredible flexibility for language practice! In both of our Spanish and French classes, I use Halloween coloring activities to focus on seasonal vocabulary like fantôme (ghost), araignée (spider), la calabaza (pumpkin), and esqueleto (skeleton). 

These themed resources help students memorize relevant vocabulary more naturally than through rote memorization. Plus, it gives them a break from more traditional exercises.

Coloring sheets are especially helpful for beginners or younger learners who are still building foundational vocabulary and may benefit from a more relaxed setting to practice.

Here are a few coloring pages we use in our Spanish and French classrooms to teach or review colors. We also have an English version.

These are the coloring pages we use to teach simple Halloween vocabulary.

We also use the coloring book for our younger students. This coloring book includes 25 pages of Halloween images and vocabulary in Spanish and English, French and English, and just English.

These are just some of the activities we use during the Halloween season, we also have a lot of Worksheet Activities we use during this season.

Here are a few ways we use Halloween coloring books and pages for both Spanish and French classes:

Vocabulary Practice: Before students start coloring, I introduce key Halloween vocabulary. I usually create a list of terms related to the page, and we review pronunciation together.

Simple Instructions in the Target Language: To add a listening comprehension element, I’ll give them coloring instructions in Spanish or French. For instance, “Coloriez la citrouille en orange” (“Color the pumpkin orange”) or “Colorea el esqueleto en blanco” (“Color the skeleton white”). This practice encourages students to focus on listening, comprehension, and following directions in the target language.

Mini Descriptions: After they’ve completed their page, I ask students to describe their artwork in simple sentences. This could be as simple as, “Le fantôme est blanc” (“The ghost is white”) or “La araña es negra” (“The spider is black”). For more advanced students, I encourage them to use longer sentences, like describing the scene or what the characters might be doing.

Cultural Connections: I also love to talk about the traditions and celebrations surrounding Halloween in French and Spanish-speaking countries, like Día de los Muertos in Mexico. By incorporating cultural elements into the activity, students can connect language learning to real-life contexts, helping them see how the vocabulary applies to actual celebrations.

Create Their Own Characters: Once they’ve finished the coloring page, have students write a short story or a few sentences about one of the characters on the page. For example, they might describe un vampire or una bruja and imagine what they do on Halloween night. This storytelling aspect gives students a chance to apply language creatively and imaginatively.

Halloween coloring books and pages create a relaxed environment that lets students focus on the fun aspect of language learning without the pressure of grades or tests. It’s a fantastic way to engage visual and kinesthetic learners who may benefit from activities beyond reading and writing. Plus, the holiday excitement can be contagious – students often leave class with a sense of accomplishment, having learned new vocabulary without it feeling like work!

So, if you’re looking for a new way to bring the Halloween spirit into your Spanish or French classroom, give seasonal coloring pages a try. Whether for a full lesson or a quick warm-up activity, Halloween coloring pages and books add a bit of fun and creativity to language learning that students will look forward to each October.

Happy Halloween, and happy teaching! 🎃