Halloween Fast Finisher Art Activities, 6 Quick October Art Lessons & Sub Plans
6 quick-prep Halloween art activities perfect for subs, fast finishers, and bell ringers. Fun, flexible October art lessons for classrooms and homeschool.
Halloween Fast Finisher Art Activities: 6 Quick October Lessons for Subs & Busy Days
Every October, classrooms take on a special kind of energy. Students buzz with talk of costumes and candy, and the air is thick with excitement. As much as we love the enthusiasm, it often means that early finishers wrap up their work faster than ever, and suddenly you have half a class staring at you with that “what do I do now?” look. If you’ve ever scrambled to fill those extra ten minutes at the end of a lesson, you know exactly how real this is.
For teachers and homeschool parents, October is already one of the busiest months of the year. Assemblies, field trips, shortened schedules, and sugar-fueled energy spikes mean that lesson plans rarely go exactly as written. Add in the inevitable sick days or sub plans, and the need for quick, low-prep art activities becomes even more urgent.
But here’s the thing—fast finisher work doesn’t have to be busywork. In fact, the right activities can reinforce essential art skills, nurture creativity, and keep kids engaged without you having to reinvent the wheel. The best part? These kinds of lessons are flexible enough to be used as bell ringers, sketchbook starters, or even stand-alone sub plans.
That’s why I’ve put together a collection of six Halloween fast finisher art activities you can rely on all October long. They’re quick to set up, engaging for students, and tied to meaningful art practice. Whether you need an early-finisher solution, a substitute-friendly plan, or just a way to channel October excitement into creativity, these lessons have you covered.
Halloween Worksheets & Activities Pack (Elementary)
When October gets busy, nothing saves the day like having a pack of ready-to-go worksheets and activities. This set is designed with flexibility in mind, giving you multiple Halloween-themed art activities in one resource. From quick drawing prompts to creative worksheets, it’s perfect for those “I need something right now” moments when early finishers are piling up or you need a sub plan that will keep students engaged.
To use this pack, simply print the pages you want and hand them out as bell ringers, early-finisher tasks, or stand-alone lessons. The variety makes it easy to differentiate: one student might be sketching a haunted house while another colors a patterned pumpkin. Each page reinforces drawing, coloring, and imaginative thinking in a seasonal way that feels fun instead of like filler work.
Teachers love this type of resource because it works across grades and doesn’t require prep beyond making copies. Homeschool families will also find it useful as a flexible October unit—perfect for quiet time activities, centers, or rainy-day lessons. And because the pack includes a mix of projects, you can reuse it across multiple days without repeating the same activity.
If you’d like to see the full collection of print-and-go pages, you can preview the Halloween Art Worksheets & Activities Pack.
Halloween Directed Drawings Roll & Draw (Elementary)
Sometimes the best way to keep early finishers engaged is to turn art into a game—and that’s exactly what the Roll & Draw activity does. Students roll dice to determine the features of their Halloween characters, combining elements like eyes, mouths, hats, and accessories into one-of-a-kind spooky (or silly) drawings. The game-like structure makes this lesson feel fresh and fun every single time, because no two characters ever turn out alike.
To teach this activity, all you need are dice, drawing paper, and the Roll & Draw guide. Students roll once for each category—head shape, eyes, mouth, details—and then sketch what they rolled. The randomness pushes them to get creative and adapt their designs, often resulting in hilarious monsters, goofy ghosts, or wildly expressive pumpkins. The element of chance takes away the pressure of “making it perfect” and instead encourages risk-taking and play.
This activity is especially handy as a fast-finisher option because students can work at their own pace. Quick drawers can roll again and design a second character, while slower artists can focus on adding detail and color to just one. It’s equally effective as a sub plan, since the instructions are simple and easy to follow, but the results look impressive enough for a seasonal display.
If you’d like to see how this resource works in action (and get the printable Roll & Draw guide), you can preview the Halloween Directed Drawings Roll & Draw Art Lesson.
Halloween Drawing Prompt Challenge Cards (Elementary & Upper Elementary)
Sometimes fast finisher activities flop because they’re too vague—but these Halloween challenge cards solve that problem. Each card includes a complete mini art activity with clear directions, so students know exactly what to do the moment they pick one up. The best part? The challenges are playful and open-ended, which means kids still get to flex their creativity while staying on task.
To use them, print and cut the cards, then keep them in a basket or “early finisher jar.” When a student finishes their main project, they simply grab a card and start drawing. Activities might include designing a spooky candy wrapper, drawing a skeleton doing something silly, or creating a haunted room filled with details. Because the tasks are structured but varied, students feel guided without being boxed in.
These cards are a lifesaver in busy classrooms. They reduce interruptions (“I’m done, now what?”) and keep early finishers engaged while others complete their work. They’re also perfect as bell ringers, warm-ups, or even sub plan fillers since each activity stands on its own and requires minimal prep. Homeschool families can use them as quick drawing lessons that double as imaginative play.
If you’d like to get this ready-to-use set of activity cards, you can preview the Halloween Drawing Prompt Challenge Cards.
Halloween Grid Drawings Worksheets (Elementary & Upper Elementary)
Sometimes the best “quick finish” activity is one that builds drawing skills while giving students a clear, achievable goal—and that’s exactly what grid drawing provides. With these Halloween-themed grid drawing worksheets, students practice observation, proportion, and accuracy while recreating spooky images like pumpkins, bats, and ghosts. The structure of the grid helps them slow down and pay attention to detail, which makes this a sneaky way to build confidence in drawing.
To teach this activity, simply hand out the grid drawing sheet of your choice. Students focus on copying the contents of each small square from the reference image onto their blank grid, one section at a time. This breaks down a larger, sometimes intimidating picture into bite-sized steps that any student can handle. Once the outline is complete, they can add color to make their Halloween image come alive.
These worksheets are a lifesaver when you need no-prep options—just print and go. They’re perfect for subs, early finishers, or even as skill-building practice in sketchbooks. Teachers can use them to quietly reinforce proportion and line accuracy, while homeschool families can use them to introduce structured drawing in a fun, seasonal way.
If you’d like the ready-to-use version of this activity, you can preview the Halloween Grid Drawings Worksheets.
Halloween Shading Grid Drawings (Upper Elementary & Middle School)
For students ready to level up their grid drawing skills, shading is the next step. These Halloween-themed shading grids take the classic proportion practice and push it further by adding value, texture, and depth. Students move beyond simple outlines to explore how light and shadow can transform a flat image into something dimensional and eye-catching.
To teach this activity, start by reviewing basic shading techniques: hatching, cross-hatching, blending, and creating gradients from dark to light. Then, hand out the shading grid worksheets. Students copy each section of the reference image onto their blank grid, but this time they also focus on building value and shadows. The process slows them down, encourages close observation, and helps them connect technical drawing practice to finished artwork.
These worksheets are perfect for older elementary or middle school students who need a challenge, and they’re especially useful for subs or fast-finishers who crave something a little more advanced. Teachers can frame this as a way to connect the Element of Art: Value to seasonal imagery, while homeschool families can use it as a guided but independent practice in shading.
The best part? The spooky seasonal images (like jack-o’-lanterns, haunted houses, or bats) keep students motivated to practice technical drawing, even when the task requires patience. The results are always impressive—and hallway-display worthy.
If you’d like the ready-to-use worksheets, you can preview the Halloween Shading Grid Drawings.
Ghost Writing + Art Project (Elementary)
Some of the most memorable art lessons happen when creativity crosses subjects, and this Ghost Writing + Art Project is the perfect example. Students start with a spooky (but kid-friendly) writing prompt and then illustrate their ghostly tales through artwork. It’s a seamless blend of literacy and art that works beautifully as a sub plan, early finisher activity, or even a stand-alone seasonal lesson.
To teach this activity, begin with the writing component. Students are given a ghost-themed prompt—maybe imagining what their ghost looks like, what it’s doing, or where it might live. Once they’ve written their short response, they move into the art portion, bringing their ghost to life on paper. They can experiment with shapes, expressions, and backgrounds, using whatever medium you have on hand—oil pastels, crayons, markers, or watercolor washes all work well.
This project is especially effective because it meets multiple needs at once: it keeps students engaged, supports literacy skills, and gives them a chance to be playful with art. For classroom teachers, it’s an easy cross-curricular option that doubles as a sub plan. For homeschool families, it makes an excellent October activity that blends writing practice with art exploration.
The finished pieces are both adorable and imaginative—stories paired with illustrations that showcase each student’s creativity. They also make fantastic displays, combining written and visual work into one seasonal showcase.
If you’d like to see the ready-to-teach version with prompts, templates, and teaching notes, you can preview the Ghost Writing + Art Project Lesson.
Conclusion
When October rolls around, classrooms can feel like a whirlwind—costumes, candy, assemblies, and that unstoppable buzz of Halloween excitement. Early finishers are often the first to show you just how chaotic those moments can be, sitting at their desks with big eyes and restless hands, waiting for something to do. But with the right art activities on hand, those tricky moments can transform into opportunities for creativity.
The six fast-finisher ideas shared here—worksheets and activities, roll & draw games, structured challenge cards, grid drawings, shading practice, and ghost writing projects—aren’t just fillers. They’re meaningful ways for students to practice observation, line, value, creativity, and storytelling. They’re also flexible: use them as bell ringers, sub plans, or quiet tasks to round out a lesson without sacrificing art skill-building.
Most importantly, they remind kids that even the smallest slivers of time can spark imagination. A ten-minute window becomes a chance to design a monster, shade a pumpkin, or imagine a silly ghost story. Those little moments add up, building both confidence and consistency in artmaking.
So the next time October chaos has your classroom buzzing, remember: fast finishers don’t have to be a headache. With a few of these activities at the ready, you’ll not only keep your students engaged—you’ll give them a reason to celebrate their creativity all season long.
About Ms Artastic
Ms Artastic is run by Canadian artist and educator Kathleen McGiveron, who is passionate about making art education accessible, inspiring, and stress-free for teachers and homeschooling families. With years of experience in the classroom and a deep love for creativity, she designs engaging, ready-to-use art resources that help students of all ages build skills, explore their imagination, and connect with the world of art.
In her TeachersPayTeachers Store, Ms Artastic offers hundreds of resources—from fully planned art units and seasonal projects to sketchbook prompts, art history lessons, and assessment tools. Each resource is carefully crafted to save teachers time while still delivering meaningful, high-quality art experiences for students. Whether you’re looking to teach the Elements of Art, integrate art into core subjects, or spark joy in the classroom with creative projects, Ms Artastic has everything you need to bring art to life with confidence and ease.
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