Let’s be real — Halloween week hits different in the music room. The energy’s up, the routines are out the window, and somehow every class feels like it’s happening at double speed. You could fight the chaos... or you could lean into it with something hands-on that still sneaks in actual learning.
This is exactly why I lean hard into hands-on, low-prep activities that still get the job done. And mini erasers? Total lifesaver.
Using mini erasers to teach rhythmic concepts is one of my favorite fall go-tos. It’s fun, visual, tactile — and best of all? It keeps your kids engaged while still reviewing rhythm in a meaningful way.
🤯 Tiny Erasers, Big Learning
Tiny pumpkins and bats? Instant engagement. But here’s where it gets sneaky smart — we’re not just assigning rhythms to each eraser. We’re asking kids to figure them out.
Each Halloween-themed word becomes a rhythm clue.
🎃 "Pumpkin" has two syllables, so it's rhythm would be barred eighths.
👻 "Ghost" only has one syllable, making it a quarter note.
Students look at the mini eraser, say the word, and decode the rhythm based on syllables. Then they use those rhythms to build patterns, perform them, and even notate them.
It’s rhythm practice, composition, and decoding all in one — and your kids have no idea they’re doing something academic because they’re too obsessed with the tiny vampire eraser in front of them.
Don't have access to themed mini erasers? Grab this set of rhythm cards that have Halloween themed words and rhythms already done for you!
🕸️ How to Use Halloween Mini Erasers for Rhythm
Here’s how to run it:
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Give each student (or group) a small collection of Halloween mini erasers — think pumpkins, bats, spiders, ghosts, etc.
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Have them say the name of each object out loud and figure out how many syllables it has. That tells them the rhythm.
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They build a 4-beat rhythm pattern using the erasers and syllable clues.
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Then they perform their pattern by clapping, body percussion, or on instruments.
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Want to extend it? Have them write the rhythm they built using notation.
💡 Pro Tip: you can use this activity for all grades just by switching up what the erasers are called! "Pumpkin" turned into "jack-o-lantern" gives you sixteenth notes for older grades!
🎃 Take It a Step Further with Halloween Rhythm Charts
If you want to keep the erasers but add more structure, the Halloween Rhythm Charts are a perfect pairing.
Students can:
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Compose rhythms by placing erasers in the beat boxes and writing what they hear.
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Or decode pre-written rhythms by matching erasers to each note value based on syllables.
These rhythm mats help students stay within a 4 or 8 beat pattern and give structure to their compositions! You can laminate them and use dry erase markers or give out paper copies to use as an assessment!
They’re great for centers, small groups, sub plans, or just a way to keep things structured while still fun and seasonal.
👻 Grab the Halloween Rhythm Mats
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or spend your Sunday cutting laminated things. I’ve already created the rhythm charts for you — all you need to do is add some mini erasers and let the rhythm magic happen.
👉 Grab the Halloween Rhythm Mats here and give your students a hands-on, low-prep way to decode and compose rhythms this spooky season. It’s one of my favorite ways to survive Halloween week without totally giving up on music standards.
