Halloween Acrostic Poem Templates (4 Free Printables for Kids)
Halloween acrostic poems are a fun and engaging way to get kids and adults into the spooky spirit of the season.
Our Halloween printable templates provide a simple structure, with each line starting with a letter from the word “HALLOWEEN,” making it easy for anyone to create their own poem.
Whether you’re a teacher planning a classroom activity or a parent looking for a festive way to inspire creativity, these Halloween poem templates are the perfect tool.
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What is an acrostic poem?
An acrostic poem is a type of poetry in which the first letters of each line or verse when read vertically from top to bottom, spell out a word, phrase, or message.
The content of the poem is often related to the word or phrase being spelled out.
They can be a creative way to convey meaning, express emotions, or simply have fun with language by using each letter as a starting point for individual lines of poetry.
Why use acrostic poems?
Acrostic poems are a fantastic way to introduce younger kids to poetry because they are simple and enjoyable to write.
For us, acrostic poems became a favorite activity when my son was around 8 years old, and we’ve made them a tradition for every holiday, including Halloween.
They provide an easy entry point into creative writing, making them perfect for Halloween-themed activities.
How to use our Halloween poem template?
Print out our Halloween acrostic poem worksheet below. There are four different templates to print out with the word HALLOWEEN on.
The templates can also be colored in when the children finish writing their acrostic poem.
The children need to write a poem with each line starting with the capital letter that spells out the poem’s theme vertically.
They do not need to rhyme, but children should use alliteration, rhythm, and similies to make it the best they can.
Check out all of our free printable Halloween games for kids!
Who wrote the most famous acrostic poem?
Funnily enough, the most famous acrostic poem was written by the horror writer and poet, Edgar Allan Poe:
Elizabeth it is in vain you say
“Love not” — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L.E.L.
Zantippe’s talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breath it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His follie — pride — and passion — for he died.
Now, unless you are working with very advanced high school students, you shouldn’t expect your children to write like this! However, this is a great example of how amazing one can be.
Your child’s acrostic poem can just be one word, although try and get them to write as much as necessary for their age group.
For some fun, the older kids might enjoy our free Halloween scavenger hunt for tweens too.
Halloween words to use
There are 4 templates to print out, including 2 black and white templates (as we all know that ink is expensive!). The black and white templates can also be colored in when they have finished writing their acrostic poem.
You can either get the kids to write a spooky-themed poem or let them create a poem of their choosing based on the letters HALLOWEEN.
I know how hard it can be to find inspiration so here are some helpful words to use for your fall acrostic poems:
H – Hair Raising, Hat, Haunted, Hell, Horror
A – Afraid, Autumn, Alone, Alarming
L – Lantern, Lightning
L – Labyrinth
O – October, Owl, Orange, Outfit
W – Wail, Wand, Werewolf, Weird, Witch
E – Eerie, Evil, Eyeballs
E – Exorcist, Enchant, Effect
N – Neighborhood, Nasty, Nightmare, Night
Poetry books for kids
Acrostic poems are a wonderful introduction to poetry for kids, but there are plenty of other ways to inspire a love for poetry. Here are some of our favorite poetry books for children:
We love Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl for its witty twists on classic fairy tales.
National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry.
Write Your Own Haiku for Kids: Write Poetry in the Japanese Tradition – Easy Step-by-Step Instructions to Compose Simple Poems.
You might also enjoy our favorite Halloween books for middle schoolers—pair them with our Halloween coloring bookmarks for a creative reading experience.
For even more educational fun, explore our free Halloween writing prompts, perfect for elementary and middle school children.
Get your free Halloween-themed poetry activity here!
Ready to grab your free printable? Just pop your name and email into the form below, and it’s all yours!
Additional free printable acrostic poem templates
Explore more seasonal and fun themes with our free acrostic poem templates. Choose from:
- an Easter acrostic poem to celebrate springtime,
- a thankful acrostic poem printable for the fall season,
- a football acrostic poem worksheet for sports enthusiasts,
- or a scarecrow poem template perfect for autumn crafts and activities.
Last Updated on 10 April 2025 by Clare Brown