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Scarecrow Activities for the Classroom

I have always loved scarecrows. While some people think they are a little spooky, I have never seen them that way. To me, scarecrows are one of the best parts of fall — and scarecrow activities are some of my favorites to bring into the classroom, from books and art projects to writing and storytelling.

Over the years, I collected a stack of scarecrow books that I pulled out every fall. And without fail, when I brought out the first scarecrow story of the year, I got a big reaction — some students cheered with excitement while others gave me a look that said they were not at all convinced scarecrows belonged in a cozy fall read-aloud! I always loved helping those skeptical little readers see the beauty and charm of scarecrows instead of just their spooky side.

Before long, we would be reading scarecrow stories, creating scarecrow art, and turning all that fall inspiration into writing projects and other fun scarecrow activities. If you are looking for scarecrow books, activities, and teaching ideas for fall, I have gathered some of my favorites all in one place.

Why Do We Have Scarecrows Anyway?

Did you know scarecrows have been around for thousands of years? Farmers in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Japan all used them to protect their crops from birds and animals — and early scarecrows were sometimes actual people standing in the fields shouting! Eventually, someone figured out that a straw-stuffed figure worked just as well (and honestly, that sounds like a much better deal). Over time, scarecrows made their way from the farm into folklore, stories, and fall decorations, which is probably why our kids are so obsessed with them every autumn. And honestly? I do not blame them one bit. Scarecrows are just fun — which is exactly why I love bringing them into the classroom!

What Can We Learn from Scarecrows?

Scarecrows might look like they are just standing around in a field, but trust me — they have a lot to offer in the classroom! Scarecrow stories often explore themes like friendship, belonging, finding your place in the world, and overcoming fears, making them a great jumping-off point for social-emotional learning conversations. Many scarecrow books are also funny, warm, and full of heart, which makes them a wonderful fit for fall read-alouds.

On the literacy side, scarecrow books and writing activities give kids something they actually want to write about — and there is something about that silly, floppy, straw-stuffed character that brings out their creativity. On the math side, scarecrow-themed games and activities put a fun fall spin on skills like graphing, counting, and dice games. In other words, scarecrows are doing a lot more work than they look like they are.

Scarecrow Books for Kids

The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen

A beautiful, lyrical story about a scarecrow who breaks free from his pole when the wind blows and dances through the farm — until he hears a little boy saying his prayers and asking for blessings for the “old scarecrow who guards the fields.” This one will give you all the feels.

The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown

A classic from the author of Goodnight Moon! Little Scarecrow Boy wants to be fierce like his father and scare the crows, but Dad keeps telling him he is not ready. When he finally sneaks out to try on his own — let’s just say the sixth fierce face does the trick. Kids LOVE this one.

The Scarecrow’s Hat by Ken Brown

The scarecrow has a great hat but would trade it for a walking stick in a heartbeat. The chicken is determined to make that happen. A sweet, cumulative story about friendship and trading that is perfect for the primary classroom.

Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant

A quiet, gorgeous book about a scarecrow who is wise from watching — the seasons, the crops, the moon, the animals. A great mentor text for descriptive writing and a beautiful reminder to slow down and notice the world.

Scarecrow Pete by Mark Kimball Moulton

A friendly scarecrow with a suitcase who loves books and wants to share that love with kids? Yes please. Told in rhyming verse and perfect for inspiring your little readers.

Scarecrow Magic by Ed Masessa

What do scarecrows do after the sun goes down? Have adventures, obviously! A fun and playful pick that kids will eat up.

The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry

This one is so sweet it might make you cry a little. When a tiny baby crow falls from the sky, the scarecrow — whose whole job is to scare birds away — does the unexpected and saves him. A beautiful story about friendship, kindness, and showing up for others.

Scaredycrow by Christopher Hernandez

A scarecrow who is scared of everything — and everything is scared of him right back! This one is so fun and relatable for little ones, and the message about overcoming fears and making new friends is just perfect. A great addition to your overcoming fears conversation!

The Lonely Scarecrow by Tim Preston

All summer long the animals avoid him — his job is literally to scare them away, after all. But when winter comes and snow transforms him into a friendly snowman, everything changes. This one has a beautiful message about acceptance and seeing past appearances, and that ending will absolutely warm your heart.

After you have read a few scarecrow books together, it is the perfect time to turn all that scarecrow inspiration into writing, response activities, and classroom projects.

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Scarecrow Activities

Once you’ve stocked up on scarecrow books, these scarecrow activities are the perfect next step — from writing and math to art and more!

Scarecrow Activities: Writing

From reflective writing to story response pages, these scarecrow writing activities are a fun and easy way to build on your scarecrow read-alouds.

Scarecrow Reflective Writing

This activity invites students to step into the scarecrow’s shoes and reflect on what he feels, what he hopes for, what he knows, and what he wants. It pairs beautifully with any scarecrow craft and makes for the most gorgeous bulletin board display. This is one of my favorites!

💚 Grab the Scarecrow Reflective Writing activity on TPT here.

Scarecrow Stories Writing & Response Activities

Students can vote on their favorite scarecrow story with a class graph, write about why it is their favorite, and then try their hand at writing their very own scarecrow story. With three versions of the story writing pages, it is easy to differentiate for all your writers.

💚 Grab the Scarecrow Stories Writing & Response Activities on TPT here.

Scarecrow Sentence Level Writing

If your students need work on the nuts and bolts of writing, this one is for you! Types of sentences, fragments, asking questions, expanding and combining sentences, scrambled sentences — all the sentence-level skills your kids need, wrapped up in a fun scarecrow theme. It is skill practice that does not feel like skill practice!

💚 Grab the Scarecrow Sentence Level Writing activities on TPT here.

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Scarecrow Activities: Art and Crafts

Scarecrow Directed Drawing

Every good scarecrow unit needs a craft, and this directed drawing activity delivers the most adorable results! It pairs perfectly with any of the writing activities above and makes an incredible fall bulletin board or hallway display.

💚Check out the Scarecrow Directed Drawing here.

Scarecrow Rhymes and Fingerplays

Looking for some scarecrow rhymes to go along with your books and activities? Head over to my Five Little Scarecrows post for four fun scarecrow rhymes plus directions for making your very own scarecrow — perfect for circle time or a little brain break!

💚 Check out our Five Little Scarecrows post.

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Scarecrow Activities: Math

Scarecrows are not just for literacy time! They also make a fun fall theme for math centers, graphing activities, and hands-on games.

Roll a Scarecrow Dice Game

Students roll a die and race to build as many scarecrows as they can before time runs out. It is simple, engaging, and exactly the kind of activity that has kids asking to play again.

💚 Grab the Roll a Scarecrow Dice Game on TPT here.

Scarecrow Crunch Graphing Activity

This one is SO fun — and it involves snacks, which automatically makes it a winner. Students make a batch of Scarecrow Crunch mix, grab a serving, and graph what lands on their plate. There is even a create-your-own recipe component that adds a great creative twist.

💚 Head over to my full Scarecrow Crunch post for the complete recipe and all the details!

Free Scarecrow Word Search

Looking for a fun and easy scarecrow activity your kids can do independently? Grab this free scarecrow word search — perfect for early finishers, morning work, or just a little something extra to add to your scarecrow unit!

💚 Download the FREE Scarecrow Word Search

I hope this post gives you plenty of ideas for a fun and memorable scarecrow unit! Whether you are looking for scarecrow books, writing activities, math games, rhymes, art projects, or other fun scarecrow activities, you will find plenty of inspiration here. If you use any of these scarecrow ideas in your classroom, I would love to hear about it. Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram so I can see your scarecrows in action!