21/10/2024

Easy and spooky DIY Halloween craft ideas

Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with some spooky crafts. Whether you're looking for activities to entertain your kids or fun decor to give your home that eerie, haunted look, crafting is a fantastic way to celebrate. Plus, DIY crafts offer a wonderful bonding experience for the whole family. Below, we’ve rounded up our favourite Halloween craft ideas that are simple enough for kids to enjoy but spooky enough to bring Halloween fun to life. These easy instructions will get everyone in the mood to celebrate this autumn.

Paper plate spider webs

These spider webs are a fantastic way to teach kids the art of weaving while celebrating the spookiness of Halloween. They’re easy to make and can double as decor for your house!

Materials:

• Paper plates
• Black paint
• Wool (black, white, or orange)
• Plastic spider rings or stickers
• Scissors
• Hole punch

Instructions:

1. Paint the paper plate: Have the kids paint the paper plates black. Allow the paint to dry completely
2. Cut a circle out of the middle
3. Punch holes: Use a hole punch to make holes around the edge of the paper plate, about an inch apart. This will be where the wool is threaded through
4. Thread the wool: Tie one end of the wool through one of the holes, then let the kids weave the wool through the other holes randomly, mimicking a spider’s web. Make sure the wool criss crosses the plate for that authentic web effect. When finished, tie the wool off on the back of the plate
5. Add spiders: Attach plastic spider rings or stickers to the web for an extra creepy touch
6. Display: Hang the spider webs around the house or in the windows to create a haunted vibe

See more ideas from thebestideasforkids.com.

Toilet paper roll bats

Recycling toilet paper rolls is not only environmentally friendly but also perfect for crafting adorable bats to hang around the house or use as Halloween party favours.

Materials:

• Empty toilet paper rolls
• Black paint or construction paper
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Black construction paper (for wings)
• White paint or marker (for fangs)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the toilet rolls: Paint the toilet paper rolls black. If you'd rather skip the paint, you can also wrap the roll in black construction paper
2. Create the bat wings: While the rolls are drying, cut out bat wings from the black construction paper. You can make wavy or zigzag patterns for a more fun look
3. Attach the wings: Once the rolls are dry, glue the wings onto the back of the toilet paper roll
4. Add eyes and fangs: Glue on googly eyes near the top of the roll and use white paint or a white marker to draw fangs beneath the eyes to create a bat face
5. Hang them up: Use some string to hang these little guys from the ceiling or the trees outside. They're also great for placing on shelves or tables as cute decorations

Lolly pop stick haunted houses

This craft is a perfect way to let kids use their imagination to design their own spooky, mini haunted houses.

Materials:

• Lolly pop sticks
• Glue
• Black paint
• Halloween stickers or tiny decorations
• Construction paper
• Markers
• Optional: small LED tea light (for glowing effect)

Instructions:

1. Create the house shape: Glue the lolly pop sticks together to create a house shape, leaving spaces for windows and doors. You can make a basic square house or go for a more elaborate, tall haunted mansion look
2. Paint the house: Once the glue dries, paint the entire house black for that classic haunted feel. Allow it to dry
3. Decorate: Use markers or Halloween stickers to decorate the haunted house. Draw spooky windows, doors, or use construction paper to cut out ghosts and bats that can be glued on the house
4. Add Decorations: For extra fun, add tiny Halloween-themed items like mini pumpkins, skeletons, or ghosts around the house
5. Lighting Up: Place a small LED tea light inside the house for a glowing effect when the lights go out. The eerie glow will make your haunted house come alive!

See this handy YouTube video from DIY Labs.

Handprint ghosts

Kids love crafts that involve using their hands, and this handprint ghost activity is both simple and adorable. It’s a great way to capture a memory of your child’s small handprint while getting into the Halloween spirit.

Materials:

• White paint
• Black construction paper
• Googly eyes
• Black marker
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Paint the hands: Coat your child’s hand in white paint (this is the fun, messy part!). Gently press their hand onto the black construction paper to make the shape of a ghost
2. Create ghost faces: Once the handprint is dry, glue on googly eyes where the ghost's eyes should be
3. Add details: Use a black marker to draw a spooky or silly mouth on the ghost. You can also add other details like tiny fangs or a bow tie for a fun twist
4. Cut and display: Cut out the ghost handprints and hang them on the walls, windows, or fridge. You can also create a string of handprint ghosts for a festive garland

See more from The Best Ideas For Kids.

Egg box pumpkins

Recycling is always a win, and using egg boxes to make little pumpkins is both eco-friendly and fun for kids of all ages.

Materials:

• Empty egg boxes
• Orange and green paint
• Paintbrushes
• Green pipe cleaners (for the stem)
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Prepare the box: Cut out the individual cups from an empty egg box. Each cup will become a mini pumpkin
2. Paint the pumpkins: Paint the egg box cups orange. Set them aside to dry
3. Create the stem: Once dry, poke a small hole in the top of each egg box cup. Twist a green pipe cleaner to resemble a curly pumpkin stem and stick it through the hole, securing it with a little glue if necessary
4. Add details: For extra fun, let kids use a black marker to draw jack-o'-lantern faces on their egg carton pumpkin
5. Decorate your space: Use these mini pumpkins as table centre pieces, scatter them on shelves, or even string them together to create a pumpkin garland

See more from Our Kid Things.

Paper bag monster puppets

Turn plain paper lunch bags into silly and scary monster puppets that kids can play with long after the craft is over. This project encourages creativity as kids can design their own unique monsters.

Materials:

• Paper lunch bags
• Construction paper (in various colours)
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Markers
• Lolly pop sticks (optional for puppet handle)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the bags: Start by laying the paper bag flat. The bottom flap of the bag will serve as the monster's face, so have kids draw a mouth on that flap
2. Create monster faces: Use construction paper to cut out shapes for eyes, teeth, horns, or tongues. Glue them onto the bag to create silly or scary monster faces
3. Decorate the body: Let kids go wild decorating the rest of the bag with markers, stickers, or more construction paper to create the monster’s body, arms, or claws
4. Add a handle (Optional): If you'd like to turn these into puppets, glue a lolly pop stick inside the bag so kids can hold and play with their monster creation
5. Put on a show: Once the puppets are done, gather around for a monster puppet show where each child can make their puppet tell spooky stories

See more from Crafts By Amanda.

Mummy mason jars

These mummy jars are fun and functional! Once the craft is done, they can be used as candle holders, sweet jars, or just spooky decorations around the house.

Materials:

• Mason jars
• Gauze or white crepe paper
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Tea light candles (LED preferred)
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Wrap the jar: Take a mason jar and wrap gauze or white crepe paper around it. Make sure to overlap the fabric to create a wrapped mummy effect. Use glue to secure the ends of the gauze in place
2. Add eyes: Glue two googly eyes to the front of the jar, peeking out from between the gauze layers to make it look like the mummy is watching
3. Insert Candle: Place a small LED tea light candle inside the jar. When it’s dark, the light will shine through the gauze, giving your mummy a spooky glow
4. Display: These mummies look fantastic when lined up on a table or along a window sill, glowing eerily into the night

See more from Dynamic Dad.

Pumpkin paper lanterns

Paper lanterns are a great addition to Halloween decor, and this craft allows kids to make their very own jack-o'-lantern version.

Materials:

• Orange construction paper
• Black construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Stapler
• Ruler

Instructions:

• Prepare the paper: Fold a piece of orange construction paper in half (lengthwise). Use a ruler to mark and draw evenly spaced lines along the folded edge, but don’t cut all the way to the edge of the paper
• Cut: Cut along the lines, making sure not to cut all the way to the top or bottom. When you unfold the paper, it will have slits down the middle
• Create the lantern shape: Bring the two shorter edges of the paper together and staple or glue them to form a cylinder
• Add a face: Use black construction paper to cut out a jack-o'-lantern face (triangles for eyes, a mouth, etc.) and glue them onto the front of the lantern
• Add a handle: Cut a strip of orange paper and staple it to the top of the lantern to create a handle
• Decorate: Hang these pumpkin lanterns around your house or use them as cute table decorations

See more from First Palette.

Halloween crafts provide a fantastic way for kids to embrace the spooky season while practicing fine motor skills, creativity, and imagination. With the easy-to-follow ideas above, kids can create decorations that add a personal and fun touch to any Halloween celebration. These projects use simple, affordable materials and offer hours of festive fun!