20 Halloween Crafts Kids Will Love

Halloween is the perfect excuse to get gloriously messy. Think googly eyes, orange paint, paper ghosts and enough glitter to still be turning up in your home at Christmas.

Whether you are looking for a simple afternoon activity, something to keep little hands busy during half term or a few Halloween decorations the kids can proudly show off, these easy Halloween crafts for kids are packed with fun ideas.

1. Paper Plate Pumpkins

Turn an ordinary paper plate into a cheerful Halloween pumpkin with orange paint, black paper and a little imagination. Paint the plate orange, leave it to dry, then add triangle eyes, a spooky mouth and a green paper stalk. Younger children can simply paint their own designs, while older children can experiment with different expressions.

2. Toilet Roll Bats

Save those empty toilet rolls because they make brilliant little bats. Paint the tube black, add paper wings, googly eyes and tiny fangs, then hang your finished bats around the house. They look particularly cute dangling from shelves or windows.

3. Spooky Ghosts

For an easy Halloween craft for toddlers, ghosts are hard to beat. Cut ghost shapes from white card and let the children decorate them with black pens, stickers or googly eyes. Add string and hang them around the room for an instant spooky makeover.

4. Handprint Spiders

A little paint and two hands are all you need for this one. Paint the palms and fingers black, press them onto paper and add googly eyes once dry. The result is a wonderfully creepy spider with eight very enthusiastic legs.

5. Halloween Monster Puppets

Paper bags make brilliant monster puppets. Let children choose whether they want to create a vampire, witch, monster or friendly ghost, then decorate their paper bag with coloured card, wool, stickers and googly eyes. Once finished, put on a very serious puppet show.

6. Egg Carton Bats

An empty egg carton can be transformed into a whole family of tiny bats. Cut out individual sections, paint them black and add paper wings and eyes. You could even give each bat a name. Bob, Boris and Barry the Bat have a certain ring to them.

7. Pom Pom Spiders

Make fluffy little spiders using black pom poms, googly eyes and pipe cleaners. Twist four pipe cleaners around each side of the pom pom to create eight legs, then bend them into shape. These are particularly fun for younger children who love anything with googly eyes.

8. Paper Pumpkin Garland

Create your own Halloween bunting using orange paper or card. Cut out pumpkin shapes, decorate each one with a different face and attach them to string. Hang the finished garland across a fireplace, window or bedroom wall for an easy homemade decoration.

9. Paint Your Own Pumpkins

You do not always need to carve a pumpkin to get into the Halloween spirit. Painting pumpkins is a brilliant, child friendly alternative and gives little ones plenty of creative freedom.

Choose small pumpkins and let the children paint them however they like. Classic orange pumpkins with spooky faces are always a winner, but you can also try ghosts, monsters, spiders, stripes or colourful patterns. Once they are dry, add googly eyes, glitter or other decorations for extra Halloween fun.

10. Cardboard Tube Monsters

Bring those cardboard tubes back out because they have plenty more Halloween potential. Cover them in coloured paper or paint them in bright shades, then add silly teeth, wild hair, googly eyes and funny faces. Encourage children to invent their own monster rather than copying a design.

11. Paper Cup Spiders

Turn a paper cup upside down and paint it black to create the body of a spider. Add pipe cleaner legs and googly eyes, then hang it from a piece of string. Make several and create your very own creepy crawly collection.

12. Halloween Window Pictures

You do not need expensive decorations to make your windows look spooky. Cut out silhouettes of bats, pumpkins, witches and cats from black paper and stick them onto the inside of your windows. Younger children can decorate simple shapes, while older children can create more detailed designs.

13. Spooky Handprint Ghosts

Handprint crafts are always a winner with young children, partly because they are fun and partly because they become little keepsakes. Paint a hand white, press it onto black paper and add spooky faces once dry. The fingers become the ghost’s floating arms and give each one a wonderfully wonky shape.

14. Halloween Lanterns

Decorate empty glass jars with tissue paper, paint or Halloween stickers to create homemade lanterns. Use battery operated tea lights rather than real candles, particularly if children are involved. Pumpkin faces, ghosts and monsters all look brilliant glowing in the dark.

15. Witch’s Hat Craft

Create a simple witch’s hat using black card. Roll the card into a cone, secure it and attach a circular brim. Children can then decorate their hats with stars, moons, ribbons, stickers and glitter. Naturally, wearing the finished masterpiece around the house is strongly encouraged.

16. Monster Bookmark

For children who love books, make a spooky bookmark to keep their place in their latest story. Cut a strip of card and decorate it as a monster, vampire or ghost. Add googly eyes, paper teeth or colourful hair for extra personality.

17. Halloween Leaf Characters

Gather fallen leaves and turn them into Halloween characters. Paint leaves orange to create pumpkins, black for bats or white for ghosts, then add faces once they are dry. It is a lovely way to combine an autumn walk with a creative afternoon at home.

18. Paper Plate Spider Webs

Paint a paper plate black or leave it white, then carefully cut out the middle to create a frame. Children can weave white wool through the holes to make their own spider webs. Add a small paper spider in the middle for the finishing touch.

19. Halloween Pencil Toppers

Make schoolwork a little more spooky with homemade Halloween pencil toppers. Cut small pumpkins, ghosts or monsters from card, decorate them and attach them around the top of a pencil. They are quick to make and make a fun little Halloween treat without involving sweets.

20. DIY Halloween Crowns

Finish your crafting session with something the children can actually wear. Cut a strip of card to fit around the head and decorate it with pumpkins, ghosts, bats and stars. Add a little glitter if you are feeling brave, because apparently Halloween is one of the few occasions when glitter feels like a completely reasonable parenting decision.

Make Halloween Crafting Part of the Fun

Put on some Halloween music, get the craft box out and let the children take the lead. You might end up with a house full of homemade decorations, paint on the table and googly eyes mysteriously appearing for weeks afterwards. Consider it part of the experience.

For more seasonal inspiration, take a look at our ideas for the best Halloween books for kids⁠ and other family friendly Halloween activities to keep little ones entertained throughout October.