Trick-or-treating is only half the fun. Get your kids excited for the big day with these easy Halloween crafts for kids.
40 Easy Halloween Crafts for Kids
Updated on Jul. 11, 2025
Puffy ghosts
There’s something about all things puffy, fluffy and delightfully fuzzy that makes us smile. So naturally, we are obsessed with this cotton ball ghost craft. Cut out the shape of the ghost on white cardstock using either a template or freehand design, then glue cotton balls to the silhouette.
Add a pair of black construction paper eyes and a big smile, and you’re done! Hang them in your windows as a perfect spooky sidekick for greeting trick-or-treaters (in your best Halloween costume, naturally) and get ready to hand out candy by the bucketful.
Paper Halloween masks
Is that your little zombie … or the real Frankenstein? It may be hard to tell once they slip on this easy and cheap Halloween costume. Cut out cardstock in the shape of a mask, remembering to add ears for animal masks. Then, decorate and color the cardstock to create the perfect Halloween disguise. It’s a simple, creative way to get into the Halloween spirit without breaking the bank.
Jack-o’-lantern pops
Calling all ghouls and goblins! Your kids will love eating these scrumptious jack-o’-lanterns just as much as they’ll love making them. These pops are made with crispy cereal marshmallow treats shaped and molded onto sticks. Have your kids create stems, vines and jack-o’-lantern faces using candies and icing.
Spooky paper bat
Halloween crafting doesn’t have to be expensive. Paper bats are super easy, cheap Halloween decorations for kids of all ages. And look at that face! This cute little critter will look as natural on your craft table as it would hanging upside down in a cave. To create this spooky paper bat, wrap a toilet paper roll with black construction paper. Cut out paper wings and add googly eyes for the full bat-iful effect.
Flying witch craft
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s … a Halloween witch on a wooden-stick broom? This playful craft lets kids create the illusion of a witch soaring through the night sky. Have your kid make a miniature witch on her broom, and paint a paper plate with a night sky scene. Then, cut a slit through the paper plate using a craft knife. Slide the witch through the slot, and it’s playtime! Move the witch puppet to and fro as she sails across a full moon.
Scrap paper candy corn
What’s better than regular Halloween crafts for kids? Ones that use recycled materials, of course. For this craft, kids can tear up pieces of white, orange and yellow construction paper from scraps you already have. From there, glue the scraps in the shape of candy corn (either using a template or freehanding it), and bring this strangely popular Halloween candy to life.
Lollipop ghost
Coffee-crazed parents will love this craft, as the main tool needed to create this adorably spooky ghost is a coffee filter. Wrap the filter around a lollipop to form the shape of a ghost, and tie a ribbon around the base of the candy. From there, create the ghoulish face of your dreams (or better yet, nightmares).
Cotton swab skeleton
Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without skellys. No bones about it—this Q-tip skeleton is a Q-T! For this super simple Halloween craft, have your child glue cotton swabs in the shape of a skeleton’s body to a black piece of construction paper. Then add the absolutely adorable skeleton head from the printable template (or create your own) to complete the craft.
Martian marshmallows
A Halloween craft that’s also delicious? Count us in! For this easy edible craft, insert lollipop sticks into marshmallows and dip into melted candy coating. Then, have your little monsters decorate these little monsters as they see fit. Add colored sugar, licorice whips, fake blood or anything your bleeding heart desires—the possibilities are endless.
Build-your-own pumpkins
The only thing scary about these Halloween crafts for kids is how easy they are to make. A toddler in a sugar coma could pull it off. Whether you’re into no-carve pumpkins or the fine art of slapping paint on a paper plate, one thing’s for sure: Halloween just isn’t Halloween without pumpkins.
Paint a small paper plate orange and cut out shapes for eyes, a nose and a spooky grin with black construction paper. A green pipe cleaner adds a finishing touch. Your little pumpkin will love gluing all of the elements together.
Mason jar lid spider
A creepy-crawly spider climbs up the water spout … made out of a Mason jar lid and clothespins? You bet! Glue black construction paper to the center of the lid, then clip black clothespins (painted or purchased) around the edges. Create a face using googly eyes and a smile.
Jack-o’-lantern garland
This is one of the easier Halloween crafts for kids on this list, so it’s perfect for the littlest goblins. Cut circles from orange and black paper and small rectangles from green paper, then draw jack-o’-lantern faces with white and black crayons. Once the decorating is done, fold the stems around the string, secure with glue and hang it anywhere.
Coffee filter bats
This fang-tastic bat craft allows your child’s creativity to shine. Have them decorate a coffee filter with washable markers, then paint a cute little face onto a clothespin to bring the bat to life. Once both parts are completely dry, clamp the clothespin onto the coffee filter to form the shape of a bat.
Witch countdown calendar
Holidays aren’t nearly as fun without an official calendar countdown. Of course we’re used to seeing Advent calendars around Christmas, but this construction-paper witch will create anticipation for Halloween—if the coming candy haul doesn’t do that already. Use a template or make your own, then remove a link every day as Halloween creeps closer.
Pumpkin door hangers
With this fast and easy pumpkin door hanger craft, no door handle needs to go undecorated this Halloween season. Your child will love adding googly eyes and black craft foam shapes to orange cupcake wrappers. Then, glue a strip of green ribbon to the back of the cupcake wrapper—this works as both the pumpkin’s stem and the loop to hang it on a door.
Halloween rocks
Halloween rocks! So why not create some actual Halloween rocks? You and your child can have fun picking stones from the backyard to use for this craft. From there, all you’ll need is creativity and paint—in the classic orange and black Halloween colors, of course—to finish it off.
Ghost windsock
These toilet-paper-roll ghosts are ready to haunt the neighborhood. Start by painting a toilet paper roll white, then add ghoulish features using black pen or paint. Next, glue pieces of white crepe paper to the bottom of the roll to create the illusion of flying. Attach a piece of black yarn to the top so you can hang these little ghosties anywhere.
Paper-bag jack-o’-lanterns
This craft is as simple as it is fun. Your kids’ creativity will really shine as they draw jack-o’-lantern faces on brown paper bags. Use them for Halloween party goodie bags or school lunches. For an extra spooky effect, cut out the eyes, nose or mouth and add battery-operated tea lights. Watch as the bags transform into grinning ghouls before your very eyes.
Bobblehead black cat
This bobblehead black cat craft won’t bring you bad luck, but involves a lot of cutting and folding so it’s perfect for bigger kids. To make this adorable kitty craft, cut out the template shapes using black construction paper. Then, fold, glue and decorate until your feline friend comes to life.
Bat headband
There’s nothing like showing off a craft masterpiece by wearing it, and what could be a better way to get into the Halloween spirit than a bat headband? For this sartorial statement, cut the headband and bat wings out of black cardstock. Use white cardstock for batty details like eyes and fangs. Then, just assemble the pieces. Once it’s ready to go, staple the getup into a headband.
Painted pumpkins
If the messy aftermath of carving a pumpkin doesn’t float your Halloween boat, we totally understand. Why not paint one, instead? This is one of those Halloween crafts for kids that adults love, too, because they can enjoy the artistic time with their kids without dreading the massive cleanup. It’s fun, simple and pumpkin-perfect.
Toilet-paper-roll monsters
With this monster craft, Halloween can be as silly as it is spooky. You’ll need recycled toilet paper rolls or cardboard tubes, paint and googly eyes. Have your child paint the toilet paper rolls whatever color they desire. Once dried, it’s decoration time! With silly smiles and wacky hairdos, these miniature monsters have serious personality.
Cork bats
These baby bats are just as easy to make as they are adorable. Use a recycled wine cork for the body of the bat. Then, have your child bring the bat to life by adding googly eyes and cutting out wings and ears from cardstock. Stick them on, and voilà —an instant flying friend! This simple craft is so cute, it definitely gets flying colors.
Masking tape mummy
You don’t need to get all wrapped up in order to create these easy Halloween crafts for kids. Trace and cut out the outline of a mummy onto black cardstock (or let your kid do it, if they’re old enough), then place strips of masking tape in random criss-cross patterns. Once that’s done, add some googly eyes to complete the magnificent mummified masterpiece.
Halloween stress balls
When the trickeries of the night get too intense, you and your kids will appreciate having these jack-o’-lantern stress balls on hand. Partially blow up an orange balloon, and use a funnel to fill with either flour, cornstarch or baking soda. Tie the balloon and have your child draw a jack-o-lantern face to complete the Halloween stress ball.
Pinecone spiders
These creepy crawlers are as cute as they are scary. Help your child wrap four pipe cleaners around the pinecone body to form eight legs. Then, use a hot glue gun to attach eight googly eyes.
Mummy candle jars
Guide trick-or-treaters to your door with these eerie mummy candle holders. Wrap glue-soaked gauze strips around upcycled glass jars to form the mummified look. Draw on some eyes and mouths with a black marker to complete the craft.
Candy wrapper garland
Those wrappers littering your kitchen table aren’t trash—they can be upcycled into Halloween crafts for kids. To make this sweet treat, cut out individual letters and glue to black paper. From there, decorate with old candy wrappers. This craft is enough to cure anyone’s sweet tooth!
Stick-on window webs
Glitter and sequins put a fun twist on these Halloween craft spider webs that cling to windows. After cutting out similar-sized strands of yarn, help your child soak the pieces in glue—it might get a little sticky, but that’s half the fun! Criss-cross these pieces of yarn to create a spider web effect, before decorating with glitter glue and sequins.
Spiral ghosts
Requiring nothing more than cardstock, scissors and a marker, these boo-tastic DIY Halloween decorations couldn’t be easier to make. Cut out the swirling design using a pair of scissors before drawing on a spooky face with a marker.
Pumpkin apple stamps
After bobbing for apples this fall, turn the fruit into stamps that make pumpkin shapes easy as (apple) pie. Cut an apple in half before handing it off to your child to press into a paper plate of orange paint. Then stamp the apple onto white paper to create the perfect pumpkin shape. Paint on a stem using green paint for an extra special touch.
Craft stick spider webs
Spooky hanging spider webs will add a fright factor to your house, without spending much money. First, glue three wooden craft sticks together in a star shape and paint them either orange, black or white. Once dried, tie a long piece of yarn to one stick and wrap around each stick to create a spiderweb.
Frankenstein handprint
Give your kids a hand (literally) to create this spooky-cute Frankenstein handprint craft! Paint the palm of one hand green and the fingers black. Yep, things are about to get messy in the best way. Let them press their hands to a sheet of white paper, and voila! It’s Frankenstein’s face and hair. After the paint dries, your kids can decorate the handprint with eyes, a mouth and some neck bolts.
Just a heads-up: cleanup is definitely required … but totally worth it for this monstrously fun masterpiece!
Thumbprint spiders
Little hands will love getting dirty with this creepy crawly spider Halloween craft. Let your kid press their thumb into a black ink pad, and stamp onto a piece of white paper to create the body of the spider. Then, they can draw on legs, faces and dangly spiderwebs using a permanent marker.
Pumpkin stamps
Turn trash into treasure by creating a classy pumpkin stamp from an old toilet paper roll. Pinch one side of the toilet paper roll to form a heart (or pumpkin!) shape. Tape the roll to keep the shape in place. Dip into orange paint, stamp onto a piece of paper and decorate with pumpkin stems for the finished result.
Craft stick monsters
These craft stick monsters are scary easy because there’s no right or wrong way to make them. No matter how you cut the construction paper and glue on the googly eyes, you’ll have a funny-faced monster. Every silly, wobbly creation is a masterpiece!
Tissue-paper black cat
Test your luck on Halloween by making this tissue-paper black cat. Your kid can glue pieces of black tissue paper to a paper plate, then create eyes, a nose and a mouth using white, blue and pink cardstock. To finish it off, glue on pipe cleaners as whiskers. What a cat-tastic craft!
Halloween slime
This simple three-ingredient recipe makes three variations of the slimy and spooky craft; all you need is Elmer’s glue, baking soda and contact lens solution. Make sure to add orange or green food coloring for the pumpkin and Frankenstein variations.
Ghost feet
Finding Halloween crafts for kids that even the youngest goblins will love just got a lot easier. Help paint the bottom of your child’s foot—white for ghosts, or their choice for witches—and then just let them stamp away! (On a piece of construction paper, of course.) Once dry, use a marker to add smiley faces and other details. It’s messy, so get ready!
Yarn monster
While we’re not sure this Halloween monster is winning any awards for scariest, it certainly places in the top three for cutest. Wrap yarn around a small piece of cardboard at least 50 times. Loop another piece of yarn around the middle, remove the cardboard and tighten the yarn. Snip the ends, then add googly eyes and pipe-cleaner antennae.
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