84 Fun and Easy Halloween Crafts and Activities for Kids
Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with your kids. Whether you are looking for spooky crafts to decorate the house or activities to keep little ones busy on a chilly afternoon, there is something here for you.
Grab your glue sticks and googly eyes — here are 84 Halloween crafts and activities for kids, sorted by what you want to make.
Pumpkin Crafts for Kids
Pumpkins turn up in more of these crafts than anything else, which is why this is the biggest group on the list. Most of them use paper plates, paint, buttons, or whatever is already in the craft drawer. If you want no-carve decorating instead, there are 44 easy pumpkin decorating ideas and a longer list of pumpkin craft ideas too.
Create a fun pumpkin mask by painting a paper plate orange and adding a jack-o’-lantern face, complete with a stick for holding.
Capture the season with this adorable craft by painting your child’s handprints inside a pumpkin outline for a unique and personal keepsake.
Cut out a pumpkin shape from cardboard and fill it with natural elements like leaves, twigs, and berries, then glue them down for a textured fall-themed decoration.
For this pumpkin craft idea, paint smooth rocks with orange and black jack-o’-lantern faces for a simple and charming fall decoration.
Arrange colorful pasta shapes on a pumpkin outline and glue them down to create a textured, fun fall craft using pantry staples.
Transform a paper plate into a fun pumpkin face using construction paper for the features and a green stem.
Glue dyed pumpkin seeds onto a pumpkin template to create a colorful and tactile mosaic.
Craft this DIY pumpkin shape sorter toy for toddlers.
For this pumpkin craft idea, wrap a mason jar in orange fabric, add a jack-o’-lantern face, and place a tea light inside for a cozy fall lantern.
Use recycled paper tubes to make adorable pumpkin characters by decorating them with orange paper, jack-o’-lantern faces, and green stems.
Use painted popsicle sticks to create a smiling pumpkin face, complete with googly eyes and a felt stem for a fun and easy fall craft.
Use crumpled tissue paper in orange and green to fill in a pumpkin outline, creating a textured collage craft.
Paint a paper plate orange, cut out the center, and decorate it as a pumpkin frame to showcase your favorite fall photo.
Get the full instructions for making a pumpkin flower arrangement.
Create vibrant pumpkin suncatchers by layering colorful tissue paper pieces onto a sticky paper, then hang them in the window to catch the autumn light.
Weave orange thread through a paper pumpkin outline and add beads for a textured fall craft.
For this pumpkin craft idea, Use orange and black paint to turn a handprint into a jack-o’-lantern, complete with a leafy stem for a personal fall touch.
Transform acorns into adorable pumpkin miniatures by painting them orange and black with jack-o’-lantern faces.
Use halved apples dipped in orange paint to stamp pumpkin shapes on paper, then decorate each with a unique jack-o’-lantern face.
Cut small orange squares of paper and glue them onto a pumpkin-shaped base for a textured and cheerful fall craft.
Paint a large pumpkin on paper and add a white handprint in the center for a sweet and personal autumn keepsake.
String orange beads onto wire and shape into interlocking rings to create a charming pumpkin ornament perfect for fall decor.
Get the step by step directions for making shrinky dink handprints.
Glue assorted orange buttons onto a paper pumpkin cutout for a charming and tactile pumpkin decoration.
For this pumpkin craft idea, decorate orange paper cups with pumpkin faces and add a leaf on top to create festive table decorations.
Trace a pumpkin shape on paper and glue orange beads around the outline for a simple and fun fall project.
Wrap orange yarn around a small paper plate, securing the ends to form a cute pumpkin, and add a black paper stem for a simple yet textured craft.
Cut windows and a door into a pumpkin, then let the kids build a moss roof and press flowers on with petroleum jelly instead of glue so they can rearrange it all week.
Create a layered paper pumpkin, leaving space in the center for a child’s photo, then decorate it with green paper leaves and display it as a personalized fall keepsake.
Paint a piece of bubble wrap orange, cut it into a pumpkin shape, and attach a green paper stem and leaves for textured, fun pumpkin craft ideas.
Glue real or faux autumn leaves onto a cardboard pumpkin cutout, creating a rustic, nature-inspired pumpkin decoration perfect for fall.
Cut a pumpkin shape out of cardboard, paint it orange, and add green paper leaves and a black jack-o’-lantern face for a simple, eco-friendly fall decoration.
Ghost, Bat, and Black Cat Crafts
Paper plates, handprints, toilet paper rolls, and cotton balls do most of the work in this group. Ghosts, bats, and black cats are all simple enough shapes that younger kids can cut and glue them with a little help.
Make mini handprint keychain keepsakes.
Get the step by step instructions for making this budget-friendly ghost that you can hang up like a lantern outside.
Kids can create a cute black cat by painting a paper plate and adding construction paper ears, whiskers, and googly eyes.
Create a friendly ghost by painting a paper plate white, attaching paper handprints, and drawing a spooky face.
Create a fluffy ghost by gluing cotton balls onto black paper and adding paper cutout eyes and mouth for a simple ghost craft.
Paint toilet paper rolls black, add wings and eyes, and string them up as cute hanging bat decorations.
Cut out bat wings, ears, and a mask from black paper, glue them to a painted paper plate, and add a stick to create a bat mask.
Use black chalk to scribble a cat’s body, then add construction paper ears, eyes, and whiskers for a fun and messy black cat craft.
Glue black-painted popsicle sticks together, add googly eyes, and create wings for a bat craft that’s perfect for Halloween.
Trace your hands onto black paper, cut them out as wings, and glue them to a bat-shaped body for a handprint bat craft.
Wrap toilet paper rolls in black paper, add googly eyes, whiskers, and ears for a cute black cat family.
Glue black paper wings and ears to a pinecone, and add googly eyes to create an adorable bat.
Paint clothespins black, attach paper wings, and create a mini bat that opens and closes with a fun wing-flapping effect.
Spider Crafts for Halloween
Zip ties, pipe cleaners, and threaded yarn webs — five different ways to make a spider, including one that races.
Make these simple spider crafts with zip tie legs.
Make handprint spiders inside a paper plate and thread yarn to make a web.
Make spider webs using popsicle sticks and yarn, then add a small spider made from felt or buttons for a creepy touch.
Bend black pipe cleaners to form spider legs and glue them to a foam ball, then add googly eyes for a creepy-crawly spider.
Use black pipe cleaners for legs and googly eyes to create a friendly spider from a paper plate, perfect for Halloween door decor.
Monster and Frankenstein Crafts
Googly eyes are the whole trick with monsters. There is no wrong way for one to look, which makes this group forgiving for toddlers and preschoolers.
Make this monster craft using a disposable glove and paper cup.
Make these simple monster crafts to help kids learn all about shapes.
Paint acorns in bright colors and glue on googly eyes and paper features to create silly monster acorns.
Transform pinecones into colorful monsters by painting them, adding googly eyes, and gluing on foam horns and teeth.
Turn an ordinary sponge into Frankenstein by gluing on googly eyes, black felt hair, and stitches made from paper or markers.
Kids can decorate toilet paper rolls with paint, googly eyes, and paper features to create a variety of fun monsters.
Trace handprints onto colorful paper and decorate them with googly eyes, sharp teeth, and fun patterns to make monster hands.
Paint smooth rocks with bright colors, then add googly eyes and silly features to create your own unique monster rocks.
Glue popsicle sticks together, paint them as monsters, witches, and cats, then add googly eyes for a cute and spooky monster wall display.
Our Halloween Favorites
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Skeleton and Mummy Crafts
Cotton swabs and Q-tips make convincing bones, and white paper strips turn a mason jar or a paper tube into a mummy.
Make black play dough and use it with cotton swabs to make skeletons.
Wrap mason jars with gauze, glue on googly eyes, and place a tealight inside for spooky glowing mummy lanterns.
Use buttons of different sizes and colors to decorate a paper skull, creating a fun and textured skeleton craft.
Arrange and glue Q-tips on black paper to form a skeleton hand for a simple yet spooky skeleton craft.
Wrap a toilet paper roll in strips of cloth, glue on googly eyes, and create an adorable mini mummy decoration.
Arrange Q-tips on black paper to create a full skeleton and add a paper skull for a fun and simple skeleton craft.
Haunted House and Witch Crafts
Popsicle sticks, milk cartons, and paper plates, for the kids who want to build something spooky rather than draw it.
Make a bubbling witch’s cauldron by cutting out paper circles and attaching them to a painted paper plate cauldron with a witch’s hat.
Use popsicle sticks to build and paint a haunted house, then decorate it with bats and ghosts for a spooky effect.
Paint an empty milk carton black and cut out windows and doors to make a spooky haunted house decoration.
Halloween Sensory Play Ideas
Sensory bins, bags, doughs, and a gelatin brain — for the kids who would rather squish than glue.
Make this fun Halloween themed sensory play bin for toddlers.
Make a pumpkin sensory bag where kids can learn what color red and yellow make.
Make a sensory bag activity all about building a skeleton with cotton swabs.
Get the step by step instructions on how to make pumpkin themed oobleck.
Get the step by step instructions for making a zombie brain with gelatin filled with bugs for kids to dissect.
Fill an orange balloon with rice, tie it off, and add a jack-o’-lantern face for a fun and squishy pumpkin-themed stress ball.
Halloween Party Games and Favors
Games and favor bags that work for a class party, a playdate, or a small Halloween get-together at home.
Cut out pumpkin shapes from orange paper, write numbers on each, and glue the corresponding number of pumpkin seeds to create a fun counting activity for kids.
Transform plain paper bags into colorful monsters using construction paper, googly eyes, and glue for fun party favor bags.
Make a festive pumpkin-themed goodie bag by decorating a paper bag with a jack-o’-lantern face and a pop-up black cat.
Draw a simple ghost face on a plain paper bag for a spooky and cute party favor or treat bag.
Transform a small terracotta pot into a pumpkin-themed candy holder by painting on a jack-o’-lantern face, perfect for treats.
Create a fun interactive game by filling cups with treats, covering them with orange tissue paper, and attaching them to a large pumpkin-shaped board for kids to poke and reveal surprises.
Free Halloween Printables
Download, print, and start right away: coloring pages, color by number, and a full Halloween activity bundle.
Make these fun hot glue arts and crafts using the free templates.
Get the printable set of 12 color by number activities including simple number recognition, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Get the link to this fun bundle of Halloween themed activities.
Get the printable set of 20 fun Halloween coloring sheets.
More Fall and Halloween Ideas
44 Easy Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
If you are enjoying these Halloween craft and activity ideas, there is pumpkin decorating inspiration too. Pumpkin decorating with kids is one of the best ways to get into the fall spirit, but carving can be messy and a little tricky for little hands. This list of 44 ideas is full of projects that are totally do-able and that both you and your kids will enjoy.
52 Fall Craft Ideas: Apples, Scarecrows, and Leaves
From apple-themed crafts to charming scarecrows and colorful fall leaves, there is something for everyone in the family. These easy, festive projects are ideal for bringing cozy fall vibes into your home, whether you are decorating or keeping the kids busy on a chilly afternoon.
Free printables for the season
The Halloween bundle covers shape recognition, matching, phonics, letter recognition, counting, and number recognition. The pumpkin templates pair with several of the pumpkin crafts above, and the October checklist has 20 fall and Halloween activities to work through as a family — from pumpkin bowling to caramel apples.
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