21 Spooky and Fun Halloween Crafts for Kids That Parents Will Actually Enjoy Too

Halloween is a magical time of year when kids get to wear silly costumes, eat way too much sugar, and convince parents that decorating with fake cobwebs in July is totally normal.

But one of the most underrated parts of Halloween is the crafting. The weeks leading up to the big night are perfect for kids to cut, glue, paint, and unleash their creativity.

Halloween crafts for kids are more than just a way to keep them busy while you sneak a candy corn or two. They’re a chance for little ones to practice fine motor skills, learn patience, and feel proud of something they created.

Plus, let’s be honest—half the fun of Halloween is covering your dining room table in glue, glitter, and paper scraps that you’ll be sweeping up until Thanksgiving.

This guide is packed with 21 Halloween crafts that range from super simple (great for toddlers and preschoolers) to bigger projects that will keep older kids entertained for an afternoon.

Each comes with easy-to-follow steps, pro tips, and a handy shopping list. By the end, your home will look delightfully spooky, and your kids will think you’re the coolest parent ever.

1. Classic Paper Plate Pumpkins

Pumpkins are the symbol of Halloween, but not every parent has the energy (or the patience) for pumpkin carving. Enter the paper plate pumpkin—a safe, easy, and surprisingly adorable alternative.

How to Make Them:

1. Start with a white paper plate.
2. Hand your kids orange paint, markers, or crayons and let them color it completely.
3. Cut jack-o’-lantern faces from black paper.
4. Glue the face pieces onto the pumpkin.
5. Add a green paper stem or pipe cleaner on top.
6. Punch a hole and add string if you’d like to hang them up.

Why Kids Love It: They get to design their own pumpkin face without the sharp knives.
Why Parents Love It: No pumpkin guts, no carving mess, and it lasts longer than a real one.

Shopping List:

• White paper plates
• Orange paint, markers, or crayons
• Black construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Green pipe cleaners or green paper

2. Toilet Paper Roll Bats

This craft is perfect for recycling those empty toilet paper rolls.

How to Make Them:

1. Paint or wrap the roll in black paper.
2. Cut bat wings from black paper and glue them to the sides.
3. Stick on googly eyes and draw a smile—or fangs—for personality.
4. Hang upside down with string.

Why Kids Love It: They get to make an entire “bat family” and hang them around the house.
Why Parents Love It: It’s recycling disguised as a craft, and it adds instant Halloween décor.

Shopping List:

• Toilet paper rolls
• Black paint or black paper
• Scissors
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• String

3. Handprint Ghosts

Handprint ghosts are the perfect mix of messy fun and sentimental keepsake.

How to Make Them:

1. Dip your child’s hand in white paint.
2. Press onto black paper.
3. Flip so fingers point down—it looks like a ghost.
4. Add eyes and a mouth with a marker.

Why Kids Love It: They get to paint their hands, which feels rebellious.
Why Parents Love It: A memory you can keep forever and stick on the fridge.

Shopping List:

• Black construction paper
• White paint
• Black marker
• Wet wipes

4. Popsicle Stick Spiders

Creepy yet cute, these spiders are a fun introduction to building.

How to Make Them:

1. Glue popsicle sticks into a star shape.
2. Paint black.
3. Glue googly eyes in the center.
4. Add glitter if you want sparkly spiders.

Why Kids Love It: They get to make silly or spooky spiders.
Why Parents Love It: It uses basic supplies, and the spiders double as cheap decorations.

Shopping List:

• Popsicle sticks
• Black paint
• Googly eyes
• Glitter (optional)
• Glue

5. Coffee Filter Monsters

This craft mixes science with creativity.

How to Make Them:

1. Color a coffee filter with markers.
2. Spray lightly with water to make tie-dye.
3. Add monster features with paper.
4. This VIDEO has detailed instructions.

Why Kids Love It: Watching the colors bleed together feels magical.
Why Parents Love It: It’s affordable, mess-light, and the results are surprisingly pretty.

Shopping List:

• Coffee filters
• Washable markers
• Spray bottle with water
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors

6. Pumpkin Stress Balls

Squishy, fun, and surprisingly useful.

How to Make Them:

1. Stretch an orange balloon.
2. Funnel in flour or rice.
3. Tie tightly.
4. Draw a pumpkin face.

Why Kids Love It: They get a toy they can squish endlessly.
Why Parents Love It: Quiet entertainment that doubles as a stress reliever for adults too.

Shopping List:

• Orange balloons
• Flour or rice
• Funnel
• Permanent marker

7. Egg Carton Creepy Crawlies

Repurposed bugs are surprisingly adorable.

How to Make Them:

1. Cut a row of egg carton cups.
2. Paint them fun colors.
3. Add pipe cleaner legs and eyes.

Why Kids Love It: They can create a whole bug colony.
Why Parents Love It: It’s recycling plus craft time—two wins in one.

Shopping List:

• Egg cartons
• Paint
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors

8. Witch Hat Headbands

A fun, wearable craft.

How to Make Them:

1. Cut a circle for the brim.
2. Roll a cone for the hat.
3. Glue cone to brim.
4. Decorate.
5. Attach to headband.

Why Kids Love It: They get instant Halloween dress-up gear.
Why Parents Love It: It’s a no-cost costume accessory for school parties.

Shopping List:

• Black paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Glitter, stickers, or ribbon
• Headband

9. Monster Bookmarks

Books get a spooky friend.

How to Make Them:

1. Fold a paper square into a corner bookmark.
2. Add monster eyes, teeth, and horns.

Why Kids Love It: They can make different monster personalities.
Why Parents Love It: Encourages reading—disguised as Halloween fun.

Shopping List:

• Colored paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Markers
• Googly eyes

10. Haunted House Shoeboxes

The ultimate big craft project.

How to Make Them:

1. Paint a shoebox black.
2. Cut out windows and doors.
3. Add paper ghosts and bats.
4. Put a tea light inside.

Why Kids Love It: They get to design their own haunted mansion.
Why Parents Love It: It keeps kids busy for hours, and the result is display-worthy.

Shopping List:

• Shoebox
• Black paint
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• LED tea lights

11. Pumpkin Mason Jar Lanterns

Seasonal décor you’ll actually reuse.

How to Make Them:

1. Paint jars orange.
2. Add black faces.
3. Place a tea light inside.

Why Kids Love It: They get glowing lanterns they made themselves.
Why Parents Love It: They look polished enough for adult décor too.

Shopping List:

• Mason jars
• Orange paint
• Black paint
• Brushes
• LED tea lights

12. Ghost Garland

Simple but effective.

How to Make Them:

1. Cut ghost shapes.
2. Draw faces.
3. String them together.

Why Kids Love It: They can make a whole line of goofy ghosts.
Why Parents Love It: It instantly transforms a room with minimal effort.

Shopping List:

• White paper
• Black marker
• Scissors
• String
• Tape

13. Spooky Slime

A Halloween must-have.

How to Make Them:

1. Mix glue, food coloring, and baking soda.
2. Add contact solution.
3. Stir in glitter or spiders.
4. This VIDEO has instructions

Why Kids Love It: It’s gross in the best way possible.
Why Parents Love It: It’s guaranteed to entertain (and can be stored for weeks).

Shopping List:

• Glue
• Baking soda
• Saline Solution
• Food coloring
• Glitter or spiders

14. Mummy Jars

Cute and creepy nightlights.

How to Make Them:

1. Wrap a jar with gauze.
2. Add eyes.
3. Insert tea light.

Why Kids Love It: Their mummy comes alive when it glows.
Why Parents Love It: They double as cozy fall decorations.

Shopping List:

• Jars
• Gauze or fabric
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• LED candles

15. Frankenstein Paper Bags

Lunch bags turn into monsters.

How to Make Them:

1. Paint bag green.
2. Add black hair.
3. Draw scars and stitches.
4. Fill with treats.

Why Kids Love It: It’s a craft they can snack from later.
Why Parents Love It: Cheap party favor bags you don’t have to buy.

Shopping List:

• Lunch bags
• Green paint
• Black paper
• Glue
• Markers

16. Pumpkin Sun Catchers

Windows glow with Halloween cheer.

How to Make Them:

1. Cut pumpkin frames.
2. Fill with tissue paper.
3. Tape to window.
4. Watch this VIDEO

Why Kids Love It: Their pumpkins shine bright in the sun.
Why Parents Love It: Inexpensive décor that actually looks great.

Shopping List:

• Black paper
• Tissue paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape

17. Spider Web Yarn Art

Craft plus coordination practice.

How to Make Them:

1. Cut slits around plate.
2. Wrap yarn to weave a web.
3. Add a spider.

Why Kids Love It: It feels like they’re making a real spider web.
Why Parents Love It: It keeps kids focused and improves motor skills.

Shopping List:

• Paper plates
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Plastic spiders

18. Candy Corn Bracelets

Halloween jewelry that kids design themselves.

How to Make Them:

1. String beads in candy corn colors.
2. Tie securely.

Why Kids Love It: They get to wear their art.
Why Parents Love It: It’s a no-mess craft with a wearable result.

Shopping List:

• Orange, yellow, and white beads
• Elastic string
• Scissors

19. Pumpkin Seed Art

Turn pumpkin carving leftovers into something fun.

How to Make Them:

1. Wash and dry seeds.
2. Paint them.
3. Glue into patterns.

Why Kids Love It: They get colorful mosaics from “trash.”
Why Parents Love It: It makes use of something that would have been thrown away.

Shopping List:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Paint
• Paper
• Glue

20. Paper Bag Monsters

Instant puppets for playtime.

How to Make Them:

1. Flatten bag.
2. Add teeth, hair, and eyes with paper.
3. Use as a puppet.

Why Kids Love It: They can put on a monster show.
Why Parents Love It: The entertainment continues long after craft time.

Shopping List:

• Brown bags
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers

21. Cupcake Liner Spiders

The quickest Halloween win.

How to Make Them:

1. Flatten a cupcake liner.
2. Add eyes.
3. Glue on pipe cleaner legs.

Why Kids Love It: It’s fast, easy, and instantly looks like a spider.
Why Parents Love It: Practically zero mess and takes less than five minutes.

Shopping List:

• Cupcake liners
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors

Final Thoughts

Halloween crafts aren’t just about cutting and gluing—they’re about creating memories.

Kids get the thrill of making something spooky with their own hands, and parents get a mix of decorations, keepsakes, and moments of quiet concentration (a true Halloween miracle).

Whether you’re making pumpkin stress balls, haunted shoebox houses, or a simple paper plate pumpkin, each project will bring a little more magic to your Halloween season.