Kid-Friendly Halloween Crafts That Are Fun and Simple

The holidays are a great time to gather the kids, establish new traditions, and create beautiful memories by making your own crafts, There's no better way to kick off the holiday season than with the most mischievous holiday of them all, Halloween. Trick-or-treat season is the perfect time to let out your creative side and get crafty.

With the change in the weather and the sun setting earlier thanks to daylight savings, it's the perfect time to stay indoors and use your imagination to make fun decorations for your home. Whether you're a parent, an aunt or uncle, a scout leader, or are simply planning a Halloween party, there are plenty of great options for you to make with your little ghosts, ghouls, and goblins.

What you will need:

Orange helium balloons
Black markers or paint

Directions:

Step 1: Draw or paint a jack-o-lantern face on the balloon with the markers or paint.

Step 2: Allow to dry.

Step 3: Group the painted balloons with other plain orange and black balloons.

What you will need:

Large paper shopping bag, large orange gift bag, or large blank tote bag
Halloween stamps, stickers, or clip art
Transfer paper

Directions:

Step 1: Quick and easy: Decorate a large paper shopping bag or orange gift bag with Halloween stamps and/or stickers.

Step 2: Bright and colorful: Print a Halloween picture and use a copier to enlarge it if you wish. Follow the instructions that come with the transfer paper to transfer the design to the blank tote bag.

What you will need:

Black poster board
Yellow construction paper
Halloween stickers
Craft knife
Glue

Directions:

Step 1: Draw a haunted house on the poster board and cut it out. Use the craft knife to cut out the windows,

Step 2: Glue a piece of yellow paper behind the windows.

Step 3: Put Halloween figures (stickers of ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, bats, etc.) in the windows.

Note: Glue white paper behind the haunted house windows, place the cutout in front of a picture window, (first cover the window with blue cellophane), and place a light behind the cutout. Turn all other lights off, and make the house glow.

What you will need:

Stiff orange paper
Orange envelopes
Yellow and black construction paper
Stiff white paper
Black magic marker
Craft knife

Directions:

Step 1: Draw a pumpkin shape on a piece of paper and cut it out (make sure the cutout will fit in the envelope).

Step 2: Fold the stiff orange paper and cut to roughly the size of the cutout. Place the cutout over the folded orange paper with one side touching the fold.

Step 3: Trace the cutout onto the orange paper and cut out the pumpkin, leaving the card connected at the fold.

Step 4: Repeat with the white paper and set aside.

Step 5: Print out a jack-o-lantern template. Use a copier to adjust the size of the template. Cut out the face.

Step 6: Using the template, trace the face onto the front of the pumpkin.

Step 7: Cut it out with the craft knife. Open the card so you won't cut through the back.

Step 8: Glue yellow paper behind the face cutout.

Step 9: Glue the white pumpkin cutout inside the orange pumpkin cutout.

Step 10: Use the marker to write the party details inside (To: From: Date: Time: etc.)

What you will need:

Fiberfill
Clear thumbtacks

Directions:

Step 1: Pull the Fiberfill apart with your fingers.

Step 2: Attach to ceiling with thumbtacks.

Note: You can add rubber or tissue paper spiders on the webs.

What you will need:

Black construction paper
Orange construction paper
Glue
Scissors

Directions:

Step 1: Cut 1-inch wide strips out of the construction paper.

Step 2: Fold one of the orange strips over until the ends touch, and glue in place, forming a circle.

Step 3: Take a black strip and place it through the orange circle. Bend the tips until the ends touch, and glue them in place, linking the circles together.

Step 4: Repeat this process until the strips are used up, and the chain is the desired length.

What you will need:

Tissue paper scraps, or inexpensive white tissue paper, for filling
2 sheets each of orange and dark green tissue paper
Scissors
2 rubber bands
1 green chenille stem
Black or yellow construction paper
Jack-o-lantern template, optional

Directions:

Step 1: Make tissue paper pumpkins in various sizes.

Step 2: Print the template, or create one of your own designs. A nice touch would be to create several different faces so no two pumpkins are alike.

Step 3: Cut out the template and trace it onto black or yellow construction paper.

Step 4: Glue the faces onto the pumpkins. Omit this step if you prefer plain pumpkins.

Step 5: Group the pumpkins together in the center of your table. You can put them in a basket with a bed of imitation leaves or in a fall floral bouquet.

What you will need:

Two black balloons
Black thread
Black construction paper
White paint

Directions:

Step 1: Blow up the balloons. Make one smaller than the other; this will be the spider's head.

Step 2: Using the thread, tie the balloons together at the knots, leaving a long end to hang the spider.

Step 3: Cut eight 1-inch wide strips out of the construction paper.

Step 4: Fold the strips back and forth accordion style, and glue one end of each strip to the spider, four on each side.

Step 5: Use the paint to create the spider's face.

Step 6: Allow to dry, and hang.

Note: Hang at the end of the spider's web with the small tissue paper spiders around it to create a spider's den. They also make great party favors for your guests.

What you will need:

Halloween candy molds
Instant paper mache or polymer clay
Acrylic paints
Small paintbrush
Small wire hooks
Embroidery hoop
White thread

Directions:

Step 1: Fill the candy mold with paper mache or clay and remove it just before drying.

Step 2: Insert a small hook in the top of each figure.

Step 3: Let them dry completely.

Step 4: Decorate the figures with the paints.

Step 5: Let them dry completely.

Step 6: Tie the figures to the embroidery hoop at different levels with the thread.

What you will need:

Scaredy cat template
Black construction paper
Black tissue paper
Yellow construction paper, optional
White paper, optional
Glue

Directions:

Step 1: Print the template. A copier can be used to enlarge the template if desired.

Step 2: Place the template over the construction paper and cut through both at the same time.

Step 3: Rip off small pieces of the tissue paper.

Step 4: Bunch up the tissue paper with your fingers and glue onto the cutout.

Step 5: The furry cat can be left as is or you can add eyes.

Step 6: Cut eye shapes out of the yellow paper cut the iris out of the black paper and place a small circle cut from the white paper in the black iris.

What you will need:

Round helium balloons
White sheets
White string
Black markers

Directions:

Step 1: Place the balloon in the center of the sheet and tie it with string.

Step 2: Create a face on the ghost with the markers. Let the ghosts float through the house or party room.

What you will need:

Tissue paper scraps, or inexpensive white tissue paper for filling
Black tissue paper
Strong sewing thread
Black chenille stems
White paper
Glue

Directions:

Step 1: Shape scraps of white tissue into a ball and place it in the center of the black tissue paper.

Step 2: Gather one sheet of tissue paper around the ball and secure it with the thread. Cut off the thread, leaving ends long to secure the spider if desired.

Step 3: Shape a second ball smaller than the first.

Step 4: Gather the ends of the black tissue paper tightly around the second ball pushing the two parts of the spider closely together.

Step 5: Twist the ends under the spider and secure tightly with the ends of the thread. Glue the loose ends in place.

Step 6: Gather the chenille stems and twist them together in the center.

Step 7: Place the center of the leg structure under the bottom of the spider between the head and abdomen. Glue in place and fold the legs up on both sides of the spider.

Step 8: Shape the spider's legs by bending each leg into a downward arc and then bending the last ½" out for the spider's foot. There should be four legs on each side of the spider.

Step 9: Cut two eyes out of white paper and glue them into place.

What you will need:

One orange tablecloth
Orange napkins
Orange gift bags
Halloween stamps
Black stamp pad

Directions:

Step 1: Using stamps of Halloween figures (ghosts, witches, pumpkins, etc.) stamp the tablecloth napkins and gift bags.

Step 2: Allow ink to dry.

What you will need:

Package of stiff black or white paper
Template of either a bat or a ghost
Scissors

Directions:

Step 1: Print and cut out the template.

Step 2: Fold the paper back and forth accordion style. Make the folds the width of the template.

Step 3: Place the template on the top layer, and cut out the shape.

Step 4: Leave the folds attached at the outermost points of the paper figure so that when the paper is opened, you will have a string of bats or ghosts.

Step 5: Tape pieces together until the streamer is the desired length.

Note: You can draw on faces with a black marker or a white laundry marker.

What you will need:

Embroidery hoop
Black thread
A tissue paper spider

Directions:

Step 1: Attach thread to the hoop with a knot, pull it taut, and tie it to the opposite side of the hoop. Cut off excess.

Step 2: Tie the thread to the hoop diagonal to the original thread, pull it taut, and tie it to the opposite end. Cut off excess.

Step 3: Tie the thread to the right of the original thread (in between the original and second thread), pull it taut, and tie it to the opposite end of the hoop. Cut off excess.

Step 4: Tie the thread to the left of the original thread (in between the original and the end of the second thread), pull it taut, and tie it to the opposite side. Cut off excess.

Step 5: Tie another piece of thread to the original thread toward the center connecting threads, and weave it in and out of the other threads back to the starting point. Tie and cut off the excess.

Step 6: To finish the web, tie another piece of thread to the original thread, halfway between the first weaving and the hoop.

Step 7: Weave the thread in and out of the other threads back to the starting point. Tie and cut off the excess, completing the web.

Step 8: Add tissue paper spider.

What you will need:

Orange gift bags
Halloween stamps
Orange and black curling ribbon
Orange tissue paper
Scissors

Directions:

Step 1: Using black ink, stamp the Halloween shapes onto the gift bags in a random pattern.

Step 2: Allow to dry.

Step 3: Place several pieces of tissue paper in the bag, leaving the ends sticking out.

Step 4: Tie the curling ribbon to the front handle. Use the ribbon to tie a gift tag to the bag, and curl the ribbon with a pair of scissors. To create the tags: Cut a rectangle out of a stiff piece of paper. Use a small stamp to place a Halloween figure in the corner of the tag. Write the guests' names on the tags using a black glitter glue pen.

Step 5: Fill the bag with goodies like candy, sticker books, movie tickets, Halloween pins, small toys, etc.

What you will need:

Orange, black, or white sweatshirt
Halloween clipart
Transfer paper

Directions:

Step 1: Print out a Halloween picture, and use a copier to enlarge it.

Step 2: Follow the instructions that come with the transfer paper to place the design on the sweatshirt.

Note: You can use this same technique to decorate t-shirts, tote bags, aprons, etc.

What you will need:

Stiff black paper
Orange or yellow envelopes
Stiff white paper
Black magic marker
Craft knife

Directions:

Step 1: Draw a haunted house shape on a piece of paper and cut it out. (Make sure the cutout will fit inside the envelopes.)

Step 2: Fold the stiff black paper and cut to roughly the size of the cutout.

Step 3: Place the cutout over the folded black paper with one side touching the fold.

Step 4: Trace the cutout onto the black paper and cut out the house leaving the card connected at the fold. Repeat with the white paper and set aside.

Step 5: Cut the windows out with the craft knife. Open the card so you don't cut through the back.

Step 6: Glue yellow paper behind the window cutouts.

Step 7: Glue the white haunted house cutout inside the black house cutout.

Step 8: Use the black magic marker to write the party details inside (To:, When:, Where:, etc.)

What you will need:

Halloween candy molds
Instant paper Mache or polymer clay
Acrylic paints
Small paintbrush
Small wire hooks
Store-bought or home-made wreath in fall colors
Wire

Directions:

Step 1: Fill the candy mold with paper Mache or clay and remove it just before drying.

Step 2: Insert a small hook at the top of each figure.

Step 3: Let them dry completely.

Step 4: Decorate the figures with the acrylic paints.

Step 5: Allow the paint to dry completely.

Step 6: Cut small pieces of wire.

Step 7: Place a piece of wire through the hook of each figure, twist the wire around the hook, and use it to attach the figures to the wreath.

Step 8: Place the figures around the wreath, nestling them among the dried leaves and flowers.

What you will need:

Black balloon
Black thread
Black construction paper
White paint

Directions:

Step 1: Have the balloons filled with helium on the day of the party so they will float well.

Step 2: Cut the ears with some hair in-between out of the construction paper.

Step 3: Fold the bottom edge of the ears back. Cut tabs in the fold. (This will help the earpiece fit better onto the balloon.)

Step 4: Holding the balloon upside down, glue the tabs of the earpiece in front of the knot.

Step 5: Cut wings out of the construction paper.

Step 6: The top of the wings should be the shape of the bottom of the balloon with the wings flaring out to the side.

Step 7: Cut tabs in the round edge of the wings, fold them back, and glue them to the bottom and sides of the balloon.

Step 8: Tie with string to the knot behind the ears, and hang.

What you will need:

Halloween candy molds
Instant paper Mache or polymer clay
Safety pins
Small paintbrush
Acrylic paints

Directions:

Step 1: Fill candy molds with paper Mache or clay.

Step 2: Just before drying, insert a safety pin in the back of each figure (the closed side).

Step 3: Let them dry completely.

Step 4: Remove figures from the mold, and decorate with acrylic paints.

Step 5: Let them dry completely.

What you will need:

Halloween drawing
Contact paper

Directions:

Step 1: Make a Halloween-themed drawing.

Step 2: Cover the drawing with contact paper.

What you will need:

White paper
Stiff green and black paper
Magic markers or construction paper
Black tissue paper
Scissors and glue
Needle and light-colored thread

Directions:

Step 1: Draw Frankenstein's head on a piece of paper and cut it out.

Step 2: Use the head as a template. Trace the shape onto the stiff green paper twice and cut them out. Set aside.

Step 3: Draw Frankenstein's torso on a piece of paper and cut it out.

Step 4: Use the torso as a template. Trace the shape onto the stiff black paper twice and cut them out. Set aside.

Step 5: Using the head template as a guide, make a cutout for the hair (the top of the hair should have the shape of the top of Frankenstein's head, and the bottom should have jagged points). Make two hair cutouts from the stiff black paper. Set aside.

Step 6: Draw the hands and boots on a piece of paper and cut them out (you don't have to use a lot of detail).

Step 7: Use the cutouts as templates. Trace the hand shape onto the stiff green paper four times and cut it out. Trace the boot shape onto the stiff black paper four times and cut it out. Set aside.

Step 8: Glue the bottom of the headpiece to the top of one torso piece. Repeat for the second cutouts.

Step 9: Glue the hair cutout to the top of the head cutout. Repeat for the second figure.

Step 10: Create Frankenstein's face with magic markers or construction paper scraps. Don't forget the scar!

Step 11: Cut four strips out of the tissue paper (1" wide).

Step 12: Fold the strips back and forth accordion style.

Step 13: Glue one end of the strips to the torso of one of the Frankenstein figures for the arms and legs. Be sure to glue them behind the figure.

Step 14: Glue one handpiece on the end of one tissue paper arm and glue another handpiece to the back of the first with the tissue paper in between. Repeat for the other arm.

Step 15: Repeat the above step with the boots. Make sure the boots face the right way before gluing.

Step 16: Thread the needle. Cut off the thread (leave enough thread to hang the Frankenstein figure).

Step 17: Carefully poke the needle through the top of a headpiece (the knot should be at the back of the figure's head) pulling the thread to the knot.

Step 18: Glue the second figure over the first with the tissue paper in between and cover the knot.

Step 19: Hang your creation!

What you will need:

Several sheets of white tissue paper
Strong white thread
Black construction paper
Craft wire
Scissors and glue

Directions:

Step 1: Shape some white tissue paper into a ball the size you want the ghost's head to be.

Step 2: Place the tissue paper ball in the center of one layer of tissue paper.

Step 3: Gather the outer layer of paper around the tissue paper ball and secure it with thread.

Step 4: Print the ghost face template and cut it out, or cut eyes and mouth out of black construction paper. Glue in place.

Step 5: Cut 6" of wire and wrap one end around the neck of the ghost figure. Use the other end to hang the ghost.

What you will need:

Silk or real indoor tree
White Christmas lights
Tissue paper bats
Strechable spider webs
Tissue paper ghosts

Directions:

Step 1: Create the ghosts and bats

Step 2: Drape the Christmas lights on the tree.

Step 3: Hang the ghosts and bats from the branches.

Step 4: Spread the spider webs around the branches and on the tissue paper figures.

What you will need:

Halloween templates (bat, scaredy cat, and witch)
Poster board in various colors, orange, yellow, white, and black
Yellow, red, and black construction paper
Craft knife
Glue
Needle and thread

Directions:

Step 1: To create the witch poster cutout, glue one black witch figure to the center of a yellow circle (the moon) and glue the other figure to the center of the second moon cutout.

Step 2: Repeat for the bat and cat poster cutout (glue the cat toward the bottom of the moon so it appears as if it is standing).

Step 3: Thread the needle. Make the thread long enough to hang the poster cutout. Tie a knot in the end of the thread.

Step 4: Gently poke the needle through the top of a moon cutout (and pull up to the knot). Cut the thread leaving enough length to hang the cutout.

Step 5: Glue one moon and witch cutout to the other moon and witch cutout, covering the knot, and repeat for the bat and cat poster cutouts.

Note: Another option would be to make three bats (six total) in carrying sizes and glue them all over the moon to look like a group of bats flying in front of the moon.

What you will need:

White tissue paper
Plastic wrap
An assortment of small candy (candy corn, tootsie rolls, etc.)
Black construction paper
Heavy white thread
Black curling ribbon
Scissors and glue

Directions:

Step 1: Place a small amount of candy in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap, and close the wrap around the candy tightly.

Step 2: Make a ball with tissue paper around the candy.

Step 3: Place the ball in the center of another sheet of tissue paper and secure it with thread.

Step 4: Cut a face out of black construction paper and glue it to the face of the ghost.

Step 5: Tie a black curling ribbon around the neck of the ghost and curl it with the side of a pair of scissors.

What you will need:

Several sheets of white tissue paper
Strong white thread
Black construction paper
Blue cellophane
Scissors and glue

Directions:

Step 1: Shape 1-2 sheets of white tissue paper into a ball the size you wish the ghost's head to be.

Step 2: Place the tissue paper ball in the center of one layer of white tissue paper. Gather the outer layer of paper around the tissue paper ball and secure it with thread.

Step 3: Cut eyes and mouth out of black construction paper, and glue in place.

Step 4: Cover the inside of a picture window with blue cellophane, then hang the ghosts from the ceiling and varying lengths.

Step 5: Dim the lights and the windows will glow with the eerie scene.

What you will need:

Black construction paper
Bat template, optional
Scissors
Needle and strong black thread
Tissue paper scraps or inexpensive white tissue paper for filing
Black tissue paper
Craft wire
White paper
Glue

Directions:

Step 1: Print the bat template and cut it out. Trace around the template onto the black construction paper and cut it out.

Step 2: Shape one sheet of white tissue paper or scraps into a ball the size you want the bat's head to be.

Step 3: Place the tissue paper ball in the center of one layer of the black tissue paper.

Step 4: Gather the black tissue paper around the ball and secure it with thread.

Step 5: Spread the two loose lower layers of the tissue paper figure out into a triangle shape and glue the figure to the bat cut out, making sure that the ears stick up over the head.

Step 6: Holding the two tissue layers together, cut triangles into the bat's wings.

Step 7: Cut the eyes for the bat out of white paper (ovals or upside-down triangles) and glue them in place.

Step 8: Cut 6" of craft wire, attach one end to the back of the bat figure with glue, and let dry.

Step 9: Find a place to hang your creation.