The 66 Best Halloween Crafts for Kids in 2023

This spoonful of Halloween spirit can be accomplished with the help of even the youngest Pre-K kid and the supplies are inexpensive and easy to find, so the stakes are especially low. Work with your child to dress up a wooden spoon with a little paint (always a hit) and construction paper for a spooky transformation that can serve as festive hanging decor, or simply as a toy your tot will love flying around the house with.

It doesn’t get much easier than this construction paper craft, in which little kids do the work of arranging pre-cut scraps of paper to assemble shapes for a garland. Part puzzle, part art project—this kid-friendly activity encourages tots to use their problem-solving skills while creating a fun decoration.

Older kids will have an easier time constructing this creepy hanging skeleton since the cutting requires a degree of precision most preschoolers can’t muster. (Unless you’re okay with a more abstract aesthetic, that is). Still, the fun and engaging process is an ideal way to occupy your grade-schooler—and with nothing more than a hole punch, a stack of paper plates, scissors, and some string.

Who knew a tiny hand could be transformed into a spooky spider or ghastly ghost? The novelty of being permitted to paint one’s own body part is enough to please any young one, but unlike a typical finger painting activity, this kid-friendly craft results in a piece of art that looks so polished you’ll actually want to keep it. Take your little one by the hand and try this one out—you’ll both be impressed.

These snazzy and oh-so cute toilet paper tube bats are a breeze for even the youngest kids to make, thanks to a free printable template for the wings and feet. In fact, the hardest part of this kid-friendly art project is getting your preschooler to wait for the acrylic paint to dry. 

Colorful pony beads are melted into Halloween-themed cookie cutters for a craft that allows kids to hone their fine motor skills while getting creative by experimenting with different patterns and designs. Best of all, kids of all ages can participate in every step of the project, right up until the creations are sent to the oven. Bottom line: Halloween decor that glows in the dark is about as festive as it gets and the process for making these suncatchers is so cool, it’s sure to excite.

Don’t worry if your origami skills aren’t up to snuff, this printable craft is incredibly easy to execute thanks to downloadable instructions and patterns. Any kid old enough to use scissors and follow directions can get in on the fun, while practicing important cutting skills to boot. The end result? A homemade basket that your kid can proudly take credit for when it’s time to go trick-or-treating (if that's happening this year, that is).

An exceedingly simple craft that even preschoolers can pull off independently, this project involves tracing and coloring ready-made drawings (a great activity for fine motor skill and pencil grip development) onto a piece of paper, then wrapping the work of art into a cylinder. Nothing more than a piece of paper, one black marker, and a pack of crayons is required for kids to enjoy crafting success—just add a mason jar with a tea light to their masterpiece for Halloween decor that will make any front deck or windowsill look fancy.

If you haven’t tried salt painting with your kid, prepare for your mind to be blown by this simple and rewarding art project. This fun medium provides plenty of sensory pleasure and even the youngest children can work with the basic ingredients—table salt, Elmer’s glue and food coloring—to paint a textured Halloween-themed gem that’s as nice to look at as it is to touch.

White yarn takes a dip in Elmer’s glue before being shaped into a creepy-cool spider web in this quick and easy craft that, with a little guidance, even the youngest children can get in on. Watching glue dry isn’t much more fun than watching paint dry, though, so definitely pull out some pom poms and pipe cleaners and encourage your impatient babe to craft a spider or two until her work of cobweb art is ready to hang. When all is said and done, everyone will be pleased with these DIY Halloween decorations.

This mason jar craft boasts both form and function since, once the craft is complete, you can use the decorative containers to store your kid's Halloween candy haul. Parents will need to help with the hot glue gun step, but aside from that, the process is kid-friendly and full of artsy thrills. Children will enjoy painting the jars a ghoulish green color—and when it’s time to fashion the zombie faces with googly eyes, marker and masking tape bandages, creativity will reign supreme.

Don’t recycle that empty jam jar—upcycle it instead to make one of these striking luminaries with your child. Kids of all ages (as long as they still aren’t tempted to taste the art supplies) can help paint the glass jars in different festive colors to achieve a beautiful glowing effect once illuminated by a fairy light. Younger kids might need help when it comes to cutting monster faces out of felt, but they’ll still enjoy gluing the felt features and googly eyes onto this attractive yet surprisingly simple showpiece.

When it comes to crafting with kids, printables are a godsend—these ready-made templates make any project a piece of cake, so your kid can focus on more manageable tasks without having to sweat the technical stuff. These balloon monsters are particularly well-suited for preschoolers and young grade schoolers, who can get to work cutting and gluing faces on the balloons, all while giving their fine motor skills a boost. The cut-and-paste process isn’t the most exhilarating, but the finished product is pretty spectacular—especially with the addition of an LED light for glow-in-the-dark effect. Oohs and aahs are guaranteed and clean-up will be a breeze.

That bag of unremarkable rocks floating around your home has only remained because your kid decided to dub it ‘a collection.’ Good news: Those not-so-precious stones can actually serve a crafty purpose. Bust out some paint and challenge your child to use a rock as a canvas upon which to create the spookiest possible rendering of a skull. (Of course, pumpkins and ghosts are perfectly acceptable alternatives, too).

You know you are going to snap a few frame-worthy shots of your kid’s ridiculously cute costume this Halloween, so why not prepare by crafting a home for the printed pic? Your child will have a blast making the salt dough (essentially homemade play dough), cutting it out into cute, festive shapes and bedazzling it with glitter. Aside from the baking part, this craft is completely kid-friendly and produces a charming frame worthy of a prime place on the family photo wall.

It doesn’t get easier than this, friends—just print out the provided pattern and hand your kid a pair of scissors so they can hone their cutting skills, whilst creating their very own friendly ghost.

Next time you whip up scrambled eggs for your hungry brood, save the carton and put it to good use for this fun craft which involves creating Halloween characters that kids can actually play with when the project is over. The process calls for hot glue (or some other strong alternative) so that step is best handled by a grown-up, but the rest of this artistic endeavor allows kids to paint and decorate to their heart’s content. Once the tchotchkes have dried, hours of pretend play can commence.

If you’re throwing a Halloween party this year, enlist your child in helping deck out your pad with the appropriate decor. The materials required—construction paper, glue, scissors, black marker—you likely have on hand already, and they’re all suitable for even the smallest children to craft with. (The only potential exception is the stapler, which might require adult supervision and assistance for Pre-K kids). Once the work is done and the interlocking paper designs have been hung, grown-ups and children alike will be in the mood to throw on a costume and celebrate.

Ditch the orange and black color scheme this Halloween in favor of something a little more interesting, like these tie-dyed bat and pumpkin-shaped suncatchers. Best of all, the foundation for this two-part art project relies on something pretty much everyone has on hand in the kitchen: Paper towels. Begin by gathering some dye so you and your babe can tie dye the material, then proceed to tracing and cutting the kitchen cloth into spooky shapes for some eye-catching window decorations that won’t disappoint.

This project is part craft, part sensory play—and it’s sure to be a smash hit with the preschool crowd and younger ones, too. Your little one will love sinking his hands into the green gelatin and the resulting handprint mold, complete with creepy dollar store eyeballs, is a bewitching sight to behold.

Children of all ages can complete this creepy-crawly craft that, aside from the printable template, requires only pipe cleaners, craft sticks and cardstock. It might be easy to execute, but don’t be fooled—this one promises to entertain bigs and littles for at least 30 minutes (aka a blissful eternity, in parent-speak)...and that doesn’t even account for the time spent on pretend play when the puppet is ready to go.

Two thumbs up! That’s the rating we give this craft—and also what your kid needs to do to successfully accomplish it. Little ones will be delighted by the sensory experience of having their palms, along with eight of their ten digits painted. Plus, once the handprint is made and googly eyes have been glued, they’ll be amazed to see the critter they made with their own mitts. Next, you’ll need a hole punch and some string to create a web across the piece of paper plate art. The web-weaving stage is a great way for slightly older kids to fine tune their fine motor skills, but kids as young as two can get hands-on with spider-making fun.

Cost-effective and easy, this paper plate ghost craft will still make a big impression when hung on the wall. Crepe paper streamers and contrasting black-and-white construction paper pair with pink markers for an effect that screams Halloween. Yep, this budget and kid-friendly craft is a keeper.

Budding sculptors will find this craft particularly gratifying, as will any child who likes to wield a tool from time to time. Chisel away at a chunk of ivory soap with your mini until it resembles a ghost for a fulfilling, hands-on art project that’s just plain fun.

Wherever kids reside, there’s a good chance that brown paper bags can be found. This sack lunch staple isn’t as drab as it seems. In fact, much like the paper plate, it has infinite crafting potential. Let your little one stuff a lunch bag with tissue paper to create a body for a pipe cleaner-legged, googly eyed, sparkly spider—or bust out the glue and construction paper to make a witch and bat. Whatever Halloween character you choose to craft, the process will be friendly for even the youngest and tons of fun for all.

The construction of this spooky haunted house requires minimal supplies—cardstock (or other heavy-duty paper), scissors, black marker, an exacto knife—and the crafting process is a breeze, too. We’re also suckers for the lift-the-flap window design, which encourages creativity in kids of all ages (and ups the novelty factor).

This exceedingly simple craft for the preschool crowd comes together with nothing more than cardstock, pipe cleaner, a glue stick and a pair of scissors, and the end result is cute as can be. Plus, this 3-D pumpkin craft is an excellent opportunity for little kids to practice their scissor skills—just be sure to have extra cardstock on hand in case the cutting goes awry.

Here, a festive paper plate wreath that any child who can be trusted with a marker and a pair of scissors can accomplish solo. Better still, the process relies on materials you probably already have on hand, so it’s a great option for any parent who has too much on their plate (pun intended) to make it to the craft store.

Carving pumpkins is a main event at Halloween...if you’re old enough to handle sharp instruments, that is. Alas, pumpkin carving is often more of a spectator sport for younger kids. The solution? Bust out some black paint and colorful chalk markers for a no-carve project that ensures every member of the family has a chance to make something gourd-geous this Halloween.

Presenting a glitter-and-glue craft that makes something more than just a mess. Yep, this kid-friendly craft is easy to accomplish and more rewarding than you’d expect—namely because these sparkly spider webs really do look great, whether you hang ‘em around the house or grab a glue stick and turn them into window clings for passersby to admire.

Kids of all ages can help with this edible craft and the resulting chocolate-dipped treats look downright impressive. (Hint: Make sure you snap a photo before these yummy mummies are put to work satisfying someone’s sweet tooth.)

You’ll need to acquire a few special supplies—burlap canvas, embroidery floss, a plastic needle, puff paint—for this sweet lacing craft. That said, the process gives fine motor skills a boost and the project can be customized for any holiday, so it’s a worthy investment.

If the punny concept isn’t enough to sell you on this activity, the quick and easy process will. Kids of all ages will enjoy using a pair of scissors and some peel-and-stick felt to design their own monsters—and all you need to finish the thing off is a sewing machine and one minute of time to spare.

When it comes to art projects for preschoolers, this cute paper craft checks all the boxes. Simply print the free witch template, have your little color in the spaces and cut along the (very manageable) lines...and voila, you’ve got an interactive work of art and a kid who feels accomplished.

A festive twist on a favorite pastime (i.e., the reimagining of a cardboard box), this mixed media craft can be completed with whatever you have lying around—buttons, string, dried pasta, you name it—and the creative, choice-driven activity is fun for all ages.

Introduce your tween to the art of candle making with this spooky DIY craft that uses a few store-bought Halloween props and soy candle wax to create some very excellent mood lighting. (Note: There is a heat gun involved, so you might need to handle that step, depending on the age of your child.)

Make kid-friendly crafting a family affair with a spooky-yet-sweet handprint garland. This festive piece of decor boasts a charming personal touch and comes together with little more than (non-toxic) paint, cardstock and glue.

These simple cardstock bats certainly look more silly than scary…but that just means the toddler or preschooler behind the craft won’t be too spooked by the finished product to proudly hang it around the house.

Slime isn’t exactly a hard sell with the under-ten set, so it should come as no surprise that this homemade goop truly delivers. Plus, the combination of a hands-on process and a glow-in-dark finished product will provide ample entertainment.

Attention Pinterest dropouts: You don’t need to have creative talent in spades to guide a small child through this simple craft. Best of all, the only thing you need to make it happen is a bag of cotton balls and some basic (pre)school supplies.

PSA: If your preschooler has been eyeing the roll of toilet paper in the bathroom, you can raid the junk drawer and put a stop to their diabolical plan with a fun (and considerably less wasteful) masking tape craft instead.

Why reinvent the wheel when you can stick to a classic Halloween craft that kids of all ages will enjoy? These nostalgic cheesecloth ghosts are kind of adorable, not to mention inexpensive and easy to make with precious few materials. 

Here, an entertaining and kid-friendly craft in which assorted buttons, a clothespin, black cardstock and a dollop of glue come together to make festive decor that’s, well, cute as a button.

Kids who aren’t ready to read Mary Shelly’s seminal work can still pay their respects with a blessedly mess-free tissue and contact paper craft that yields an impressive piece of window decor. 

Presenting the perfect holiday craft for toddlers with limited scissor skills and an appetite for destruction. Let the shredding and pasting begin!

Here the foolproof process, which involves little more than wrapping duct tape around a mason jar and adding googly eyes, is easy enough to be repeated if you and your kid are crafting Halloween party decorations. Alternatively, you can make just one and use it as a nigh tlight—either way, young crafters are sure to be wowed by their own handiwork.  

Finally, a playdough activity that doesn’t result in dried-out and surprisingly sharp little pieces of the stuff all over the floor. That’s right—just get your kid to stuff the whole container in a balloon and do some decorating with a sharpie for a no-carve and totally mess-free jack-o-lantern craft that yields a festive, stress-relieving fidget toy. 

Very little precision is required here—there’s even a free template for the candy corn shape—and little kids will have a blast tearing up the construction paper. If you’re looking for an easy cut-and-paste craft that doesn’t actually involve any scissor skills, this one fits the bill. 

Another mess-free alternative to pumpkin carving—this clever project relies on felt cut-outs and a faux pumpkin to create an adorable and festive piece of porch decor that kids can customize however they see fit. Just keep in mind there’s a low-temperature hot glue gun involved, so the really little ones will likely need a parent’s help bringing their vision to life. 

Score a ready-made button design kit and get your kids in on a craft that allows for endless creativity and yields a finished product that’s decidedly more cute (i.e., as a button) than spooky. Best of all, this isn’t a one-and-done project, which means kids can enjoy hours of crafting fun as they grow their collection. 

Here, a clever taping technique ensures that even the youngest kids can paint an eye-pleasing candy receptacle or—if you spring for an oversized mason jar—a festive vase that’s begging to be filled with black dahlias for a dramatic Halloween party centerpiece. 

Safety scissors, electrical tape, foam paper, a glue stick and a green paper plate are all you need for this adorable cut-and-paste preschool craft. Can’t find green paper plates? No problem—that just means your little one has an extra engaging paint-and-craft project to tackle. 

Painting clothespins is an excellent activity for honing fine motor skills and the free SVG cutting files provided with this project make the whole process a breeze for any kid equipped with decent scissor skills and a stack of cardstock. The end result? A frightfully cute and highly functional craft that can be used to hang Halloween decor, mark a page in a spooky story, you name it. 

Forget the paint brushes—plastic straws are sure to be your kid’s new artistic tool of choice. Give this blow painting process art project a try and we guarantee your tot will be tickled by the novel technique. 

Add some sparkle to your Halloween celebration with a kid-friendly project featuring brightly colored (and unexpectedly cheerful) paints and a whole lot of gold confetti. The process is simple, the materials are fun and the finished product is totally Pinterest-worthy. 

This simple suncatcher craft uses tissue paper and laminating film (i.e., Con-Tact paper) to create a stained glass effect that’s seriously enchanting. As for the finished product—it’s a pretty sweet piece of window candy that even the youngest kids can accomplish and the whole neighborhood is sure to enjoy. 

Start this one off with an outdoor scavenger hunt; once the energetic, pine cone-foraging romp is complete, bust out some pipe cleaners and googly eyes for a fun object crafting hour that yields a seriously silly spider. Trust us—the under ten-set will be delighted from start to finish. 

This budget-friendly craft for kids of all ages involves giving a basic paper cup a furry and goofy new look with yarn and a couple other basic supplies (think: googly eyes, paint, popsicle sticks and construction paper). It’s a simple process with a big reward—namely because you get to see what’s brewing in your kid’s imagination. 

Here, a pumpkin decorating project that makes fine use of the crayons your kid has broken (i.e., all of them) and yields a colorful, textured and oh-so eye-catching seasonal squash that’s sure to stand out in a sea of Jack-o-lanterns on Halloween. 

Whether your kid kicks off the craft with a tracing project—there’s a free, printable skull pattern available—or draws his own, you can count on an hour or two of fun from this one, which features a fine motor skill-boosting process, a tactile element for extra sensory engagement and a seriously cool looking skull when all is said and done. 

Presenting DIY holiday decor that even a preschooler can accomplish. Best of all, precious few materials are required to pull this one off—so if you have a glue stick, pipe cleaners and construction paper or card stock on hand, you’re good to go. (Though it’s worth noting that card stock is preferred for a sturdier pumpkin.) 

Break some eggs, make a big breakfast frittata for the fam and then hand your kid the recycling for a customizable mask-making craft that will enhance any witch costume, whilst sparing you the hassle of applying and removing copious amounts of face paint. 

American Halloween traditions are great, but it’s hard to compete with the colorful spectacle of Day of the Dead. This cut-and-color mask-making craft boasts a mess-free and highly engaging creative process, plus a decidedly eye-pleasing finished product that honors a coinciding Mexican holiday with different cultural roots. 

Washable markers, a spray bottle and a few basic materials (including a kitchen staple) are all you need to create a tie-dye effect that’s spooky and pretty, to boot. Best of all, the faux watercolor technique involved here yields decor that passes the holiday test with flying colors and minimal mess. 

Here, a small swath of lightweight, white fabric, a Sharpie for drawing silly faces and a helium balloon come together to make a festive, ten minute craft that can be handed out to lucky trick-or-treaters and/or kept at home for hours of balloon keepy uppy play the next day. 

Got a budding Picasso who can’t be trusted to carve? This rainbow-colored pumpkin display is worthy of a feature in Better Homes & Gardens—and the most spectacular part is that you can actually pull it off with the help of a toddler.