Happy Halloween! 5 Spooky DIY Halloween Crafts for Kids (Aged 4-10)

Happy Halloween! It’s that time of the year to embrace all things spooky, mysterious and magical. While store-bought decorations are convenient, nothing beats the fun of creating your own spooky decor. If you're looking for screen-free fun that engages little hands and minds, DIY Halloween crafts for kids are the perfect activity. Creating decorations together—from ghosts and monsters to pumpkins—builds excitement for the holiday and gives children a sense of pride when their artwork is displayed. Get ready to transform everyday materials into enchanting Halloween art pieces. We’ve rounded up five simple, yet delightfully spooky, DIY Halloween crafts for kids aged 4 to 10 that use materials you probably already have at home. Let the crafting begin!

5 Fun & Simple DIY Halloween Crafts For Kids

These five crafts are designed to be mess-friendly and low-cost, using common household items like paper plates, toilet paper rolls, and yarn. They are categorised by skill level, so you can easily choose the right project for your child's age.

1. Toilet Paper Roll Bats (Ages 4+)

This craft is fantastic for younger children and requires minimal materials. It's a quick win that results in cute, hangable decorations perfect for doorways or windows.

Don't toss those rolls! Turn empty cardboard tubes into a whole colony of spooky bats.

What You Need:

• Empty toilet paper rolls

• Black construction paper or black paint

• Googly eyes

• Glue

The Process:

1. Prep the Body: If using paint, have your child paint the toilet paper rolls black and let them dry. If using construction paper, wrap and glue black paper around the roll.

2. Make the Wings: Draw a simple bat wing shape on the black paper—like a smooth, curvy boomerang—and cut it out. Older kids (7+) can practice cutting skills here.

3. Assemble: Flatten the paper roll slightly. Glue the wings to the back of the roll.

4. Detail: Finish by gluing two googly eyes onto the front. For a hanging bat, poke a small hole through the top and thread a piece of thread or yarn. The simple, repetitive steps are excellent for developing fine motor skills in preschoolers.

2. Paper Plate Spiderwebs (Ages 6+)

This project introduces threading and weaving, which is a great exercise for improving dexterity and concentration in elementary school children.

Who knew a paper plate could look this spooky? This paper plate project is a fun challenge

What You Need:

• Black or white paper plates

• Hole punch

• Black yarn or string

• Plastic spiders (optional)

The Process:

1. Create the Frame: Have your child colour the center of the paper plate in black. You can also cut out the centre and colour the edge in black. This is the frame for the web.

2. Punch the Holes: Use the hole punch to create an odd number of holes all around the inner edge of the paper plate ring. Make sure the holes are evenly spaced.

3. Start Weaving: Tie one end of the black yarn to any hole. The child then pulls the yarn across the ring and threads it through a hole on the opposite side.

4. Weave the Web: Continue weaving, crossing the yarn back and forth across the plate's center until a dense web appears. The goal is to cross the center multiple times, making the "web" look intricate.

5. Finish: Tie off the yarn on the back and glue a plastic spider onto the finished web for extra spookiness.

   
   

3. Hanging Paper Ghosts (Ages 5+)

This is a timeless, classic Halloween decoration that is extremely effective and requires very little money or skill. The movement of the paper makes them look like they are truly floating!

Who needs expensive decor? Grab some paper and turn it into a perfectly floating phantom.

What You Need:

• White paper

• String or yarn

• Black marker

• Scissors

The Process:

1. Create the Head: Take a piece of paper and draw the head.

2. Add the Face: Use the black marker to draw two simple, round, and slightly elongated eyes on the paper, as well as the mouth.

3. Cut out: Take a pair of scissors and cut out the head.

4. Make the body: Gently gather long and thin strips of paper. Glue them along the bottom of the head on the back. Using a pencil, curl up each strip of paper slightly.

5. Hang and Float: Hang the ghosts from tree branches, doorways, or light fixtures (away from heat) and watch them sway and "float" eerily in the breeze! They are the perfect, spooky addition to your window or porch decor.

4. Ghostly Handprint Banners (Ages 4-7)

This craft creates a lasting keepsake and a festive banner, making the mess totally worth it. It’s perfect for younger kids who love getting a little messy with paint.

What You Need:

• Black construction paper or cardstock

• White washable paint

• Black marker

• Ribbon or string

The Process:

1. Handprint Ghosts: Pour a small amount of white paint onto a flat plate. Have your child dip their hand into the paint, ensuring their palm and fingers are coated.

2. Print: Press the painted hand firmly onto the black paper with the fingers pointing down. The palm creates the ghost's body, and the slightly separated fingers look like the wispy tails.

3. Repeat: Make several handprints on the same paper, letting them dry.

4. Add Details: Once dry, use the black marker to draw two simple, round eyes on the "head" of the ghost (where the palm was).

5. Banner Prep: Cut out each handprint ghost and glue or punch holes in the top to string them onto a ribbon, creating a personalised banner for the mantelpiece.

5. Spooky Jar Luminaries (Ages 8+)

This project is best suited for older kids (8+) as it involves more precision with cutting and decoupage, resulting in decorations that look beautiful and professional when lit up with LED tea lights.

Trash to treasure Halloween style! Transforming old jars and tissue paper into magical, glowing decorations

What You Need:

• Empty glass jars (cleaned with labels removed)

• Tissue paper (orange, white, black, green)

• PVA glue (or Mod Podge) and a brush

• Black construction paper or permanent marker

• LED tea lights (Safety note: Only use LED lights, never real candles!)

The Process:

1. Tear the Paper: Have your child tear the tissue paper into small, random pieces (about 1-inch squares). Tearing, rather than cutting, creates a better, softer texture.

2. Decoupage: Brush a thin layer of glue onto a section of the jar. Press the tissue paper pieces onto the glue, slightly overlapping them. Cover the entire jar except for the rim. Use colors appropriate for the character (e.g., orange for a pumpkin, white for a ghost).

3. Dry and Detail: Let the jar dry completely. Once dry, cut out shapes from black paper (like triangle eyes for a pumpkin or a ghostly mouth) and glue them on. Alternatively, draw the faces directly onto the jar using a permanent marker.

4. Light Up: Place an LED tea light inside the jar. The tissue paper will glow beautifully, turning the jar into a spooky luminary.

Why DIY Halloween Crafts Are Worth the Effort

DIY Halloween crafts for kids are worth the effort because they are genuinely fun and easy.

The best part? There are no rules!

• Mix-and-Match Fun: Did you make too many Toilet Paper Roll Bats? Give them paper plate wings! Did the Ghostly Handprint Banner paper rip? Cut the prints out and stick them on your Jar Luminaries for a custom ghostly glow.

• Easy Variations: Turn the Paper Plate Webs into shields for a superhero costume. Use the Tissue Paper Luminaries to make mummy jars by wrapping them in gauze instead of paper. Every single project is just a starting point.

• Keep It Low-Stress: These crafts require minimal adult help, so you can actually sit back and enjoy a pumpkin spice latte while your little ones transform your recycling bin into a haunted house.

So gather your glue, grab some papers, and get ready for a spooky, creative, and totally memorable crafting season!

Which fun, spooky craft will you try first?