Halloween is the perfect time for kids to dive into fun, creative activities that spark imagination and excitement. Whether it’s at school or home, these easy Halloween crafts for elementary kids will bring the spooky spirit to life. From DIY decorations to simple art projects, these ideas are both fun and manageable for young children. Let’s jump into 35 Halloween crafts that will keep your kids entertained while giving them a chance to express their creativity!
1. Popsicle Stick Bats
Turn black-painted popsicle sticks into flying bats by adding wings and googly eyes.
2. Pumpkin Paper Chains
Create long pumpkin paper chains for classroom or home decorations with orange paper and black markers.
3. Spider Web Art
Use black construction paper and white yarn to create a web, then add a small paper spider.
4. Ghost Lollipops
Wrap a lollipop in white tissue paper, tie with a ribbon, and draw a spooky face to make cute ghost treats.
5. Frankenstein Bookmarks
Make Frankenstein-themed bookmarks using green paper, googly eyes, and markers.
6. Mason Jar Lanterns
Decorate mason jars with Halloween-themed designs, then place an LED candle inside for a spooky glow.
7. Pumpkin Stress Balls
Fill orange balloons with flour or rice and draw jack-o’-lantern faces on them for squishy stress relief.
8. Monster Rocks
Find smooth rocks and paint them as colorful, silly Halloween monsters.
9. Witch Hat Headbands
Craft mini witch hats from black construction paper and attach them to headbands for wearable art.
10. Paper Plate Pumpkins
Decorate paper plates as pumpkins using paint or orange paper, then cut out and glue on triangle eyes and a toothy grin.
11. Spider Headbands
Use black pipe cleaners and googly eyes to create a fun spider headband that’s easy to make and wear.
12. Black Cat Silhouettes
Cut out black cat silhouettes from construction paper and use them to decorate windows or walls.
13. Painted Pumpkin Rocks
Paint smooth rocks as pumpkins for a fall-themed decoration that lasts longer than the real thing.
14. Handprint Ghosts
Dip kids’ hands in white paint and stamp them on black paper to create spooky ghost handprints.
15. Halloween Wreaths
Cut out different Halloween shapes like bats, pumpkins, and ghosts from construction paper and glue them onto a wreath base.
16. Bat Paper Fans
Fold black paper accordion-style and glue on bat wings and eyes to create spooky fans.
17. Egg Carton Spiders
Turn old egg cartons into spider bodies by painting them black and adding pipe cleaner legs.
18. Glow-in-the-Dark Slime
Make your own slime using glue and glow-in-the-dark paint for a Halloween craft that’s ooey and gooey.
19. Jack-o’-Lantern Jars
Paint old glass jars orange, add black shapes for faces, and drop a tea light inside for a spooky glow.
20. Candy Corn Puppets
Create fun puppets from construction paper by layering yellow, orange, and white to mimic candy corn.
21. Paper Plate Monsters
Let kids design their own silly monsters using paper plates, paint, googly eyes, and markers.
22. Ghost Windsocks
Create spooky ghost windsocks from white construction paper and streamers, perfect for hanging outside.
23. Skeleton Art with Q-Tips
Create a skeleton body on black paper using Q-tips and glue, adding a paper skull to finish.
24. Mummy Jars
Wrap old jars in white bandages or strips of gauze to make mummies, then place a candle inside for a glowing effect.
25. Vampire Corner Bookmarks
Make corner bookmarks in the shape of a vampire, using black and red paper for a fun Halloween reading accessory.
26. Flying Ghost Balloons
Draw ghost faces on white balloons, tie them with string, and let them “float” around the house.
27. Halloween Slime Monsters
Add googly eyes and small toy parts to homemade slime for a fun sensory experience that kids will love.
28. Paper Bag Monsters
Turn plain paper lunch bags into monsters by adding teeth, eyes, and silly decorations.
29. Foam Pumpkins
Use foam sheets to cut out pumpkin shapes, then let kids decorate them with glitter, stickers, and paint.
30. Pumpkin Button Art
Glue orange buttons onto black paper to create a cute pumpkin design, perfect for older kids who want a more detailed craft.
31. Spooky Eyeball Wreath
Create a spooky wreath out of black construction paper and stick on plastic googly eyes for an eerie look.
32. Felt Pumpkin Faces
Cut out pumpkin shapes from orange felt and let kids attach Velcro-backed face parts like eyes, noses, and mouths for a mix-and-match pumpkin.
33. Paper Bat Garland
Cut out multiple bat shapes from black construction paper and string them together to make a Halloween garland.
34. Candy Wrapper Ghosts
Wrap leftover candy wrappers in tissue paper and draw on ghost faces to create little spooky decorations.
35. Spider Web Coasters
Use yarn and glue to create spider webs on small circular pieces of cardboard for a Halloween-themed coaster set.
Comprehensive Guide to Halloween Crafts for Kids in Elementary School
Halloween is one of the best times to engage elementary kids in arts and crafts. Not only do they get to express their creativity, but these activities also help them develop essential skills such as fine motor coordination, problem-solving, and following instructions. Halloween crafts for kids in elementary school can range from simple and quick projects to more detailed and involved ones, giving children the chance to explore their artistic abilities in different ways.
Why Halloween Crafts Are Important for Kids
Art and craft projects are more than just a fun pastime—they help children build essential life skills. Through Halloween crafts, kids can learn to follow multi-step directions, improve hand-eye coordination, and develop patience as they work to complete a project. The themed nature of Halloween also allows children to connect their crafting to the seasonal changes they observe around them.
Kids in elementary school love crafts that allow them to create decorations for their classrooms or homes, and the Halloween season is perfect for spooky-themed art projects. From cute pumpkins and goofy monsters to eerie ghosts and bats, these projects are designed to fit various skill levels and attention spans.
For younger elementary kids, crafts like the Ghost Lollipops or Handprint Ghosts are simple enough to be completed in just a few minutes, making them ideal for short attention spans or group activities. On the other hand, older kids who enjoy more complex projects can tackle ideas like Monster Rocks or Mummy Jars, which require a bit more patience and detail.
Crafts as Learning Tools
Many Halloween crafts are not just fun, but also serve as excellent educational tools. For instance, when creating Glow-in-the-Dark Slime, children can learn about chemical reactions and non-Newtonian fluids in a hands-on and engaging way. Activities like Skeleton Art with Q-Tips can tie into lessons about anatomy and the human body, while Pumpkin Button Art teaches pattern recognition and spatial awareness.
Crafts like these also provide an opportunity for kids to work collaboratively, especially in a classroom setting. Group projects, like making Halloween Wreaths or assembling a Paper Bat Garland, help kids learn to communicate, share materials, and work together toward a common goal. Plus, when the project is done, they have a wonderful Halloween decoration they can proudly display!
How to Make Halloween Craft Time Stress-Free
The key to making craft time stress-free for both adults and kids is preparation. Having all the materials ready in advance and offering clear instructions makes the process run smoothly. For example, if you plan to make Pumpkin Paper Chains, you can pre-cut the strips of paper and have glue sticks at the ready. This way, kids can jump right into the fun part without getting frustrated by too many steps.
It’s also a great idea to use projects that incorporate common household materials like mason jars, egg cartons, and paper plates. Not only does this keep costs down, but it also makes cleanup a breeze since these items are often disposable or recyclable.
To keep things interesting for older kids, introduce a mix of materials like foam sheets, felt, and glitter to allow for more customization in their projects. They’ll enjoy the creative freedom of designing their own Foam Pumpkins or Felt Pumpkin Faces.
Halloween crafts don’t just help decorate the home or classroom—they become a treasured part of the Halloween season, reminding kids of the fun memories they’ve created along the way.
FAQs About Halloween Crafts for Kids in Elementary School
1. What are some easy Halloween crafts for elementary students?
Elementary students can easily make crafts like Spider Headbands, Paper Plate Monsters, and Pumpkin Paper Chains using simple materials.
2. What Halloween crafts can I do with my child at home?
At home, you can create fun DIY projects like Monster Rocks, Ghost Lollipops, or Mason Jar Lanterns for a fun bonding experience.
3. How do I keep Halloween crafts for kids simple?
Stick to basic materials like paper, glue, and markers, and focus on projects that don’t require a lot of setup, such as Handprint Ghosts or Egg Carton Spiders.