Paper crafts are one of my favorite ways to spend a slow afternoon with my children. They are simple, they don’t cost much, and most of what you need is probably already in a drawer somewhere. If you love easy projects like these, our simple paper crafts for kids are lovely for any day of the week.
I gathered 22 easy Halloween paper crafts below, so you can find something for whatever age and attention span you are working with that day. And if you finish these and want more, we have a whole roundup of Halloween crafts for kids to explore too.
22 easy Halloween paper crafts for kids
Here they are. Grab your scissors, a glue stick, and a stack of construction paper, then pick whichever one catches your little one’s eye first.
1. paper plate pumpkin
Paint a paper plate orange, add a little green stem at the top, and draw on a face if you like. It is a forgiving first craft for small hands that are still learning to hold a brush.
2. paper plate spider
Paint a paper plate black and add folded paper legs around the edges. A couple of googly eyes or paper circles finish off your friendly eight-legged friend.
3. paper plate ghost
Cut a soft, wavy edge along the bottom of a white paper plate and add two eyes and an open mouth. These look sweet taped up in a window.
4. paper bag witch puppet
Turn a small paper lunch bag into a puppet with a green paper face and a pointed black hat. The flap at the bottom of the bag becomes the mouth that opens and closes.
5. paper bag monster puppet
Glue on paper teeth, mismatched eyes, and a few arms to make a silly monster puppet. There is no wrong way to do this one, which makes it a favorite for the younger ones.
6. construction paper bat
Fold a strip of black paper back and forth for the wings, then add a rounded body and two little eyes. Hang a few from a string for a simple garland.
7. construction paper pumpkin
Cut curved orange strips and layer them into a round pumpkin shape, then top it with a green stem. A nice way to practice cutting along a line.
8. construction paper black cat
Cut out a simple cat body, add a curled tail and pointy ears, then finish with whiskers and bright eyes. If your little ones love this sort of project, our animal crafts has plenty more.
9. tp roll frankenstein
Wrap a cardboard tube in green paper and add a square face, flat hair, and two little bolts on the sides. Save your empty tubes for a week or two and you will have plenty. We keep a whole collection of toilet paper roll crafts if you want more ideas.
10. tp roll mummy
Wind thin strips of white paper around a cardboard tube and leave a small gap for two peeking eyes. The slightly messy wrapping is part of the charm.
11. tissue paper ghost
Cover a small ball of tissue or a cotton ball with a square of white tissue paper, then tie it off at the neck. Draw on a face and hang it where it can float a little.
12. 3d paper pumpkin
Loop several orange paper strips together at the top and bottom to make a round pumpkin that actually stands up. For more like this, our pumpkin crafts is full of easy fall projects.
13. construction paper jack-o-lantern
Cut a pumpkin shape from orange paper and glue on a face made of black triangles and a toothy grin. Kids love choosing whether theirs looks happy, silly, or a little spooky.
14. paper spider web
Fold a piece of paper a few times and snip small shapes along the edges, the way you would for a paper snowflake. Open it back up to find a lacy web.
15. accordion-leg spiders
Fold strips of paper into spring-like accordion legs and attach eight of them to a round body. The bouncy legs make this one feel a little bit alive.
16. paper roll owls
Fold the top corners of a cardboard tube inward to make two ears, then add big round eyes and a pair of wings. A gentle, not-too-spooky option for the little ones.
17. handprint vampires
Trace and cut out your child’s handprint, then add a little cape, a smile, and two tiny fangs. These make a sweet keepsake, and you can find more like them in our handprint crafts.
18. paper plate witch
Add a black paper hat, some yarn or paper hair, and a green face to a paper plate for a friendly witch. A few paper stars on her hat are a nice touch.
19. 3d paper haunted house
Fold and cut paper into a little house that stands on its own, then add windows, a door, and a few bats. This one is better for older kids who enjoy a longer project.
20. tissue paper bat suncatcher
Glue squares of black tissue paper onto a bat-shaped outline and tape it to a sunny window. The light coming through is the best part.
21. paper plate skeleton
Cut a paper plate into simple bone shapes and arrange them into a little skeleton on dark paper. A fun way to talk about the parts of the body while you work.
22. construction paper spider
Cut a round body and eight paper legs, glue them together, and add a few eyes on top. Quick, easy, and good for using up your paper scraps.
what you’ll need to get started
Most of these crafts use the same small handful of supplies, so you likely have what you need already. Here is what I like to keep on hand for a Halloween crafting afternoon:
- Construction paper in orange, black, white, and green
- A few paper plates and some empty cardboard tubes
- Tissue paper for the lighter, floatier projects
- Child-safe scissors and a glue stick
- Markers, crayons, and a roll of tape
If you are starting from nothing, a small pack of construction paper and a glue stick will carry you through most of the list.
simple tips for crafting with little ones
When I am crafting with all three of mine at once, a little prep goes a long way. I cut out the trickier shapes ahead of time so the younger ones can jump straight to gluing and decorating.
A glue stick keeps things tidier than liquid glue, and an old towel or a sheet of newspaper under everything saves the table. I have also learned to let go of perfect and let them make their pumpkin purple if that is what they want.
And if attention runs short, that is alright. One finished bat is a good afternoon. There is no need to make all 22 in one sitting.
turning it into a cozy spooky afternoon
Crafting is even nicer when it isn’t rushed. I like to put on a little music, pour the kids something warm, and let the afternoon stretch out a bit.
You can string the finished crafts across a window or tape them to the fridge, and suddenly the whole house feels ready for the season. If you enjoy making things by hand for fall, you might like our Halloween sewing projects for something to work on after the little ones are in bed.
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3)
These ordinary afternoons at the table, glue on our fingers and paper scraps everywhere, are some of the ones I most want to remember.
pick one craft and start the fun this week
You don’t need a plan or a full supply list to begin. Choose one craft that caught your eye, pull out whatever paper you have, and see where the afternoon takes you.
When the season winds down and you are looking ahead to the next gathering, our Thanksgiving crafts are a gentle place to land next.
I would love to hear which one you try first. Tell me in the comments below which craft your little ones are most excited about.
i would love to see what you make
Before you go, sweet friend, I would love to see what you and your little ones make. If you craft a few of these together, snap a picture and share it in the comments.
I may feature some of your creations here on the blog, and there is something so encouraging about seeing another family’s kitchen table covered in paper bats and pumpkins. It is a quiet reminder that we are all making these ordinary, happy memories side by side.
With love,
Betty
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frequently asked questions
what age are these Halloween paper crafts best for?
Most of these work well for toddlers through early elementary. For the youngest crafters, cut out the shapes ahead of time so they can focus on the gluing and decorating.
what kind of paper works best?
Construction paper, paper plates, cardstock, and tissue paper cover almost everything on this list. A few crafts use empty cardboard tubes, so it helps to save those too.
are these crafts low-mess?
For the most part, yes. A glue stick instead of liquid glue and a towel under the workspace keep things manageable, even with a few little ones at the table.
how long do these crafts take?
Most take about 10 to 20 minutes. A few, like the 3D haunted house, take a little longer and are better suited to older children.
do I need any special supplies?
Not at all. Paper, scissors, glue, and a few markers will carry you through nearly every craft here.
