Halloween Arts and Crafts to do With Kids

halloween

Are you looking for Halloween craft ideas other than making a jack-o-lantern? There are so many other fun ways to creatively celebrate the autumn season that it really is a shame to stop with just carving a pumpkin. Below you will find 5 easy Halloween arts and crafts projects to do with kids.


Styrofoam Spiders

What you will need (for each spider):
-1 Styrofoam Ball
-1 Large Black Pom-pom
-4 to 8 Black Pipe Cleaners
-2 Googley Eyes
-Black Acrylic Paint
-Paintbrush
-Glue
-Scissors

Begin by painting the styrofoam ball black. Fortunately, acrylic paint dries relatively fast so the patience of the children will only shortly be tested (if you want to avoid the wait all together, paint the styrofoam balls ahead of time). Once dry, glue on the black pom-pom to one side of the ball. This is the head of the spider. Now glue on the googley eyes to the black pom-pom. Simple white glue can be used or have an adult operate a hot glue gun. Next is the fun part. Insert the black pipe cleaners into the styrofoam ball in order to make legs. For longer legs use 8 full-length pipe cleaners and bend into shape (think daddy-long-leg spiders). For shorter legs, take 4 pipe cleaners and cut in half. Then use these half sized pieces to form the legs.

Cotton Spider Web Branch

What you will need:
-Small Branch
-Cotton Balls and/or White Yarn
-Black Plastic Spider (or Styrofoam Spider from above)

Go outside and choose a small branch, ideally one with plenty of twigs still attached. Make sure it is a freshly fallen branch to minimize risk of bugs (or cut a live branch off of a tree and remove the leaves). This branch will house the homemade spider web. Kids will love tangling yarn in and around the twigs and stretching out cotton balls to form a spider web. Once they feel their web is complete, they can add a small plastic spider for the finishing touch. Or better yet, top it off with their styrofoam spider.

Leaf Prints

What you will need:
-Fall Leaves
-Paint (Red, Orange, and Yellow)
-Paint Brushes
-Paper
-Newspaper

An appreciation for the autumn season can be demonstrated with this leaf print art project. Take the children outside and have them collect a few freshly fallen leaves (that are free from bugs, clean, and still lively, not crisp to the touch). Take these leaves inside, spread out the newspaper on the floor or on a table, and place paper and paints within easy reach. Have each child pick out a few favorite leaves. Have them paint one yellow and then stamp the leaf onto the paper. Repeat this step with a different leaf, except use the red paint instead. Next try the orange paint, or by painting a leaf with both red and yellow. Before you know it, the piece of paper will become their own painting of the beautiful fall foliage.

Paper Plate Ghosts

What you will need:
-White Paper Plates
-White Streamers
-Tape
-Black Marker
-Hole Punch
-String

These paper plate ghosts make excellent Halloween decorations for inside or out (though they are definitely not weather resistant). Simply have each child take a paper plate and draw a face on it for their ghost. Then with tape attach white streamers to the back of the paper plate along the bottom side of the face. By punching a hole on the top and tying on a string, the ghost can now be hung anywhere that needs a little haunting Halloween fun.

Bat Prints

What you will need:
-Construction Paper
-Black Paint

By far, the easiest, while still amusing, art project is making bat prints. Have each child drizzle black paint on a piece of construction paper (suggested colors include orange, blue, or purple). Fold the paper in half, smashing the paint together, then unfold to reveal a bat. Another version of this art trick is to make ghosts. Use black construction paper and have the children drizzle on white paint. Fold the paper in half and a ghost will be revealed.

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