You’re probably aware that Halloween is coming up, but you may struggle with ideas about making it even more special for your kids. Luckily, there are lots of fun and easy DIY crafts that help with pre-reading skills and STEM concepts. These projects are perfect for introducing young children to making things from scratch; you won’t need many supplies, and they generally don’t take too long to complete. As a bonus, they’ll look great wherever you display them – on a bookshelf or in a creepy corner of the house!

Halloween-themed finger puppets

This project is excellent for introducing the idea of making DIY toys for younger kids who may not have the fine motor skills for the other projects on this list. All you need is some black paper and colored pens or pencils to make these creepy crawler finger puppets. Use a slightly thicker black form; you could even cut them out and make a small pop-up book as an alternative. You could also try creating a few themed activities to go with them, such as a matching game or a mini-cooking session where you make cookies with black chocolate chips. A mini photo frame could also be a fun option, where you could put photographs of your family on one side and the puppets on the other.

Paper plate ghost lanterns

Paper plate crafts are a great way to use old plates that you may have at home, and this ghost lantern is one of our favorite Halloween crafts for kids. It’s a great way to introduce the concept of color mixing (which is used in real-life to make new colors), and also a fun way to make a Halloween decoration out of materials you may already have in the house. All you’ll need for this project is a paper plate (other types of containers will not work), some paint, a piece of white card, a pencil, scissors, and a craft glue stick. Then, you can draw and color in a simple ghost face on the card, before gluing it to the center of the paper plate. You could also draw simple patterns onto the plate, such as a spider web design or a pumpkin stem on top.

Halloween Color by code

This is a great way to introduce the concept of coding to older kids and a fun way to put a Halloween-themed spin on the activity. It uses the same color-matching image as traditional color-by-code activities but with a spooky twist – the words are all associated with Halloween, complete with pictures. To make this, you’ll need a piece of card or paper, a black marker, and a glue stick. Draw a grid of squares, and then write out a few extra words to add a Halloween theme. You could also draw simple images to match the words. Once you’ve finished, cut the card into strips, and you have a quick and easy activity that can be put away until next October!

Paper mache candy corn craft

This is a great project for older kids who are ready to try their hand at making something a little more advanced than the above crafts. It’s also great to help children learn how to use a primary glue gun while practicing their creative skills. This DIY Halloween craft combines paper mache with a traditional crafts technique, where children dip plain ole’ cardboard pieces in glue and then cover them with newspaper strips. You can easily buy the ingredients at your local craft store or online, which will make a tremendous, tremendously excellent decoration for your home or even a gift for a family member.

Sticky monster feet art (a.k.a. goo blob feet)

This is a fun and creative way to get your kids thinking about STEM concepts and let them loose with their creative side. It combines making silly monster feet with goo-like materials to make a sticky and messy sensory activity. You’ll need to assemble the materials, including paper, glue, food coloring, goo (you can buy this online or make it at home), googly eyes, and pipe cleaners. Once you’re ready to make the feet, draw two monster feet on the paper and cut them out. Next, squirt some glue onto the form where you want the feet to go, and then place the cutouts on top of the bond. Leave them to dry a little, then peel the paper away, leaving you with googly monster feet. You can also add goo to the monsters’ feet to make them more goo-like, or you can create a blob-like monster by squirting some goo onto a piece of paper, then squishing it around with your hands.

Let's Talk:

Halloween is a great time to get creative with your kids, and these easy DIY crafts are a perfect way to get them excited about being creative and having fun. Something on this list will suit most ages and abilities, whether they’re ready to start making things from scratch or more comfortable with a traditional color-by-code activity. These Halloween-themed crafts will also look great once finished, meaning you can display them around the house or give them as gifts to friends and family members who have kids too!