Halloween is right around the corner and this year is going to be a little different. So since a lot of use are going to be stuck at home with the little ones we need to come up with some fun and easy things to do with them.
Make this holiday a special one for the kiddos with plenty of festive décor, frightening treats and of course some fun spooktacular crafts! These are very simple projects that do not require a lot of materials and if you have followed any of the my other posts you know I'm all about using recycled things. If you are looking for even more craft ideas and inspiration check my Fall Craft Roundup post featuring several other blogger's and their awesome Autumn crafts.
**This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
For some of these crafts you will need craft paint. I have used these Crayola paints with my kids several times and they are perfect for little hands. They come in bright vibrant colors and are non-toxic. They also wash off of clothes and skin very easily which make cleanup a breeze for mama!
Monster Tubes
Recycle a couple toilet paper rolls and make some cute little monsters. They are super easy to make and festive for this time of year. All you need is some empty rolls, paint, construction paper and some glue. Have fun making little monsters with your children and see what creepy creations you can come up with together.
Ghoulish Garland
This festive garland is easy to put together and can be hung from anywhere in your home to give it a little bit more of a cute and spooky look. For materials you will need a string or twine, construction paper, scissors and a hot-glue gun. Cut out small spooky monsters, bats, pumpkins or other Halloween creatures (approximately about 2in X 2in). Add your creatures to the twine placing them a few inches apart.
Secure them by hot gluing the string between your shapes and a small square of circle piece of felt to the back. The string will be sandwiched between these two pieces.
You have a cute and homemade decoration that is easy to put up anywhere.
If you do not have a good pair of fabric scissors I highly recommend getting a pair of these SINGER ones. They're affordable and cut through fabric and felt so easily they make crafts like these very easy.
Recycled Cardboard Haunted House
For this craft I recommend raiding your recycling bin for any cardboard you can find. Cereal boxes, toy packages, pizza or cracker boxes, etc. Find a piece that is large for the base of the house (we used a piece that is about 8in x 10in). Then using smaller pieces cut out shapes including large triangles for the roof, squares and circles for the windows and a rectangle for the door.
Have fun decorating your pieces and make it as spooky or silly as you're child wants. Once everything is painted you can assemble your haunted house by laying all the cardboard shapes together.
Pumpkin Puzzle
This craft is so easy and can be a lot of fun. Puzzles are always a fun and educational toy for children. So why not let your child make their very own puzzle? All you really need for this project is a large piece of cardboard, markers or paints and scissors. Design your own jack-o-lantern or any other Halloween scene and then simply cut the cardboard up into squares or different shapes.
Tissue Box Monsters
Recycle an empty tissue box into a cute and creepy little monster. Either paint or cover the box in construction paper. Then use the opening for a mouth and glue teeth on the inside.
Add pieces by gluing paper strips for arms on the sides, add feet to the bottom, have eyes pop up off box or whatever else your little one can think of!
Recycled Cardboard Masks
Need a cute and easy mask for play dress up or even a simple costume? Try making your own which is super easy to do using cardboard. Start by cutting out the desired shape and then have fun painting it. Add some decorative pieces on top and glue to secure them. For the back you can either hot-glue a stick so your child can hold the mask up to their face or punch two small holes on each side and secure it with a string. If you like the way these nature inspired masks turned out check out the full post here!
Boo Bowling Set
Bowling is such a fun activity for all ages. So why not bring some of that fun home and make your very own creepy set for the holidays? You will need some empty and clean cans, paint or construction paper and a small soft play ball. For this project you could either decorate and cover the cans with construction paper and secure it with tape or glue, or you can paint them!
If you decide to paint the cans I recommend sanding them down with some sand paper first so the paint sticks more to it, then add any decorations you like.
Creepy Spider Can
Here is another great craft using recycled cans. Again, you can either paint or wrap the can with construction paper and secure it with tape or glue. Then add some strings for legs, add googlie eyes and draw a mouth for the face and compete the whole project by adding a string on top. Pop a small hole in the top (I used a hammer and nail) and put a pipe-cleaner through it. Loop the end and then you can hang your spider friend around the house for a fun decoration.