The leaves are changing, and there’s a chill in the air. We all know what that means... fall festivities are right around the corner! Nothing says Spooky Season quite like DIY Halloween crafts for kids.

We’re ready to spill our guts on the most popular, low-to-no cost, Halloween crafts of the season made with everyday items you have around the house! These projects are organized by age, mess level, and set-up time, so you can choose the right activity for your kids to carry you through the season.

Here’s a quick look at crafts they’ll be thrilled (to death) to make!

At-a-glance table

Cardboard Halloween crafts that kids can build themselves

From the list above, we've picked our favorite cardboard Halloween projects to make with the ChompSaw! We've vetted all of these projects to be a fun (most importantly!) and an easy way to bring open-ended building to your craft table... while stretching those design-thinking skills.

1. Cardboard jack-o-lantern candy bucket

Print our free pattern template at home and make your own cardboard Jack-o'-lantern or Frankenstein candy buckets from a regular, old, cardboard box! 

Materials

• Cardboard + a small cardboard box under 8 inches wide
• Free Digital Project Download: Halloween Candy Bucket
• Chompsaw (for kid-safe cutting)
• Hole Punch Tool
• A glue stick or Blueprint Paper
• Double-sided tape or Bits & Baubles
• Ribbon or string

How to assemble

1. Print out your patterns and cut widely around each shape with scissors (or using the ChompSaw).
2. Attach your pieces to cardboard.
3. Use the ChompSaw to cut along the black lines of your pattern.
   
4. Color or decorate the jack-o-lantern or Frankenstein and follow the yellow and purple hatch marks to apply tape and attach pieces. 
5. Poke some holes in your box and attach ribbon.
6. Stick on your jack-o-lantern or Frankenstein...
7. ... and show off your boo-tiful creation with some trick-or-treating!
   

Want a full video tutorial? Click here!

Why it helps

We love seeing kids hone their spatial-reasoning skills by turning a 2D pattern into a 3D project they can actually use! This project calls for lots of creativity, and you can take as much time as you'd like to decorate your box and basket.

2. Cardboard bat garland

This cardboard bat garland is a fang-tastic craft for kids ages 4 through 10 years old! 

Materials

• A pencil for sketching out the bat design
• The ChompSaw to cut out the bats
• Black paint (and brushes) or markers in assorted colors for the eyes (and maybe fangs!)
• String or fishing line
• Masking tape
• Sequins, glitter, or googly eyes (optional)
• Tablecloth or old tarp for easy cleanup.

How to assemble

1. Sketch out the bats either in a row or separately (all sizes and quantities are free game)! We drew a couple of bats and used them to stencil rest!
2. Cut out each bat with the ChompSaw
3. Paint them black and add details.
4. Line your bats all in a row and using masking tape attached your fishing line to the back.
5. Hang them your garland along a window or mantel!

Why it helps

In addition to developing spatial awareness and understanding of basic geometry concepts, your kids will also improve their sequencing and fine-motor skills.

3. Cardboard black cat

This cardboard black cat is sure to be the cat’s meow for all makers! Little ones might need some help drawing their templates, but the crazier your black cat the better. 

Materials

• Clean cardboard box panel, any size!
• Pencils or pens for designing
• Black acrylic paint or markers for the body of the cat
• The ChompSaw
• Multi-colored acrylic paints or markers 
• Googly eyes, glitter, stickers, or other low-cost embellishments
  
• Double-sided tape or brass fasteners (if you want moving pieces)
• String to hang up the cat (optional)

How to assemble

1. The great thing about this cat is it doesn't need to be perfect! Start by drawing a loose template of your cat's head onto cardboard. Cut it out and then draw it's body, four legs and a tail, cutting out each piece and measuring them up to your cat's head one at a time.
   
2. Color, paint, and decorate! We use acrylic paint and foam brush, then paint markers on top.
3. Prop the Halloween cat on a shelf or use some ribbon to hang it on the wall or from a window.

Why it helps

Besides improving their hand strength and fine-motor skills, kids will also hone their creative design skills!

4. Cardboard tombstones

Creating cardboard tombstones is a fun Halloween craft for kids that won’t send a shiver down their spines!

Materials

• Clean cardboard boxes, small or tall!
• Pencils or pens for planning the tombstone’s dimensions and overall design.
• The ChompSaw
• Acrylic paint or markers for decorating
• Letter stickers for the epitaph (optional)
• String for hanging (optional)
• Small wooden dowels or sticks for planting in the yard (optional)

How to assemble

1. Design the tombstone in any shape or size.
2. Use the ChompSaw to cut out each tombstone.
3. Create the epitaph (e.g., Here Lies Billy Dare, Asleep Forever in his Underwear)
4. Stand up each tombstone on a tabletop or create an indoor or outdoor graveyard scene.

Why it helps

Kids practice hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning while designing and cutting out the tombstone. They’ll also unleash their creative writing skills by creating an epitaph for each tombstone.

 

5. Cardboard haunted house

This castle designed by Jasmine Archie lights up and was part of Chompshop's Cardboard Genius Contest last year! Don’t worry about creaky stairs or freaky ghosts inside these DIY haunted houses. Young inventors can design and build the haunted house of their dreams (or nightmares…) and maybe even use a little paper mache to create cool textures!

Materials

• Clean cardboard, any shape or size
• Pencil or pen to sketch out their blueprints
• The ChompSaw
• Assorted acrylic paints or markers for the house’s frightening facade
• Crafting glue for assembly (optional)
• An old apron or artist smock for a mess-free crafting session

How to assemble

1. Kids take the lead, designing and measuring the flooring, walls, windows, & roof.
2. Use the ChompSaw to cut out each section or element of the house.
3. Assemble the haunted house via interlocking slots (i.e., the slot-and-tab method) or with crafting glue.
4. Decorate with paint, markers, stickers, etc.

Why it helps

Designing, building, and decorating a haunted house allows young inventors to leverage their engineering skills while practicing basic concepts in geometry and physics. This STEAM activity also inspires them to tap into their artistic skills with one theme in mind: the creepier, the better!

Super-easy Halloween crafts:

Not every Halloween craft needs a big setup! These quick ideas use paper, paint, and everyday household or recycling-bin supplies, making them handy for younger kids or those afternoons when you only have a little time to craft.

Quick and no-mess crafts:

Need a five-minute Halloween craft? Try a mess-free window ghost made with pre-cut felt shapes on glass or white paint sealed inside a taped flat zip-top bag. It’s a quick way to add a little Halloween spirit without turning the kitchen table into a craft zone.

Paper crafts:

Paper Halloween crafts are simple, and they improve important developmental skills:

• Paper plate spider (skills: creative thinking & design)
• Cottonball ghost (skills: counting, hand-eye coordination, & gluing)
• Tissue-paper ghost (skills: spatial reasoning, bilateral coordination, grasping, & pinching)

Paint and handprint:

Painting and handprint activities, such as handprint ghosts and bats or puff-paint pumpkins, are quick and simple Halloween crafts for kids.

Warning: It’s always best to supervise little goblins when they use paint or handle craft supplies.

Recycling-bin builds

Some of the best Halloween arts and crafts for kids are made from recycled materials. From egg-carton spiders and bats to paper towel roll monsters or paper-bag pumpkins, kids can create throughout the Spooky Season, knowing they’re also doing their part for the planet!

Halloween crafts by age, from toddlers to tweens

No need for any hocus pocus when choosing the best Halloween crafts for kids of all ages. Here’s a general breakdown of the best types of crafts to set up, starting with the littlest goblins!

Toddlers (2 to 3)

Safety is key with two and three-year-olds, so opt for crafts that require bigger pieces, not small parts. Non-toxic paints and big stickers are both favorites among toddlers. You can even use our Blueprint Kit to create your own stickers! 

Preschool (3 to 5)

Preschoolers are ready for their first independent cardboard-cutting experience, designing and building simple crafts, such as Halloween masks/costumes, and more.

Here, they’ll learn safe fine-motor cutting skills along with spatial reasoning, hand-eye coordination, and critical thinking. Also, Halloween crafts involving paper plates, textured supplies, such as cotton balls, etc., and painting are always a hit!

Early elementary (5 to 8)

Five to eight-year-olds especially love engineering-based Halloween crafts and activities, like intermediate-level cardboard cutting and building. From designing and cutting out cardboard tombstones or black cats to designing and assembling a cardboard bat garland, no doubt, they’ll have a spell-binding time!

Teaching a classroom of early-elementary goblins? Check out our Educator Hub for free-curriculum and other teaching resources.

Tweens (9 to 12)

We recommend more advanced projects for our future engineers! Check out our Halloween Costume Contest if you're looking for a bigger build! 

Tips for low-stress Halloween crafting

No need for any hocus pocus to keep your Halloween crafting sessions stress-free! Keep the tantrums and meltdowns at bay by following these wickedly simple, low-cost tips:

• Set up the crafting station in advance.
• Keep each crafting session short, 30 minutes or less!
• Encourage your maker to take the lead, designing the craft, choosing the materials, etc.
• Avoid clothing damage with art smocks, aprons, or by dressing them in old/worn-out clothes.
• Make clean up a breeze by laying down a tray, towel, or old sheet.
• Start squirreling away clean cardboard boxes and paper towel tubes to keep the crafting supply coffin stocked and ready!

Frequently asked questions

What are some easy Halloween crafts to make with kids?

From construction paper bats to cardboard jack-o-lanterns or cotton-ball ghosts, there are plenty of easy Halloween crafts you can make with your kids!

What are some 5-minute Halloween crafts?

The Mess-free Window Ghost is an easy five-minute Halloween craft you can set up on a busy day. Want to keep it quick and mess-free? Take a spare white sock that the dryer never gave back. Then, have your child fill it with cotton balls or crumpled newspaper, before drawing on a ghost face (and maybe an outfit/costume of their choice)!

What Halloween crafts can toddlers make?

Tissue paper ghosts or paper plate spiders are popular Halloween crafts that toddlers can make. There are endless Halloween crafts they can make out of cardboard, including the Cardboard Jack-o-Lantern or Black Cat!

What can kids make out of cardboard for Halloween?

Kids can make endless crafts out of cardboard for Halloween, including:

• A black cat
• Garland of bats
• Ghosts, big or small
• Pumpkins of all sizes
• Witches on brooms
• Fun, wearable masks
• Giant spiders

What household items can you use for Halloween crafts?

Countless everyday household items are ideal for Halloween crafts, including:

• Cardboard for endless spooky cutouts
• Cotton balls
• Tissues or paper towels
• Disposable cups
• Egg cartons
• Yarn
• Empty food jars
• Spare socks

Is it safe for kids to cut cardboard themselves?

Cutting cardboard on their own can be hazardous without the right cutting tool. The ChompSaw, however, is certified safe for young goblins ages three and up. It has no exposed blades and no spinning parts, making it safe for kids to use on their own or with minimal supervision.

Conclusion

Make every Halloween crafting session awesome by choosing the craft that works for your child’s age and your desired mess level. Kids of all ages come back to creepy cardboard crafts again and again.

Planning a DIY Halloween crafting session for your classroom? You’ll find a variety of lessons and other learning resources in our Educator Hub!

Real quick, in case you didn't know...

The CDC lists using a safety tool, such as safety scissors, among developmental milestones for children ages 3 to 5. But we all know using safety scissors to cut cardboard is the worst, and requires adult supervision.

The ChompSaw empowers kids as young as three years old to cut and create with cardboard safely (and easily) all on their own! Along with cutting, the ChompSaw helps kids improve their:

• Fine-motor cutting skills
• Hand-eye coordination
• Critical-thinking skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Creativity
• Spatial reasoning

Happy Chompin'!