Halloween Crafts for Kids

Keeping your kids busy and entertained during the Halloween season can be a challenge when all they're interested in is the loads of candy they'll get from begging at neighbor's houses. However, letting your kids help you decorate for Halloween by putting together some Halloween crafts for kids is a great way to keep little hands busy and their minds occupied. Plus, all the crafts are recyclable, so once the season is over, you can choose to use them next year or toss them into recycle bins, if you want.

Paper Plate Ghosts

Paper plate ghosts make great Halloween decorations. When they're placed outside, they'll blow in the breeze in all sorts of directions, adding a spooky but cute addition to your front porch or yard. To make the paper plate ghost, you'll need black finger paints, white paper plates, glue sticks, and white paper streamers. Have your child begin by painting the eyes and mouth onto the surface of the paper plates, producing as many of them as you want. Next, have them apply glue to the rim of the plate below the eyes and the mouth. While the glue is still tacky, paste the streamers lengthwise so that they hang from the bottom of the plate. Rip the streamers off at jagged lengths to finish them off. Use fishing line to hang the paper plate ghosts from your trees and porch for a haunted effect.

Paper Plate Jack-o' Lanterns

Following the same idea as the paper plate ghost, purchase orange-colored paper plates. Have your child cut out construction paper mouths and eyes, then use glue sticks to attach the construction paper to the paper plates. To complete the project, have the child cut out rectangles of green construction paper for the pumpkin's stem. Once dried, the pumpkins can be placed in your windows with clear tape to hold them in place.

Black Cat Puppet

While potentially too advanced for toddlers, making a black cat puppet is an easy craft to make with your younger kids. You may be able to find black paper lunch bags in your local grocery store or Halloween store, but you can just as easily have your kids paint them to the same effect. Cut out white eyes and fangs for the cat, an a pink tongue. You might also use yellow eyes, if you wish. To finish off the puppet, add two black construction paper ears to the top of the bag.

Children's craft projects won't always hold a child's attention for very long, but these easy projects might be just enough to give you fifteen minutes' worth of relative peace and quiet.