19 Halloween Crafts for Kids Preschool Edition: Spooky-Cute DIYs for Your Little Monsters

Halloween season is officially creeping in, marking the start of the spooky season . Our little artists are already on the hunt for some spooky fun, including making a witch hat .

Preschoolers love hands-on projects. Honestly, we’re all about making memories and a big ol’ mess together.

We’ve rounded up 19 Halloween crafts for kids that will keep those tiny hands busy and bring big smiles to our days.

Grab the googly eyes, pull out those glue sticks, and let’s dive into a world of pumpkins, ghosts, and silly monsters. Get ready to create, giggle, and maybe get a little glitter in your hair—because that’s just how we roll!

1) Paper Plate Witch Hats

We love any craft that’s easy to make and low-mess, especially those cutesy crafts . Paper plate witch hats totally fit the bill.

All we need are some paper plates, black paint, and whatever random scraps we have hanging around—think ribbon, buttons, stickers, or even crumpled tissue paper. Kids can go wild decorating and, let’s be honest, we never say no to more glitter.

These hats double as dressing up gear or cute Halloween decorations. Once the paint dries, we just cut a slit and tape or staple it to shape so it’s hat-tastic.

No fancy skills needed—trust us, our glue gun hasn’t seen the light of day. Witch hats are awesome for classroom parties, along with crafts using googly eyes or lazy after-school playdates.

Stuck for visual instructions? There are super simple tutorials around, like this paper plate witch hat craft that shows step-by-step what to do.

It’s crafty, it’s festive, and it’s one less thing we have to overthink.

2) Toilet Paper Roll Monsters

Okay, let’s be real—saving those empty toilet paper rolls totally pays off during Halloween for fun handprint crafts . We’re making monsters!

Grab some rolls, colored paper, markers, glue, and whatever crafty bits you’ve got hiding in that junk drawer. Seriously, googly eyes are a must. The more eyes the better. Our monsters are way cuter with five. Trust us.

We can cut crazy hair, which helps improve scissors skills glue on fuzzy pom-poms, or make tiny paper fangs. There’s no wrong way to do it.

Each monster comes out looking wild, and the kids get so proud of their weird creations. If someone wants a tall, blue, three-armed monster, you just roll with it.

This is an easy craft because we don’t need fancy supplies—just stuff around the house. Plus, making toilet paper roll monsters is actually so good for letting kids be creative without any rules.

If you want more ideas, check the Toilet Paper Roll Monsters Craft For Kids post for a fun visual, as it features a great craft!

3) Mummy Pumpkin Painting

This one is a total win for us—it’s so easy, but it looks extra cute and spooky! We’re turning our little pumpkins into mummies, and trust us, there’s no need to stress about perfection.

The messier the better because mummies are supposed to look a little wild, right? All we need are some mini pumpkins (real or fake totally works), white paint, and a paintbrush.

Let the preschoolers get in on the action and start painting crazy stripes all over like mummy bandages. If they have fun and get their fingers messy with some candy corn , even better!

Once the paint is dry, using a glue stick we stick on some jack o lantern faces, googly eyes or even just draw them with a marker if that’s what we have on hand. Now our pumpkins are looking extra mummy-fied and ready to creep around the house or be shown off.

For more inspo, check out this adorable mummy pumpkin craft idea we found.

4) Tissue Box Monster Faces

Let’s talk about how epic tissue box monster faces can be! We all have empty tissue boxes lying around (allergies, anyone?), so why not turn them into the cutest little monsters ever?

Grab some old tissue boxes, googly eyes, and colorful paper and let’s get wild. We can paint the boxes any color we want—bright green, neon pink, or whatever fits our monster mood.

After the paint dries, cut a big mouth opening on the box. This is where the fun part comes in—decorating!

We can glue on big googly eyes, goofy teeth, and yarn hair. Seriously, the sillier the better. Pipe cleaners make awesome horns.

We don’t need any crazy skills, just a bit of glue and creativity. It’s a totally mess-friendly way to spend the afternoon, and even our littlest crafters can join.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out these creative ideas for tissue box monster crafts. Our monsters never look the same, but that’s what makes it so fun!

5) Foam Jack-o-Lantern Crafts

Okay, real talk—who has time for messy pumpkin guts? Not us! That’s why we are obsessed with foam Jack-o-Lantern crafts.

These cuties let our kids get extra creative, minus the sticky pumpkin hands or wrestling with carving tools. We can grab a foam pumpkin kit or just use plain old foam sheets cut into pumpkin shapes.

The best part? The kids can slap on all the goofy faces, funny eyes, and silly grins their little hearts desire. Peel-and-stick face stickers are a lifesaver, and there’s no glue explosion to clean up after.

This craft is awesome for little hands since it’s soft, safe, and simple—so, basically, stress-free for us. We’ve even used these to make room decorations and adorable ornaments for our classroom party.

If you want easy step-by-step ideas, check out some fun Halloween foam pumpkin craft kits online.

6) Colorful Skull Luminaries

Okay, how fun are these Colorful Skull Luminaries? We love a craft that lights up (literally and in our hearts).

If your kids are into stenciling with a white crayon —or just making a mess with paint—this one is a total win. We start by drawing simple skull shapes on paper that will fit on our jars.

A little crooked? Even better. This is where we let the kids take the lead, because imperfect skulls are the cutest.

Once the skull is set, we use contact paper to make a stencil. Slap it on a mason jar, then let the painting begin. The brighter, the better!

Glow sticks or battery candles make these look super cool in the dark. Yes, our windows are now festive with jack o lanterns and our tables basically scream Halloween.

If you need step-by-step help, check out these colorful skull luminary instructions. We promise—they’re not just cute, they’re super easy for little hands.

Warning: You might end up with painted fingers and faces. But hey, we’re making memories, not perfection!

7) Spirit Jugs with Glow Sticks

Okay, let’s be real—nothing says Halloween fun like a glowing ghost on your porch! For this craft, we get to turn boring old milk jugs into adorable spirit jugs.

Yes, we’re recycling and decorating at the same time, making these some of the best non toy gifts and cutesy crafts! Go us!

All we need are empty milk jugs, a few glow sticks, and some markers. We just draw spooky (or silly) faces on the jugs.

Then we crack a glow stick, pop it inside, and watch our masterpieces light up. Our kids love coming up with new faces—some are goofy, some are kind of spooky, and a few end up just plain weird.

That’s the magic of crafts around here. Once we line up these glowing ghost jugs along the sidewalk, it looks like our own mini ghost parade.

Bonus points for keeping any extra glow sticks and white yarn for post-craft dance parties!

8) Paper Plate Monsters

Let’s be real—paper plate monsters save the day on those wild, “what do we do now?” afternoons. We just grab some paper plates, colorful paper, glue, and all the leftover pom-poms or googly eyes we can find.

Suddenly, our kitchen table turns into a monster-making zone! There’s no right or wrong way, and honestly, that’s what makes it so much fun.

Want a monster with five eyes and purple hair? Go for it. Feeling extra? Add glitter everywhere.

We love letting the kids pick wild colors and crazy shapes. Tearing and cutting paper into sharp teeth or silly horns is weirdly satisfying and sneaks in some fine motor practice too—bonus!

Some of us even turn these creatures into masks or decorations for a festive vibe. There’s a great video for a simple monster craft at Monster Paper Plate Decoration if you want to see it in action.

If you like templates, you’ll find ideas at this easy paper plate monster craft. Let’s just embrace the mess and let those funky monsters take over!

9) Easy Cotton Ball Ghosts

Who knew a bag of cotton balls could turn into the cutest Halloween ghosties ever? We love crafts that use what’s already hiding in the cabinets.

Sticking fluffy cotton to paper is basically stress relief for all of us, not just the kids. All we need is cotton balls, glue, and white paper or a printable ghost outline.

Draw or print your favorite ghost shape, slather on the glue, and squish on cotton balls until your ghost looks extra puffy. Give it a face with a marker or googly eyes—whatever’s handy.

This one’s perfect for little hands and helps them practice fine motor skills without making a giant mess. If you want a free ghost template, check out this cotton ball ghost craft for quick printouts.

We bet the kids will want to make a whole ghost family. Hang them up with tape or string for instant Halloween vibes, and enjoy those happy little puffs staring down from the fridge!

10) Handprint Spiders

We can’t get enough of this easy little craft—handprint spiders! Our kids love anything that lets them get a little messy, and let’s be honest, so do we.

All we need is paper, paint, and googly eyes. We help the kids paint their hands and stamp down two handprints next to each other (no thumbs!), and suddenly there’s a spider body.

Once the paint dries, we stick on some googly eyes. The wobblier, the better—the faces these spiders end up with are a total crack-up.

If we want to keep it simple, mummy craft black paint works, but rainbow spiders are also totally a thing. We’ve drawn spider webs in the background or used orange construction paper for a real Halloween vibe.

This project is fun, quick, and always a party favorite. Find more inspiration for handprint spider crafts right here!

11) Pumpkin Seed Art

Can we talk about how fun it is to use pumpkin seeds for crafting? We’ve all scooped those slimy seeds out of pumpkins, and it feels awesome to give them a second life as art supplies.

First, we toss our pumpkin seeds in a little food coloring or paint. The more colors, the better—think neon, rainbow, or classic fall vibes.

Shake them up in a baggie, let them dry, and get ready for some colorful chaos. (The kids eat up this part—just not literally. Please don’t eat the seeds.)

Once the seeds are colorful, it’s time to glue! We grab cardstock or any sturdy paper, draw a shape, and let the kids fill it in with their rainbow seeds.

Sometimes we make fall trees, silly monsters, or endless lines and patterns. There are no rules here, just lots of gluey fingers.

If you need inspiration, check out this colorful pumpkin seed art fall tree idea. Pumpkin seed art is definitely a win!

12) Egg Carton Bats

Who has time for fancy craft supplies when we’ve got egg cartons just hanging out in the fridge? With just an egg carton, some paint, googly eyes, and a bit of colored paper, we’re basically craft rockstars.

First, we snip up the egg carton into sections—three bumps for each spooky bat. The bumpy part makes pretty perfect bat bodies!

Give them a coat of black paint and let the kids go wild. Warning: it might get a little messy, but isn’t that the point?

Now, we add wings and let our bats fly! We can snip out the sides for wing shapes, or stick on construction paper wings if we’re feeling extra.

Don’t forget the goofy googly eyes and a little string to hang these cuties everywhere. We love that this craft uses recycled stuff, which totally makes us feel like eco-moms.

For more inspo, check out this easy egg carton bat craft for kids. Let’s get our bat squad started!

13) Paper Bag Monster Puppets

Let’s talk about the craft that kept our kids busy way longer than we thought possible—paper bag monster puppets! All we need are some paper lunch bags, scraps of construction paper, glue, and whatever craft supplies are lurking at the bottom of the bin.

Seriously, there are no rules here. The more googly eyes, the better.

We love how every monster ends up with its own wild personality. Some are super silly, some a little spooky, and a few are just adorably goofy.

No fancy templates or eye-twitching instructions. Our little artists can go wild creating all kinds of shapes, teeth, and wild hair.

If you want a little visual inspiration or need some help getting started, there’s a great tutorial for making paper bag monster puppets that’s kid-friendly and easy to follow.

We’re not aiming for Pinterest perfection—just messy, happy creativity and lots of monster puppet shows in the living room. Let those wild imaginations loose!

14) DIY Spider Webs with Yarn

This spider web craft is a lifesaver on days when we need something quick and cute. All we need are some popsicle sticks (or even sticks from outside, if we’re feeling wild), glue, and yarn.

It’s so simple, even the littlest hands can join in. We start by gluing three sticks together in a star shape and letting them dry.

Then, grabbing our favorite yarn, we can also use masking tape to wrap it around and around, over and under, making cool patterns, like a spider web . The best part? There’s no right or wrong way—it always turns out fun.

If we’re feeling extra, we can add a tiny spider made from pipe cleaners or pom-poms. These spiderwebs make awesome Halloween decorations for windows or doors.

Plus, our preschoolers get some fine motor skill practice while crafting. Need more ideas or a step-by-step guide? Check out this yarn spider web craft tutorial for easy inspiration.

Let’s get tangled up in some Halloween fun!

15) Pom-Pom Eyeball Creatures

Okay, let’s talk about one of our absolute favorite goofy crafts—pom-pom eyeball creatures! We’re kind of obsessed with how these fluffy little weirdos look when we glue those giant googly eyes on.

Honestly, they make us giggle every time. All we need is some colorful yarn, a pair of scissors, and a bit of imagination.

We just wrap the yarn around our hands to make a pom-pom, snip the edges, and tie it tight. Then, it’s time to go wild with googly eyes and maybe even pipe cleaners for arms or crazy hair.

If you want another visual, there’s a super cute video on making Eyeball Pom Poms that totally helps when you’re staring at that yarn like, “Umm, what now?”

This craft is awesome for quick setup and cleanup, and the finished creatures are hilarious, especially when using a paint brush for extra detail . We love giving them names and making little monster families to decorate the house for Halloween.

16) Glowing Mason Jar Lanterns

Okay, who else has a cupboard overflowing with empty jars “just in case”? Let’s finally put them to use and make some Glowing Mason Jar Lanterns—so easy and honestly, so cute for Halloween with a free printable !

All we need are clean jars, a bit of paint or tissue paper, maybe some spooky stickers, and those little battery candles we all love. If you can peel a sticker, you’re golden.

Kids can go wild decorating their jar lanterns—pumpkins, ghosts, or silly faces. No worries about real flames; just pop in an LED candle and watch them glow.

Our front porch is about to look amazing. This is a craft everyone can do together while snacking on leftover Halloween candy.

If you want more inspo, check out these painted jar luminaries or this enchanting lantern idea.

17) Paper Plate Frankenstein Faces

Who’s ready to get a little spooky and a little silly? We’re making Paper Plate Frankenstein Faces, and honestly, these guys are way cuter than scary!

All we need are paper plates, green paint, black construction paper, some glue, and a dash of imagination. First, slap that green paint all over the plates—no need for perfection, Frankenstein isn’t either.

While plates dry, cut out hair, eyebrows, and bolts from black paper. Don’t forget those wobbly stitches; the more uneven, the better.

Once dry, glue on the hair, stick the bolts to the sides, and draw a big ol’ smile. Want an even easier route? Some sites have a free printable template for Frankenstein that saves time.

These Frankenstein faces are a hit in any classroom or living room. If you need a minute to sip your coffee, these crafty cuties keep the kids happy and busy!

18) Sticker Pumpkin Collages

Let’s be real—sometimes we just want a craft that’s quick, low-mess, and doesn’t involve wrestling with orange paint or glitter. Sticker pumpkin collages totally check all those boxes!

All you need is orange construction paper cut into pumpkin shapes, a pile of Halloween stickers, and glue. Kiddos can stick on silly faces, stars, bats, and whatever else you find—there’s really no “right” way, just a free-for-all of creativity.

If you want to level it up, grab some pumpkin sticker sheets or some puffy sticker packs. Anything goes, honestly.

We love how everyone’s pumpkins turn out different—some cute, some spooky, some just plain weird. No carving tools needed, just a table full of giggles, stickers, and absolute pumpkin chaos, which is exactly how we like it.

19) DIY Witch Broomsticks

How cute are these little witch broomsticks? We can whip up a bunch in no time and honestly, the messier they look, the more legit they are.

This is preschool crafting at its most magical! All you need are some sticks from the backyard, yarn or string, and maybe some craft paper if you’re feeling extra.

Wrap the bottom of the stick with yarn and knot it tight—boom, broomstick. If string and sticks aren’t your jam, you can even use craft paper or origami paper to make a broomstick.

There’s no “wrong” way to make these. Add beads, glitter—whatever you want.

The kids can use their brooms as wands, decoration, or even for pretend play. Don’t stress if they look wobbly or wild; this is all about having fun and letting creativity fly (witch pun, totally intended).

Tips for Stress-Free Crafting with Preschoolers

Let’s be honest, crafts with little kids aren’t exactly calm. But with a few smart steps, we can make Halloween crafting easier, happier, and way less of a mess-fest.

Setting Up a No-Fuss Craft Space

We love to keep things simple. Before busting out the glue sticks and googly eyes, we throw down a cheap plastic tablecloth or even an old shower curtain.

It’s so much faster to clean than scrubbing every inch of the table. Supplies in baskets or bins = way less chaos.

We grab a few wipes and some trash bags and keep them within arm’s reach. If you don’t have little aprons handy, oversized t-shirts totally do the trick for protecting cute clothes.

Here’s a quick table we use to organize:

Supply	Where It Goes
Glue sticks	Small basket
Markers	Plastic cup
Pom-poms	Sandwich bag
Wipes	Corner of table

This beats running across the kitchen every two minutes searching for stuff. Trust us.

Keeping Little Hands Busy (But Not Messy…ish)

The key is picking crafts that need as little liquid glue and paint as possible. Stickers, self-adhesive foam shapes, or even tape are our best crafty friends for cutting mess without killing fun.

We remind kids where to put scraps and encourage “one thing at a time.” Nothing spirals faster than five open paint bottles.

We use wet paper towels for quick, mini wipe-downs between steps if things get sticker-fingers wild. For an extra calm touch, keep snack time separate from craft time—crumbs in the glue? Nope, we’ve seen that horror movie before.

Give them easy jobs—like sorting pom-poms or sticking on eyes—so they stay involved without getting bored (or dangerously creative).

Making Halloween Crafts a Memory-Maker

There’s nothing quite like the wild, sticky fun of Halloween crafts for young kids to bring us together and make memories that’ll stick (literally—hello, glue hands). Every little ghost and monster made is a win, and it’s the perfect excuse to hype up our kids and sneak in some quality time too.

Bonding Through Boo-tiful Creations

When we sit down on the kitchen floor, covered in googly eyes and orange paint, it’s not about creating the next art masterpiece—it’s about laughing with our littles and just being together.

Nothing says “family bonding” quite like everyone wearing matching paper plate pumpkin hats. Here’s how crafts make it happen:

• Easy Wins: A glue stick in one hand, a giggle in the other. Even “oops” moments are memories.
• Encouragement Zone: Cheer on the creative chaos and celebrate every wild idea (even if the bat ends up with seven eyes).
• No Pressure: It’s not about Pinterest-perfection. It’s about our kids seeing us join right in and make a fabulous mess, too.

When we let loose and join in, crafts, including our toy spiders, turn into those inside jokes and tiny traditions we’ll talk about for years.

Celebrating Every Spooky Masterpiece

The best part? Showing off our kids’ wild, creative energy like it’s the hottest new Halloween trend.

We’re talking about turning the whole house into a gallery. Refrigerator doors, front windows, and even bathroom mirrors all count.

Ways we celebrate every bat, ghost, and pumpkin:

• Craft Parade: Hang a string and use clothespins to display creations.
• Tiny Artist Shout-outs: Snap a pic and text it to grandma or toss it into the group chat.
• Spotlight the Wild Ones: Even those “abstract” crafts get their moment. Sometimes, it’s the sideways ghosts that stick in your mind.

We cheer for every effort, not just the “prettiest.” The real joy is in the process, not chasing some perfect product.

If you want more fun ideas, check out this list of Halloween crafts that make celebrating easy and silly.