15 Of The Best Halloween Art Projects For Kids
We have created some pretty epic Halloween art projects over the years so we thought it was time to put them all in one place! From spin art to shaving cream marbling, and puppet making to artsy haunted houses. There is a little something for everyone!
new! Halloween template bundle
featuring 10 super fun, tried and true ART CAMP Halloween art + craft projects with shape templates + collage sheets
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1. Haunted Stick Mansions
materials:
bat, ghost, and pumpkin, and full moon templates are available in the ultimate Halloween art project bundle
You can take ideas from the examples, or create your own. Notice that the houses in each of the examples are asymmetrical. Nothing is a perfect square. The walls, roofs, doors and windows are all leaning and uneven. This small detail will give your haunted house a spooky and run-down look.
Step 1: Paint 20 stir sticks black and give them time to dry. *Only one side needs to be painted.
Step 2: Start by laying out a design (walls and roof) for your haunted house. Use your hands to break your sticks to make them the right size. When you have your house the shape you want, use your school glue to keep everything in place on your grey cardstock.
Step 3: Now that the outline of your house is in place, it's time to add windows and doors. You will again need to break your sticks to make them smaller. Lay out your windows and doors before adding glue. When you have them in the right place, glue them down.
Step 4: Add other features and details. An uneven set of steps, a rickety picket fence around your house’s foundation, a leaning chimney coming off the roof, or even a wobbly second story to your haunted house.
Step 5: Color in the sections of your haunted house using your chalk crayons. No need to color neatly! Press down firmly and color in every direction to create texture with different colors.
Step 6: Choose images to cut out from your template (pumpkin, ghost, moon) or draw your own and add them into your picture with a little glue.
2. Imaginary Creature Masks
materials:
colorful artsy leftovers in a variety of materials (card stock, old paintings, collage papers, painted cardboard)
skinny dowels if you want to mount the masks to a stick
What do you do with papery bits and off-cuts from projects past? We like to save them and pull them out for projects like this one! It’s really fun to look at “artsy leftovers” in a new way. For this mask-making-buffet we paired our colorful scraps with black and white tempera paint sticks and India ink-filled-daubers for a bold graphic punch.
3. mixed media Kusama Pumpkins
I can’t look at a pumpkin without thinking of Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkins! There are so many wonderful interpretations of her gorgeous colorful spotty pumpkins. There are a few ways to explore pumpkins and dots. You could have artists dot real pumpkins, faux pumpkins, clay pumpkins or Papier Mâché pumpkins. In our Halloween Template bundle we have included some colorful pumpkin shapes for you to dot. Cut them out and string them onto twine for a very fun and artsy garland!
How many items can you find around the house or classroom that can make a dot? Here are some of our favorite ways to make a dot:
pumpkin templates available in ultimate Halloween art project bundle
india ink and ink daubers
finger prints
the back of an pencil eraser
4. Spin art skulls
Spin art is a process that is always a hit with artists big and small. The skulls are a homage to UK pop artist Damien Hirst.
*Please note that this project is not featured in the Halloween Bundle. You can find the full project plan that includes materials, steps, “about the artist” pages, and templates here.
5. Mixed Media Spooky Scrolls
materials:
spooky scroll collage sheet available in ultimate Halloween art project bundle
chipboard or a cereal box cut into a long rectangle
bendy wire for hanging loop
printed paper, corrugated cardboard, spooky Halloween images and cut outs, old paintings, newsprint
Step 1: Cut your rectangular scroll shape from chip board or thin cardboard.
Step 2: Use a hole punch to make two small holes at the top of your scroll.
Step 3: Use bendy wire to make a hanging loop.
Step 4: Create a layered collage starting with big pieces for the base layers. Cut, tear, stack, and fringe colors, textures and imagery. It’s fun to add a little 3-D pop on the top layer. Think: pom poms, spiders, glitter balls, cob webs etc.
6. Kitty Witch, Skelly and ghost puppets
Meet Kitty Witch, Skully and Mr. Ghost! These fun friends have made an appearance at many a halloween party over the years. You can find the template for all 3 inside the Halloween Template Bundle.
materials:
Kitty witch, ghost and skelly templates are available in the ultimate Halloween art project bundle
coloring material of your choice: we love chalk markers, colored pencils, chalk crayons, and metallic markers for this project
wooden dowel or stick
Step 1: Choose your puppet character from the templates and cut it out.
Step 2: Accessorize your puppet character using the coloring material of your choice. A page of collage patterns is provided in the Halloween Template Bundle for you to draw and cut from. Use a glue stick to glue on any collage pieces.
Step 3: When you are done coloring, decorating and accessorizing, use your glue stick to attach your wooden dowel to the back of your puppet.
7. Black Cat Drawing Project
If you are looking for a Halloween drawing project that you can complete from start to finish in 45 minutes, that uses simple supplies, and delivers a WOW result.. look no further! This kitty witch project is fun for artists of all ages. Grab the complete step-by-step drawing guide here.
Materials: Black marker, chalk pastels (black, yellow, orange), and cotton balls.
8. Howling wolf moon project
This project is a Halloween art project that is sure to be a hit with your littles! The supply list is short and the steps are simple, festive, and fun!
materials:
howling wolf and bat templates are included in the ultimate Halloween art project bundle
bright cardstock or paint a colorful night sky for background
water cup + paint brush
Step 1: Paint a bucket style coffee filter with liquid watercolor or food coloring (we used turquoise, navy, black and peach).
Step 2: While your moon is drying you will sketch out your wolf and bat shapes on black construction paper or card stock. If you don’t have black paper, you can draw on white and fill it in with a black marker or black paint.
Step 3: Cut out your wolf and bat shapes and grab a bold colorful sheet of paper for your background. You can also extend the art-making and create a painted background for your howling wolf silhouette.
Step 4: Splatter stars on your background paper using diluted white paint, water, and a paintbrush. If you want to create small stars hold your brush higher above your paper and tap gently.
Step 5: When your background paper and coffee filter have dried completely it is time for assembly. Glue your moon to the upper half of your background paper. Glue your wolf to the bottom of the paper overlapping the moon slightly. Then add a few bats in the distance on the upper right section of your moon. If you want to work from our shapes you can grab the template here.
9. Ghost garland
Some might call this a Pac-Man Ghost Garland, and some little people might call it a Funny Ghost Garland… we call it colorful cuteness that will bring cheer to any wall. Head over to the full post to read about the inquisitive mind that inspired this DIY. While you’re there, get your free ghost templates!
materials:
80’s style ghost template is available in the ultimate Halloween art project bundle
assorted felt (we like these ones because they are stiffer and easier to cut)
glue gun and/or double-sided sticky tape
10. spell hands
I cannot take credit for this fun art idea. This genius was created by my youngest daughter. I was creating watercolor witch hands and she decided that she wanted to combine my witchy hands with a paper tube wand. The result is a colorful blinged-out-witchy-spell-wand. Some see it as the dazzlingly decorated arm of a witch. I love both options! The bracelets, rings, and metallic rocks slay me. The witch hand template is included in the ultimate Halloween art project bundle.
materials:
witch hand templates are included in the ultimate Halloween art project bundle
assorted collage papers like glitter paper, printed paper, and textured paper
fun loose parts (small decorative rocks, rhinestones, beads…)
the coloring materials of your choice: watercolor and tempera sticks work really well for this project
Step 1: Color your witches hand or trace the shape onto a watercolor painting
Step 2: Decorate your witches arm with a variety of materials.
Step 3: Attach your hand to your tube arm using hot glue.
Spread good wishes .. or happy spells!
11. Paper tube owls
Whooo whooo whooo…doesn’t love a flock of owls?
materials:
Step 1: Bend the top of your paper tube into the center on both sides to create owl horns.
Step 2: Choose a paint color for the base of your owl(s), paint the base coat on your owl tubes and set them in a safe place to dry.
Step 3: When your owls are fully dry you will add their features, details and designs with a paint pen, chalk crayon or chalk marker.
12. EGG CARTON WITCH PUPPETS
Disclaimer: From this day forward, you may never look at an empty egg carton without seeing a witchy face staring back at you! We’ve been assured that these witches are “the good kind”…or are they? This one is a halloween must!
*Please note that this project is not featured in the Halloween Bundle. You can find the full project plan that includes materials, steps and templates here.
13. Creepy Peeper Potion
materials:
something to contain the mess. we like to use these clear storage bins for sensory play!
How to Make a Fizzy Potion
In your cauldron, jar, or vessel add 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
In a squeezy bottle add about 3/4 cup of vinegar + a few drops of food coloring.
Let the little potion makers squirt the colorful vinegar potion container (that has the baking soda in it) and watch the fizzy potion bubble and flow.
Want some added fun? Add in some bio glitter + plastic eyeballs, spiders, worms and skeletons!
14. marbled shaving cream prints make fun halloween art backgrounds!
If you have never made marbled paper with shaving cream you are in for a TREAT! Find the process steps here.
materials:
ghost, scaredy cat and haunted house templates in the Ultimate Halloween Bundle
skinny dowel for swirling
plastic putty knife for scraping
butcher or cafeteria tray for holding shaving cream (the tray should be big enough to fit your paper)
Step 1: Fill your tray with shaving cream and drip in 2-3 colors of food coloring on top. Then use your stick to swirl everything together.
Step 2: Place your sheet of colored cardstock on top of your swirly mix. Use your hands to gently press down, flatten and smooth out the back of your paper to ensure full, even coverage.
Step 3: Remove the paper from the shaving cream and turn it over. Grab your putty knife and scrape it across your paper, removing all of the shaving cream, one scrape at a time.
Step 4: Choose one of the templates (or draw your own and fill in your image with black marker or black tempera stick). Use scissors to cut it out and then glue it to your swirly colored background using a glue stick.
15. IT WAS A monster ball!
We love a Halloween + birthday party mash-up. For this event, little artists created their own monster heads using rice paper lanterns. We presented party guests with neon paints and an array of fun build-your-own-monster-ball materials: fluffy feathered boa pieces, colorful and striped pipe cleaners, oversized eye shapes, menacing monster teeth. It was an artsy monster buffet to remember! Guests walked away with the coolest monster heads to hang on their front porch for trick-or-treat time!
materials:
silly eyeball + teeth template available in the Ultimate Halloween Bundle
water cup + paper towel for dabbing
Step 1: Use tempera cakes to paint your paper lantern the color of your choice. Try not to saturate your paper lantern.
Step 2: Add details to create the features of your monster and attach them with a low temp glue gun.
Step 3: Tie on string to hang your monster.