7 Spooky Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers

As the leaves turn crisp and the air becomes tinged with a chilly breeze, there’s an enchanting sense of magic in the atmosphere. Halloween is just around the corner with its whimsical costumes and delightful pumpkins. At Little Bear’s Nursery, we believe that this spooky season offers the perfect opportunity to ignite young imaginations and create cherished memories with fun crafting projects.

In this blog, we will explore a variety of delightfully spooky Halloween crafts for preschoolers. From friendly ghosts to grinning jack-o’-lanterns, our aim is to help children express their creativity, develop fine motor skills, and, most importantly, have fun as they dive into the world of all things eerie and mysterious.

These crafts are easy, safe, and bound to ignite your little cub’s enthusiasm for the spookiest holiday of the year.

Why Craft Activities Are Important for Preschoolers

At Little Bear’s Nursery, we adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. We firmly believe in providing children with consistent chances to participate in artistic activities, allowing them to delve into various forms of expression and interact with diverse artistic mediums and materials.

These hands-on, creative endeavours are crucial for young children for several reasons. First and foremost, craft activities promote fine motor skills development. When preschoolers engage in tasks like cutting, glueing, and drawing, they refine their hand-eye coordination and dexterity. These skills are fundamental for tasks such as writing, buttoning clothes, and tying shoelaces, which they will need as they grow.

Secondly, crafting fosters creativity and self-expression. We encourage our little bear cubs to explore their imaginations, experiment with colours and shapes, and bring their ideas to life. This creative outlet builds confidence and allows them to communicate and express their thoughts and feelings nonverbally.

Craft activities also enhance cognitive development. Counting, sorting, and matching objects in craft projects promote mathematical and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, the planning and execution of craft projects stimulate critical thinking, helping children learn cause-and-effect relationships and develop problem-solving abilities.

Now, let’s get into the spooky Halloween craft ideas!

Spooky Halloween Craft Ideas for Preschoolers

Cotton Ball Ghosts

Creating Cotton Ball Ghosts is a fun and spooky craft activity perfect for Halloween or any time you want to add a touch of the supernatural to your decorations. Here’s a simple guide on how to complete this eerie craft:

Materials you’ll need:

1. Cotton balls
2. White construction paper or tissue paper
3. Black markers or googly eyes
4. Glue
5. Scissors
6. String or thread (optional)

Steps:

1. Prepare the Ghost Body: Take a few cotton balls and shape them into a ghostly form; this will be the body of your ghost.
2. Wrap with Paper: Cut out a piece of white construction paper or tissue paper. Drape it over the cotton ball to create the ghost’s floating shape. Secure it with glue, leaving the bottom open.
3. Decorate the Face: Using a black marker, draw a spooky face on your ghost. Alternatively, you can glue on googly eyes for an eerie effect.
4. Add a Hanging String: If you want your ghost to hang, glue a piece of string or thread to the top of the ghost. Make sure it’s secure before hanging.
5. Let It Dry: Allow your cotton ball ghost to dry completely.
6. Display: Once dry, hang your ghost from the ceiling or place it around your home for a spooktacular touch to your Halloween décor.

Cotton ball ghosts are a simple yet adorable craft perfect for preschoolers. The tactile experience of glueing cotton balls can be quite enjoyable for them.

Pasta Skeletons

Creating a Pasta Skeleton is a fantastic and spooky craft activity for preschoolers that combines creativity, fine motor skills, and a bit of Halloween fun. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to complete this exciting and educational project:

Materials you’ll need:

1. Dry pasta (various shapes like penne, macaroni, and spaghetti)
2. White glue
3. Black construction paper
4. Black and white markers
5. Googly eyes (optional)
6. Craft sticks (optional)
7. Cardboard or paper plate
8. Safety scissors

Steps:

1. Skeleton Base: Start by creating the skeleton’s body using pasta. Preschoolers can have fun arranging the pasta shapes to form the head, spine, ribs, arms, and legs on a piece of cardboard or a paper plate.
2. Glue Pasta: With adult supervision, let your preschooler use white glue to attach the pasta pieces together. Encourage them to be creative with the shapes they choose for different body parts.
3. Add a Head: Attach a pasta shape or a craft stick for the skeleton’s head. This can be a round pasta shape or a small section of a craft stick.
4. Decorate: Cut out small shapes from black construction paper to create facial features like eyes, nose, and mouth. Preschoolers can also use markers to draw on the face if they prefer.
5. Bones: Use pasta as bones for the arms and legs. Break the pasta if needed to achieve the desired length.
6. Drying Time: Allow the glue to dry completely.
7. Personalise: Let preschoolers use markers to add details and decorations to their pasta skeleton, like clothing or accessories.
8. Optional Googly Eyes: If desired, attach googly eyes to the head for a cute or spooky effect.

Creating a pasta skeleton is a great way to engage preschoolers in a fun and educational Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers that encourages fine motor skills, creativity, and imaginative play. It’s a perfect addition to any Halloween-themed activities for young children.

Pumpkin Jack-O’-Lanterns

Creating Pumpkin Jack-O’-Lanterns is a classic and delightful craft activity for preschoolers during Halloween. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to complete this fun and spooky project:

Materials you’ll need:

1. Orange construction paper or orange foam sheets
2. Child-safe scissors
3. Glue or glue sticks
4. Black construction paper or black foam sheets
5. Googly eyes (optional)
6. Markers or crayons
7. Green pipe cleaners or green construction paper for the stem

Steps:

1. Pumpkin Shape: Draw or trace a pumpkin shape onto the orange construction paper or foam sheet. You can assist preschoolers with this step.
2. Cutting: Help your preschooler cut out the pumpkin shape following the outline.
3. Decoration: Let the children use markers or crayons to decorate the pumpkin. They can draw faces, spooky or silly, to turn it into a Jack-O’-Lantern.
4. Face Features: Cut out facial features like eyes, a nose, and a mouth from black construction paper or foam. These can be simple shapes or more intricate designs.
5. Glueing: Assist your preschooler in glueing the facial features onto the pumpkin. Alternatively, you can use googly eyes for added fun.
6. Stem: Create a stem for the pumpkin by twisting a green pipe cleaner or cutting a piece of green construction paper into a stem shape. Glue it to the top of the pumpkin.
7. Drying Time: Allow the craft to dry.

Pumpkin Jack-O’-Lanterns are a wonderful Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers that encourages creativity and fine motor skills while fostering the season’s festive spirit. These cute or spooky pumpkins can be displayed as decorations for Halloween festivities.

Handprint Spiders

Creating Handprint Spiders is a spooktacular and engaging craft activity for preschoolers that taps into their creativity and reinforces fine motor skills. Here’s a simple guide on how to complete this fun and spooky project:

Materials you’ll need:

1. Black tempera or acrylic paint
2. White paper or construction paper
3. Paintbrush or sponge
4. Googly eyes (optional)
5. Glue
6. Black pipe cleaners
7. Child-safe scissors
8. Child-safe markers or crayons

Steps:

1. Paint the Hand: Start by helping your preschooler paint the palm and finger of their hand with black paint. Ensure full coverage.
2. Make the Handprint: Press the painted hand onto a piece of white paper, fingers splayed out. This will create the spider’s body.
3. Drying Time: Allow the paint to dry completely.
4. Add Eyes: If desired, glue googly eyes to the spider’s body. Alternatively, they can draw or glue on their eyes with markers or paper cutouts.
5. Legs: Cut the black pipe cleaners into four equal pieces. Bend each piece in the middle to create the spider’s eight legs.
6. Attach Legs: Glue the legs onto the spider’s body, four on each side.
7. Decorate: Encourage your preschooler to use markers or crayons to add web patterns, facial expressions, or any other details to their spider.

Handprint Spiders are a fantastic Halloween craft for preschoolers, combining creativity, sensory exploration, and motor skills development. These creepy crawlies make for great decorations, and children will be proud to show off their handmade spooky spiders.

Paper Plate Bats

Creating Paper Plate Bats is a fun and educational craft activity for preschoolers, perfect for Halloween or any time you want to explore nature and learn about these fascinating creatures. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to complete this exciting project:

Materials you’ll need:

1. Paper plates (preferably black)
2. Child-safe scissors
3. Black construction paper or black foam sheets
4. Googly eyes (optional)
5. Glue or glue sticks
6. Child-safe markers
7. Hole punch
8. String or yarn

Steps:

1. Prepare the Paper Plate: Help your preschooler cut the paper plate in half. One half will be the bat’s body, and the other half can be saved for another project.
2. Wings: Assist the children in cutting two large, curved wings from the black construction paper. These wings will be attached to the rounded edge of the paper plate.
3. Ears: Cut out two triangular ears from the same black paper and attach them to the top of the paper plate.
4. Decorate the Face: Have your preschooler use markers to draw a friendly or spooky face on the bat. Alternatively, they can use googly eyes for added fun.
5. Hole Punch: Make a hole near the top of the bat’s body, at the centre, for hanging.
6. Attach String: Thread a piece of string or yarn through the hole and tie a knot, creating a loop for hanging.
7. Drying Time: Allow the craft to dry completely.

Paper Plate Bats are a delightful and educational Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers that encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and a deeper appreciation for nature. These cute or spooky bats can be hung around the house as Halloween decorations or used in educational activities to learn more about these fascinating creatures.

Puffy Ghosts

Creating Puffy Ghosts is an adorable and tactile craft activity perfect for preschoolers. This project is not only fun but also a sensory experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to complete this exciting craft:

Materials you’ll need:

1. White paper or white foam sheets
2. Child-safe scissors
3. Glue or glue sticks
4. Cotton balls or cotton batting
5. Black markers
6. String or yarn
7. Child-safe markers or crayons
8. Hole punch (optional)

Steps:

1. Ghost Shape: Help your preschooler cut out a ghost shape from the white paper or foam sheets. The ghost can be as simple as an oval with a rounded bottom.
2. Glue Cotton: Apply glue to the ghost shape, or have the children use glue sticks and press cotton balls or cotton batting onto the glue-covered surface. Cover the entire ghost shape with cotton to give it a “puffy” appearance.
3. Face Features: Use black markers to draw a cute or spooky face on the ghost once the glue dries. Children can get creative with the expressions.
4. Hanging Loop: Punch a hole at the ghost’s top or attach a glue string. This will allow you to hang the puffy ghost.
5. Drying Time: Allow the craft to dry completely.

Puffy Ghosts are a delightful Halloween craft for preschoolers that engages their sensory exploration and creativity. These adorable little ghosts can be hung around the house or used as decorations for a Halloween party. They make a wonderful addition to the season’s festive spirit while promoting fine motor skills and artistic expression.

Monster Masks

Creating monster masks is a fantastic and imaginative craft activity that allows preschoolers to express their creativity and explore their artistic side. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to complete this exciting project:

Materials you’ll need:

1. Paper plates or cardstock paper
2. Child-safe scissors
3. Child-safe markers, crayons, or coloured pencils
4. Glue or glue sticks
5. Craft supplies like feathers, googly eyes, yarn, pipe cleaners, and buttons
6. String or elastic cord
7. Hole punch
8. Safety scissors

Steps:

1. Mask Base: Start by providing each preschooler with a paper plate or a piece of cardstock paper. If you’re using cardstock, cut it into a mask shape with eye holes, leaving space for the nose and mouth.
2. Decorate: Encourage the children to use markers, crayons, or coloured pencils to create their own unique monster designs on the mask. They can get as creative and colourful as they want.
3. Add Features: Provide a variety of craft supplies like feathers, googly eyes, yarn, pipe cleaners, and buttons. Allow your preschooler to choose and glue on these items to create their monster’s unique features. They can make horns, hair, fangs, and more.
4. Hole Punch and Attach: Punch a hole on either side of the mask and attach a piece of string or elastic cord to create a strap for wearing.
5. Drying Time: Allow the craft to dry completely.

Monster masks are wonderful Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers that encourage imaginative play and artistic expression. These masks make for fun and spooky costume pieces, help develop fine motor skills, and foster creativity, allowing each child to create their own unique, monstrous masterpiece.

Craft activities play a vital role in the development of preschoolers. They help improve fine motor skills, spark creativity and imagination, and provide a sense of accomplishment. Halloween crafts are the perfect opportunity to combine these benefits with the excitement of the season.

Whether creating cotton ball ghosts or painting paper plate bats, each craft encourages children to explore their artistic potential while having a blast. These crafts will help them develop valuable skills and make wonderful decorations to celebrate this eerie and enchanting holiday! Happy Halloween!

If you try any of these spooky Halloween crafts, please share your photos with us!