Autumn half-term can be a bit of a challenge for parents: those rainy October days, the energy of the kids to burn off, and of course the looming excitement of Halloween. The good news? You can channel all that restless energy into creepy Halloween crafts for kids that are creative, fun and just the right amount of spooky. With just a few simple supplies from around the house and a bit of imagination, you and your little ones can make ghosts, goblins, witches, bats and more — and enjoy real quality time too.
Why creepy Halloween crafts for kids are a brilliant idea this half-term
When the weather turns, and outdoor play is less appealing, crafting is the ideal indoor alternative. According to craft guides aimed at UK families, Halloween-themed crafts do more than just entertain: they boost fine motor skills, encourage imaginative play and help children express themselves creatively. Twinkl+2The Works+2
Plus, creating decorations together means the kids have a sense of ownership over the spooky ambience in your home – which adds to the fun.
Here are some key reasons to try these activities:
- Screen-free fun: Crafting keeps little hands and minds busy in a way that TV or tablets don’t.
- Family bonding: Making something together leads to shared memories (and maybe some laughs).
- Budget-friendly: Many of the projects use recycled items or inexpensive materials.
- Flexible for age and ability: You can adapt each project to suit toddlers, primary-age children or older siblings.
So, armed with glue, scissors, glitter and enthusiasm — let’s dive into seven fun and spooky craft ideas your children will love.
1. Bat Mobiles
What you’ll need
- Black paper (cardstock or craft paper)
- Scissors
- String or yarn
- Glue
- A stick, hoop or hanger to suspend the mobile
Instructions
- Cut out bat shapes from the black paper — you might want to trace a simple winged bat outline first.
- Decorate each bat: add googly eyes, glitter edges or even little fangs if you like.
- Attach each bat to a length of string. Tie the strings to a stick, hoop or hanger.
- Hang your mobile from a ceiling hook, doorway or window frame. His wings can dangle and spin in the breeze for maximum spookiness.
Why this works
Kids love the dangling motion and the fact they’ve made a piece of decoration. It also offers opportunities for fine-motor practise (cutting, threading) and for independent creativity (choosing colours, embellishments). Projects like these are featured in many UK craft lists as top Halloween fun. Activity Village+1
Pro tip
If you want an extra level of fun, add a glow-in-the-dark paint to the bats’ eyes or wings. Then when the lights go down, your mobile will suddenly “fly”.
2. Phantom Lanterns
What you’ll need
- Mason jars (or any clear glass jars)
- White tissue paper
- Glue
- Battery-powered tea lights (never real candles for safety)
- Black marker
Instructions
- Clean your jars thoroughly and make sure there are no sharp edges.
- Cover each jar with white tissue paper using glue — get a few layers so the jar glows softly when lit.
- Use the black marker to draw ghost faces onto the tissue-covered jars (big round eyes, toothy grin, ect.).
- Place the battery tea light inside each jar.
- Arrange a few of these lanterns together on a side-table, hallway or steps for a glowing ghost effect.
Why this works
This craft turns simple jars into magical decorations. Many craft sites highlight sensory and glow-effect crafts for Halloween, including spooky bottles and lanterns. Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity+1
It combines imaginative design (what face will my ghost have?) with practical display (set it outside the door for trick-or-treaters).
Safety note
Always use battery-powered lights for this one, especially if the kids help. And supervise use of scissors/glue with younger children.
3. Scary Spider
What you’ll need
- Black pom-poms
- Pipe cleaners (black or dark colour)
- Googly eyes
- Glue
Instructions
- Take a black pom-pom and glue on a pair (or more) of googly eyes — this becomes your spider’s body.
- Cut pipe cleaners into equal lengths (8 pieces for 8 legs is fun). Bend each piece to make a leg shape.
- Attach the legs to the pom-pom body, either by wrapping or gluing.
- Bend the legs at “joints” so the spider looks poised and slightly creepy.
- You can leave your spiders as “standing” creatures on a shelf, or string them up (using thread) to dangle from ceiling or doorways.
Why this works
Spiders are a staple of Halloween décor, and crafting one from simple materials makes it extra fun. The combination of googly eyes, fuzzy pom-poms and wiggly pipe-cleaners is tactile and engaging.
The UK craft-community offers many similar spider-and-tube ideas. The Works+1
Variation
Create a whole “spider family” of different sizes, or arrange them in a cluster on a doorway to give a fun jump-scare moment (with giggles of course).
4. Haunted Houses
What you’ll need
- An empty shoe box (or any similar box)
- Paint and markers
- Glue
- Tracing paper (for windows)
- Small figurines, plastic monsters, decorative bits
Instructions
- Paint the shoe box in a spooky palette: black roof, grey walls, maybe some purple or green highlights.
- Cut out windows on the box; cover them with tracing paper so light can filter through.
- Make a “viewing hole” on one end of the box so you can peer inside your haunted scene.
- Use figurines, small decorations, cardboard ghosts or bats to build a little scene inside the box — a spooky attic, a ghostly family or a witch’s lair.
- Optionally, place a small LED tea light inside the box for illumination.
Why this works
Making a mini haunted house is a slightly more advanced craft — perfect for older children who like to build and design their own worlds. It encourages narrative play (what happens inside this house?), creativity in design and problem-solving (how will the light look through the tracing paper?).
The abundance of “haunted house craft” ideas on UK craft sites confirms strong interest. Activity Village+1
Bonus idea
Turn the shoe box into a shadow-box theatre: once the light is on inside, use silhouettes cut from black card pressed against the tracing-paper windows for a ghost-story effect.
5. Witchy Wands
What you’ll need
- Wooden sticks (painted or natural)
- Paint (black, purple, green etc)
- Glitter, beads, string, small charms
- Glue
Instructions
- Clean and paint the wooden sticks in spooky/bright colours such as black, purple, neon green or silver.
- While the paint is still a bit tacky, wrap or glue on beads, string, ribbons, glitter or charms that jingle.
- At the “top” of the wand you might fix a star, a small bat, a little skull — whatever your little wizard or witch fancies.
- Encourage your child to give their wand a back-story: “This wand belonged to the ghost queen of the forest…”
- Use your wand to “cast spells” around the house (with adult supervision) and get into character.
Why this works
This craft blends imaginative role-play with crafting. Children love being able to say “this is my wand” and then go on little adventures. It ties in perfectly with the Halloween theme and helps shift from purely making to playing.
As an added bonus, many craft sites emphasise how role-play-inspired crafts build confidence and storytelling skills. Twinkl
Parent hack
Set up a wand-making station near your newsletter signup link (see below!) and let older siblings buddy up with younger ones to help — this builds teamwork and keeps everyone involved.
6. Potion Bottles
What you’ll need
- Glass bottles or jars (cleaned)
- Water
- Food colouring
- Glitter
- Small plastic decorations (spiders, bats, skeletons)
- Optional: a “Do Not Drink” label
Instructions
- Clean the bottles and remove labels (if applicable).
- Fill each bottle with water, add a few drops of food colouring (green, purple, orange make great spooky hues).
- Add glitter and small plastic decorations for effect.
- Seal the bottle—either with the lid or with tape/ribbon.
- Add a label “Do Not Drink!” or “Witch’s Brew – Handle with Care!” and display them on a shelf or table.
Why this works
Potion bottles are playful, visually appealing and slightly mischievous (but safe!). Children love the “hidden surprise” element inside the bottles. They’re also great for display and can be left up through Halloween night, making them part of the décor.
UK craft blogs mentioning “bottles”, “sensory bottles” and “spooky ingredients” support this idea. Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity+1
Reminder
Ensure smaller children are supervised and don’t open the bottles unsupervised. Use lids that are firmly secured.
7. Mummy Pencil Pots
What you’ll need
- Empty tin cans (cleaned, no sharp edges)
- White gauze or fabric strips
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Optional: paint (for base colour)
Instructions
- Remove the lid safely from the tin can and smooth any rough edges.
- (Optional) Paint the can in a base colour like pale grey or cream.
- Wrap the gauze or fabric strips around the can, overlapping unevenly so it looks like a “mummy wrap”.
- Glue on googly eyes peeking out from the “bandages”.
- Use the finished mummy pot to hold pencils, pens or even wrapped Halloween treats.
Why this works
This craft turns a household item into a fun décor-usable object. It’s tactile, silly and creative — letting children personalise their “mummy” and then use it in their everyday workspace (which makes it last beyond Halloween).
Again, crafting with recycled materials is emphasised widely in UK Halloween craft advice. barracudas.co.uk+1
Tip
If the can is used for holding goodies, consider adding a lid or piece of card inside to hide the bottom – children might want to take it to school for show-and-tell.
Extra tips to get the most out of your craft time
- Set up a “craft corner”: Dedicate a table with all the supplies laid out so the kids can dive in when inspiration strikes.
- Use recyclables: Many UK craft sites suggest using empty bottles, toilet rolls, yoghurt pots etc. The Works+1
- Age adapt: For younger kids allow larger pieces, more glue; for older kids let them design and lead their own craft.
- Display proudly: Set aside a shelf or windowsill for the finished crafts. Children love seeing their handiwork on show.
- Promote teamwork: If you’ve more than one child, ask them to mentor each other (older helps younger).
- Sign up for more ideas: Love this? We’ve got a steady stream of seasonal craft ideas and family-friendly activities. Be sure to join our newsletter here: https://landingpage.readthis.uk/newsletter and get updates sent straight to your inbox.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are these crafts safe for preschoolers?
A: Yes — many of the projects can be adapted for young children by supervising scissors and small parts. Choose the simpler tasks (like decorating jars, gluing on googly eyes) and provide help as needed.
Q: What if I don’t have specialised craft supplies?
A: That’s fine! You can often substitute materials: black paper can be scrap, jars can be old jam jars, pipe-cleaners can be twisted string. Many UK craft guides emphasise using household items and recyclables. barracudas.co.uk+1
Q: How much time should I allocate?
A: Some crafts (bat mobiles, witches wands) can take 20-30 minutes; others (haunted houses) might take 45 minutes to an hour. It depends on the child’s age and level of involvement.
Q: Can these crafts be used as decorations or gifts?
A: Absolutely. Many of the projects double up as décor (phantom lanterns, mummy pencil pots) or as small gifts (witch’s wand for a sibling, potion bottle for a friend).
Q: How do I handle mess and cleanup?
A: Lay down a craft mat or old newspaper. Keep a tub for used materials. Allocate 5 minutes at the end for tidy-up – making it part of the craft ritual helps.
Thanks for joining us on this spooky craft adventure. With these creepy Halloween crafts for kids, you’ll be fully set to turn half-term into a memorable, creative and fun-filled week. And remember: if you enjoyed these ideas and want more, sign up for our newsletter for regular inspiration straight to your inbox here: https://landingpage.readthis.uk/newsletter
