Are you looking for fun Halloween crafts for your toddler without spending a bunch of money? Keeping your little one entertained doesn’t have to mean buying fancy supplies or spending time prepping. These easy, low-cost activities use things you probably already have at home—and they’re perfect for tiny hands and big imaginations. From pumpkin decorating to ghostly garlands, these crafts are all about creativity and a little spooky fun!
Painting or Coloring Pumpkins
Materials Needed:
- Pumpkin
- Paint or Crayons
- Paintbrush (optional)
My toddler isn’t always into painting, but he loves coloring with crayons. I wrote our “names” on the pumpkin and let him color until the entire pumpkin. This might have been the most expensive coloring book I have ever bought my son, but I'll pay $6 for the sake of a Halloween activity.
Boo Pumpkins (Feet as the “OO”)
Materials Needed:
- Pumpkin (or use the other side of the one above)
- Paint
- Sharpie
You'll scare your whole neighborhood with this pumpkin art. Dip your child’s feet in paint and stamp them onto the pumpkin. Then, use a Sharpie to write a big “B” before the footprints to spell out “Boo.”
Ghost Garland
Materials Needed:
- White printer paper
- Scissors
- Black marker/Sharpie
This one was a quick solo craft since my 20-month-old isn’t quite ready for safety scissors. I cut out ghost shapes, added eyes, and hung the garland on the fridge. Now, every time we go to grab milk, he points at them and waits for me to say “ghost!” If your child can use safety scissors, let them help cut out the shapes for extra fun.
Steps:
- Prepare the Paper:
Start by folding a sheet of white paper in half vertically, then cut along the fold to create two long strips. - Create Folded Sections:
Take one strip and fold it in half horizontally. Then fold it in half again, and once more—so you end up with a small rectangle made of multiple layers. - Reverse the Folds:
Unfold the paper, then refold it accordion-style (folding back and forth in opposite directions) on the creases created in the previous step. This will allow you to cut out multiple ghost shapes at once. - Draw the Ghost:
On the top layer, draw a ghost shape. You can add and cut a small half-circle on the folded edge to represent the ghost’s mouth. - Cut It Out:
Carefully cut along your outline. - Add Details:
Use a marker/Sharpie to draw eyes on each ghost. - Unfold and Enjoy:
Open up your paper to see your ghost garland!
Window Ghosts
Materials Needed:
- Cardboard ghost cutout
- Tissue paper (cut into squares)
- Packing tape
- Black paper
- Scissors
1. Cut out a ghost silhouette using cardboard. You will only be using the outline for this craft, but you can use the inside ghost cutout for another fun activity.
2. Cover one side of the ghost with packing tape, sticky side facing down. Make sure the whole shape is covered.
3. Flip over your cardboard ghost. Your child can stick tissue paper squares onto the sticky side of the ghost until it’s all filled in. This could create either a white or multi-colored ghost!
4. Cut two circles from black construction paper for eyes. You can also cut a mouth if you want. Tape them onto the ghost.
5. Cut black paper to cover the edges of the cardboard if you want a cleaner look. Then tape your ghost to a window. The light will shine through the tissue paper and make your ghost look like stained glass!
