12 Halloween Crafts for the Kids + A Caramel Apple Cocktail for You
Because both kids and adults deserve a happy Halloween.
The spookiest holiday of the year is quickly approaching, and that means a few things for the little ghouls in your life: lots of candy, adorable costumes and super-fun crafts. Whether your kiddos love to munch, dress up or help you decorate the house, we’ve got the perfect craft for them — including four no-carve pumpkin ideas. Oh, and while you’re managing the crafts, we’ve got the perfect, fall-inspired cocktail for you.
Edible Crafts:
Pretzel Skeletons
Closeup of Completed Pretzel Skeleton
White-chocolate-covered pretzels and marshmallows combine to create a fun Halloween treat that kids will love helping to assemble before they devour them.
Kids will love piecing together these adorable skeletons with white chocolate-covered pretzels and marshmallows. We’re guessing the sweet treats won’t last long!
Make Them: Pretzel Skeletons
Mummy Hot Dogs
A spooky twist on a kid favorite, these mummy hot dogs are sure to please little imaginations and appetites. Ready-made crescent dough makes for an easy craft with no prep time.
Make Them: Mummy Hot Dogs
Licorice Broomsticks
Original Kim Stoegbauer Kitchs Broomstick Treat
Made with a wooden candy stick, black licorice strings and baker's twine, these witches' broomsticks are an easy fun craft kids will enjoy.
These mini broomsticks are totally cute and easy to craft. Mini munchkins will pluck out the sweet strands of licorice as fast as they secured them.
Make Them: Licorice Broomsticks
Costume Crafts:
Witch’s Hat or Black Cat Headbands
Witch's Hat and Black Cat Halloween Headbands
Turn plain headbands into fun Halloween party favors and costume props with card-stock cat ears or a tiny witch's hat.
True dress-up divas love to rock Halloween gear before the holiday arrives. Let them live it up with these festive headbands they can make themselves.
Make Them: Witch’s Hat or Black Cat Headbands
Jack-o’-Lantern Smiles
Jack-O'-Lantern Grins
Kids will have a great time posing for photos with these printable jack-o'-lantern grins. Just print this template onto card stock, cut out, then attach to a straw or small wooden dowel.
These goofy jack-o’-lantern grins will have you giggling right along with your kiddos.
Download the Template: Jack-o'-Lantern Grins
Decor Crafts:
Hanging Foam Bats
Get a little help from the kids with your outdoor decor this year. Have them help cut out foam bats and glue on googly eyes. They’ll be proud to see them hanging in the front yard.
Make Them: Hanging Foam Bats
Floating Ghosts
Hanging Halloween Ghosts
Haunt your front yard with these easy-to-craft floating fabric ghosts. Hang them from a tree or light post to give Halloween guests a fright.
Craft these floating fabric ghosts with kids old enough to embrace some spook. Hang them in a tree to haunt your landscape.
Make Them: Hanging Ghosts
Jack-o’-Lantern Luminaries
Jack-o'-Lantern Luminaries
Add battery-operated tea lights to the buckets and your Halloween luminaries is ready to light your walkway.
Have your little ones help make these adorably stylish luminaries to light your sidewalk for Halloween festivities. Made with sand, glass clings and battery-operated tea lights, they’re completely kid-safe.
Make Them: Jack-o’-Lantern Luminaries
Pumpkin Crafts:
Mini Creepy Crawlers
Image courtesy of Ruth Meharg
Glue black pipe cleaners and small googly eyes to mini pumpkins to create spooky spiders. Your helpers will love seeing the spider creations displayed around the house.
Pumpkin Characters
unknown, Layla Palmer
Get a pumpkin for every member of the family, and have the kids help make silly faces for each one. Carrots and parsnips serve as larger-than-life noses.
Make Them: Silly Pumpkin Characters
Black Cat Pumpkins
Layla Palmer
Animal-loving kids will adore these kitty cat gourds — and an afternoon of hands-on crafting with a helpful adult.
Make Them: Black Cat Pumpkins
Glittered Pumpkins
If you’re looking for quick and easy, this craft’s for you. You’ll adore the glamorous finished product just as much as your little ones.
Make Them: Sparkly Pumpkins
And, Finally, The Best Part:
Sam Henderson
Nothing goes better with seasonal crafting than a seasonal cocktail. This caramel apple concoction is all-fall and totally to-die-for. You’re treating the kids, so #treatyoself.
Make It: Caramel Apple Cocktail
35 Easy Halloween Party Ideas
See All Photos
Set the Scene
Get your haunted house ready for the festivities by decorating any areas where guests will gather, including outdoor spaces. But, be sure to adjust the scare-factor based on what age groups will attend. If only adults are on the guest list, spook it up -- but -- if kids, particularly small children, will attend, nix the blood and gore and keep the decorations family friendly. Our printables, like this free banner, and 55 Halloween decorating ideas will help you set the scene in a way that all ages can enjoy.
Photo By: Rennai Hoefer
Serve Fun Foods
Who knew creamy mini cheeses, olives and a little food coloring could look so creepy yet taste so yummy?! Fill up your party guests with these savory little mouthfuls for a fun take on standard cheese and crackers. Get the recipe.
Host a Kids' Costume Party
Hands down, Halloween is one of the most-anticipated holidays for kids. Celebrate this Hallowed Eve by inviting your favorite little ghouls over for a fun get-together. Ask the kids to come dressed in their best Halloween finery and treat them to a spooky spread. Get tips, free printables, menu suggestions and even easy costume ideas to make throwing a costume party child's play.
Photo By: Rennai Hoefer
Adults Only: Magic Up Potent Potables
Unleash your Halloween guests' hidden wild side with this Mr. Hyde cocktail. Made with vodka, aromatic herbs and blackberry liqueur, it's frightfully refreshing. Get the recipe.
Plus: 20+ To-Die-For Halloween Cocktails
©Sam Henderson
For Kids: Serve Sinister Sips
Give storebought bottles of fruit-flavored soda an easy Halloween update with our printable bottle wraps. Complete the look by tying coordinated striped straws to each bottle with baker's twine.
Halloween Game: Snake Eyes
In less time than it takes to watch your favorite scary movie, you can turn empty water bottles and inexpensive mailing tubes into a Halloween party game that kids of all ages will love. Get crafting with our free printable template and step-by-step instructions.
Halloween Game: Pumpkin Pickin'
Entertain trick-or-treaters or Halloween partygoers of all ages with this DIY game of chance. Felt jack-o'-lantern flaps (instead of paper that would tear) and an open back make it easy to reload the game with candy and small toys to keep the fun going. Craft your own with our step-by-step instructions.
Set Up an Outdoor Trick-or-Treat Station
Weather permitting, bring a lightweight table or shelf outside then fill it with an assortment of kids' favorite treats packaged using one of our free printable templates. Have adults on hand to make sure everyone gets their fair share and with cameras at the ready to snap photos of the neighborhood kids enjoying the spread. Get more tips for setting up a candy station.
Halloween Game: Craft a Candy Corn Pinata
What's Halloween without the candy, right? Construct this colorful piñata to serve as both a party decoration and crowd-pleasing game for your Halloween guests. Get started with our free templates and step-by-step instructions.
Tempt Their Sweet Tooth
Concentric rings of colored sugar give dense, chocolatey brownies a candy corn makeover for Halloween — our free printable template makes the tricolor effect a snap. Get the recipe and download our template.
Don't Forget Your Best Friend
Pets are family so be sure to include them in your Halloween party plans. Let outgoing pets join in the fun by dressing in costume; alternately, provide a safe, quiet place away from the hubbub for pets who are timid around strangers, afraid of loud noises or are not feeling well. Get step-by-step instructions for making a cute pet costume for your furry best friend.
Photo By: H. Camille Smith
Halloween Game: Cookie Stack
Here's a game that's easy to set up and kids will love playing. All you need are sandwich cookies and a plate for each child. Have the kids compete to see who can stack the most cookies in one minute — without the cookies falling over. Time them to keep the game fair and have small prizes on hand to reward the winners.
Party Favor: Trick-or-Treat Tote Bags
Trick-or-treating is serious business for kids. Use one of our three free printable templates to help them turn an inexpensive canvas tote bag into a cute carryall to stash their candy haul. Get complete step-by-step instructions.
Point the Way to the Party
Give trick-or-treaters and Halloween party guests a (slight!) scare with this smaller-than-life-size headless horseman figure. Place his jack-o'-lantern head in one hand and a sign leading the way to the festivities in the other. Add a little character to your front porch with our free template and step-by-step instructions.
Gather the Ghouls
What would a party be without a cute invite, right? A few weeks before your monster mash, mail or hand-deliver this printable chevron invitation. Fill in the details so guests come ready for the frightful festivities.
Deck Out the Outdoors
Whether you choose to add funny sayings or be deathly serious with traditional designs, our step-by-step instructions show you how to turn inexpensive foam sheets into realistic-looking grave markers.
Halloween Game: Ghost Marshmallow Toss
Get a little help from the kiddos to craft this easy party game. You need just a few inexpensive supplies and our free printable to craft a Halloween game that'll keep kids happily occupied for hours. Learn how to set up the game, plus download the point circles.
Party Favor: Sweet-and-Salty Snack Mix
Pretzels and white chocolate-covered popcorn combine with M&M's for a crunchable snack your Halloween guests won't be able to get enough of. Add our free printable labels to cut-down brown paper lunch bags then fill with this addictive mix for a budget-friendly (and crowd-pleasing!) party favor.
Halloween Game: Pin the Spider on the Web
Whether you're expecting a houseful of Halloween guests or are just looking for an activity to keep the kids entertained, this fun-to-craft game is one they can help you assemble then play on their own for hours. Learn how to make a yarn web and download printable spiders.
Cast a Spell With These Clever Place Cards
Made from a twig, raffia and a scrap of paper, these diminutive brooms add an enchanting touch to a sophisticated Halloween soiree, plus they're a fun party favor that guests can take with them.
Set Up a Devilishly Delish Snack Table
Keep guests refreshed with a snack station where they can help themselves. For an easy decoration, print then cut out our free bat templates and attach them to the wall above the table; place the largest bats near the bottom and smallest bats at the top for a trompe l'oeil effect.
Party Favor: Put Chocolate Under Wraps
Kids love candy bars — after all, who doesn't? For a super simple party favor, use one of our printable designs to give a classic candy bar a Halloween makeover. Just print either the orange stripe template or black stripe template onto standard copier paper, cut out the design and use double-sided tape to attach the Halloween wrapper to a chocolate bar.
Spook Up the Front Porch
Give your entryway an eerie, ghostly atmosphere with billowing, tattered draperies made from budget-friendly cheesecloth. Craft your own with our step-by-step instructions.
Light the Way to the Party
Fill clear buckets or cylindrical glass vases with battery-operated tea lights and sand to easily craft kid-safe, fireproof luminaries to light up your Halloween celebrations. Make your own with our step-by-step instructions.
A Tasty Favor Kids Can Craft
Combining a creative craft project with sweet + salty treats, these pretzel skeletons are sure to make your smallest Halloween party guests smile. Set up a craft table for the kids; stock it with a few inexpensive grocery- and craft-store materials then let the kids make (then munch!) their own edible character. Get the tutorial.
Take Storebought Cupcakes Up a Notch
Our free printable cupcake toppers make it a snap to give bakery cupcakes a customized, baked-just-for-you look.
Halloween Game: Follow the Ball
This classic game with a Halloween twist is a low-cost, fuss-free way to provide tons of fun for the kiddos. Just add eyes to 3 white paper cups so they resemble ghosts. Give kids a marble or gumball and show them how to play the game with a partner by hiding the ball under one of the ghosts, moving the ghosts around, then having their partner guess which ghost has the ball.
Party Favor: Glittered Treat Bags
Give plain muslin bags a custom touch with one of our 4 free printable patterns. These little sacks are just the right size to give out as party favors, take to the kids at school or use to surprise your favorite trick-or-treaters. See full tutorial and download templates.
Throw a Cupcake-Decorating Party
Let them eat cake -- cupcakes that is. A Halloween cupcake decorating party is the perfect not-scary theme for all ages. With a little help from an adult, kids can top prebaked cupcakes with their favorite flavor of icing and assorted Halloween-themed candies. Our free printable invites, cupcake toppers and favors put the finishing touch on this (sweet!) party.
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