18 Family-Friendly Halloween Decorations and Crafts for Kids

Pineapple Pumpkin

Turn your pumpkins into a festive fruit display with a few coats of yellow spray paint ($5, Target) and a black marker. Then, let the kids decide how to decorate it! Green foam creates a perfect pineapple topper, and a pair of child-size sunglasses add a creative touch. When you're done, check out our other painted pumpkin ideas for more inspiration.

Friendly Dracula and Cat Candy Dispensers

Younger kids will get a kick out of helping to make (and empty) these sweet, colorful candy dispensers. Transform a glass storage container ($10, Target) into a spooky cat or monster with a few sheets of foam and painted styrofoam balls. Fill with a variety of treats to use as decoration, or hand out as favors.

Dracula Pumpkin

If you're looking for ways to replace trick-or-treating this year, consider having a craft night with the little ones. This monster pumpkin doubles as not-so-scary Halloween decor and a fun kids activity. Paint miniature pumpkins with bright green paint, then set the kids loose with paint pens, paper, and glue.

Halloween Books

When used as props on a mantel or bookshelf, these cleverly wrapped books are one of our favorite homemade Halloween decorations. Cut lengths of paper to wrap around the books, and fold the edges over the insides of the front and back covers. Decorate the spines with Halloween stickers. Don't forget the titles. Spell creepy book names along the spines using a stencil or print from a computer.

Halloween Mini Figures

Surprise: You won't even need a pattern to make these adorable Halloween decorations! Simply wrap wooden spools in embroidery floss to create the bodies, then use stickers and cardstock for facial features (great for a kid-friendly afternoon craft).

Halloween Coloring Pages

Trick-or-treating may be canceled this year, but there are plenty of fun ways to celebrate at home that don't involve eating a whole bag of candy. Print out a set of our free Halloween coloring pages and set them out with markers and a 64-pack of crayons ($3, Target) for a night of fun activities.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Just a few simple steps needed to create this easy kids' homemade Halloween craft! This friendly spider's fuzzy body is formed by wrapping yarn around a plastic-foam ball. Black pipe cleaners make this eight-legged creature stand upright. Then your little eight-legged friend is ready to go!

No-Carve Caterpillar Pumpkin

This fun DIY Halloween craft idea for kids is easy for even the littlest of helpers. Select a few smaller pumpkins; paint the pumpkins melon green and their stems black. Using adhesive-backed felt dots, decorate the bodies. Use googly eyes and pipe cleaners for the head. Arrange in an S shape.

Bat Favor Boxes

Hand out these friendly bats at a Halloween party or on trick-or-treat night. To make these DIY treat boxes, attach cardstock cut in the shape of wings to a premade take-out carton (available at crafts stores). Cut out colored cardstock for the eyes, mouth, and fangs; adhere with glue. Fill the box with yummy Halloween treats.

Eye-Catching Photos

Are those eyes following you? Quirky stick-on peepers poke out of a photocopied portrait of author Edgar Allan Poe. The black-and-white photocopy pops behind an inexpensive crafts-store green mat and black frame. Any scary print—a witch, ghost, or ghoul—will work to make this oh-so-easy Halloween decoration.

Pumpkin Lanterns

No-mess, no-carve: These lanterns are the perfect almost-pumpkin. Cut out smiling jack-o'-lantern faces from black cardstock; tape to orange cardstock cut to fit the lantern panels. Use indoors or in a protected outdoor space.

Editor's Tip: Make this decoration last longer by placing cardstock behind the lantern's glass panels.

Spiderweb Sculpture

Your elementary-school kids will have a blast weaving this Halloween web (a tangled creation made from black yarn). Orange plastic spiders up the creep factor of this spooky kids' craft.

Framed Ghosts

Kids will love helping with this spooky ghost craft. Trace ghost shapes onto white paper, mark the eyes and noses with black marker, and cut out the shapes. Sandwich the ghouls in the frames and use black fabric tape or book-binding tape (available at crafts stores) to seal the edges.

Candy Corn Bowl

Hand out sweets to your trick-or-treaters this Halloween in a home-decorated candy bowl! Trim the edges of 2-inch thick strips of construction paper with decorative scissors. Then tape paper-punch circles and the decorative strips to a clear container or bowl. Swap out the colors and shapes to repurpose the bowl for use at birthday parties, holidays, or other special occasions.

Halloween Banner

This easy Halloween banner comes together in no time, thanks to the easy-to-use free printable. Simply cut out the triangle shapes and string with ribbon to display on a mantel or wall. Pair it with our other free Halloween printables to finish your spooky holiday decorating.

Skeleton Magnet

"Bone" up on your Halloween decor with this simple skeleton magnet. Draw a skeleton shape onto white paper, then trim and glue the bones onto black cardstock. Apply adhesive magnet strips ($4, Target) to the backs of the pieces and enjoy!

Halloween Lanterns

Just about any seasonal image will do for these simple Halloween lanterns. Print one of our free pumpkin carving stencils onto colored paper, then trim and tape the design to the front of the lantern. You also can run lengths of black ribbon along the surface for added detail. Use ribbon to hang from ceiling.

Boo! T-Shirt

Last-minute costume woes? This easy ghost shirt shapes up with some black fabric paint and a few other basic crafts supplies. This is a simple craft and a cute outfit your kid can save for trick-or-treating or wear throughout the Halloween season!