Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Easy Stencil and Hand Print Art Projects Using Paint and Paper

Sep 4, 2008

With orange, black and white coloured paints and papers, preschoolers and toddlers can make very cute jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and spiders as Halloween decorations.

Traditionally filled with symbols of witches, monsters and vampires, Halloween is often too spooky for preschoolers and toddlers. For not-so-spooky craft ideas that still let the little ones enjoy the fun of Halloween, try these very simple painting crafts.

Jack-o-Lantern Stencil Painting

Materials:

Orange construction paper
Black paint
File folder

Cut the file folder in half along the seam. On one of the halves, draw a picture of a jack-o-lantern either free hand or from a colouring page . Cut out the eyes, nose and mouth of the jack-o-lantern.
Let each child have a turn with the stencil by placing jack-o-lantern cut out over the centre of the orange construction paper. To help hold it in place, put a small piece of masking tape on the top and bottom of the file folder jack-o-lantern.
Using a dry brush (one not dipped in water first), let the kids fill in the eyes, nose and mouth of the jack-o-lantern with black paint. Paint around the outside of the stencil with black paint to make the pumpkin shape show up on the orange paper. Encourage the kids to gently tap the paper with the end of the paint brush bristles to make colour appear rather than making brush strokes.

Paint the jack-o-lantern stencils on smaller sheets of construction paper to make cards and invitations for a Halloween party.

Hand Print Ghosts

Materials:

Black construction paper
White paint

Best done as a one-on-one craft, paint the palm of each child’s hand with white washable paint. Keeping the fingers and thumb close together rather than spread apart, help the child make hand print on black construction paper.
Once the paint is dry, turn the paper so that the fingers and thumb are pointing down and the heel of the hand is at the top of the page. Help each child decorate their ghostly hand print with black marker to make eyes and a mouth.

For children who do not like to get their hands messy, try the same craft with foot prints instead. The heel of the foot becomes the head of the ghost.

Hand Print Spiders

Materials:

Orange construction paper
Black construction paper
Black paint
White glue
Googly eyes

With the help of an adult, let the kids paint the palms of both hands with black paint. On a sheet of orange construction paper, make a print with each hand so that the fingers point to the bottom of the page and the thumb prints somewhat overlap.
Cut a circle out of black paper about 3 inches in diameter. Glue the circle over the overlapped thumbs to make the spider body and the finger prints make the eight legs. Attach googly eyes to the body of the spider for a finishing touch and use as a Halloween decoration.

Making Halloween crafts with preschoolers and toddlers is a great activity to do for an orange and black theme, and also for Halloween parties. For more activities and ideas related to Halloween, read Fun Easy Halloween Crafts and Halloween Games for Preschoolers and Toddlers.

The copyright of the article Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers and Toddlers in Holiday Kids Crafts is owned by Angela Krueger. Permission to republish Halloween Crafts for Preschoolers and Toddlers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Hand Print Ghost Craft

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