12 Spooktacular Halloween Craft and Play Activities for Kids
Oskar's Wooden Ark | October 17, 2021
Have you been surfing the web in search of some new and creative Halloween play and craft ideas? Well, here at Oskar's Wooden Ark, we are creeping it real with an abundance of not-too-spooky play and craft activities for you and your little ones to enjoy this spooky season.
1. Decorate for Halloween
First things first, decorate your playroom, house, room, garden - whatever space your heart desires with some fa-BOO-lous decorations to get you in the spooky spirit!
If you need further inspiration on how to deck out your space, check out activity 2, where we learn how to make some window art.
Window art with Kitpas Art Crayons | Photo: @mumz.world
Grimm's Celebration Ring & Figures | Photo: @mumz.world
2. Simple Stained Glass Windows with Waxed Kite Paper
Activity: @_simply_bea_
Show off your spooky skills to your neighbours by decorating your windows with some captivating stained glass decorations!
YOU WILL NEED:
Clear contact paper, a ruler, a permanent marker, scissors and Waxed Kite Paper.
WHAT TO DO:
- Draw your spooky design onto the contact with your marker
- Peel the paper strip off the contact and leave it sticky-side up
- Use scissors to cut the kite paper into your desired shapes (e.g. squares)
- Stick the kite paper pieces onto the contact until it is all covered
- You're done! Enjoy decorating your windows, then sit back and watch as the sunlight shines, illuminating your designs!
3. Crazy Hair Monsters
Activity: @woodentoyplay
Create a new monster friend (or four) with this simple fine-motor play activity!
YOU WILL NEED:
Paper, ruler, pencil, scissors, blu-tac, googly eyes and a Grapat Lola (or something similar - e.g. toilet roll).
WHAT TO DO:
- Draw guidelines on your paper for cutting
- Cut along the guidelines to create strands of hair
- Roll up the piece of paper and fit it in the Grapat Lola
- Use blu-tac to stick googly eyes to your monster
- Finish off by giving your monster friend a haircut
4. Spooky Small World Play
@mumz.world
Have some wicked fun by creating your very own small world play scene right at home! Use whatever toys you have in your toy box, with the addition of some pipe-cleaners (Ahh! Spiders!) and cotton balls (Eeek! Spiderwebs!) to add a spooky element to your scene.
5. Nature Lantern
Activity: @_simply_bea_
Bring some light to Halloween night by making your own lantern, inspired by the elements of nature!
YOU WILL NEED:
Elements of nature (flowers & leaves), hot glue, an iron, baking paper, some cardboard, Waxed Kite Paper + a candle to test your final product!
WHAT TO DO:
- Arrange your flowers and leaves on top of the kite paper
- Place small bits of solid hot glue over the kite paper
- Place second piece of kite paper over the top so your nature elements are sandwiched, before placing a layer of baking paper over the top
- Ensure a trusted adult uses the iron over the top to melt the glue and to stick the two layers of kite paper together, ensuring the nature elements are secured
- Use cardboard to create the frame of your lantern and assemble into the desired shape (eg. rectangles)
- Light a candle and admire your work of art!
Transient Art with Grimm's and Grapat
6. Friendly Monsters
7. Pumpkin Pals
8. Decorate a Family of Pumpkins
Carve out some fun in your day by creating a pumpkin family! Simply cut out pumpkin shapes from an orange piece of felt and lay them on the floor for your children to decorate with Grapat loose parts and other open-ended toys. Ruth's daughters came up with some fabulous characters. How cute are those glasses using Grimm's stacking bowls? That crying pumpkin though!
9. DIY Halloween Masks with Kitpas Crayons
Activity: @_simply_bea_
Create the most eerie-sistable Halloween costume with your very own hand-made mask.
YOU WILL NEED:
Kitpas Crayons, Recycled Cardboard, Marker, Glue and Scissors
WHAT TO DO:-
- Draw your design on the cardboard
- Cut it out
- Colour it in
- Glue any additional pieces (eg. hair onto the design)
- Wait for it to dry before you go trick or treating!
10. Spooky Sensory Play
Beware the Spiders!
Activity: @grow.and.play.together
Add a few creepy crawlies to the mix with this fun Halloween-inspired sensory play idea from Cina. She used dyed Chickpeas, Learn and Grow magnetic tiles and Ball Run pieces, scoops, spiders and cotton wool - all neatly contained in the Grapat Free Play Box.
Sensory Play with Orange Rice and Kaden Building Set
Activity: @woodentoyplay
Encourage your kids to engage with their senses as they explore the texture and sound of falling rice.
YOU WILL NEED:
Rice (coloured orange for added "spooky" factor), a tub or tray, Kaden Building Set, scoop and bucket.
WHAT TO DO:
Kids will love watching and listening to the coloured rice as it travels down the Kaden ball run! Why not experiment with different Kaden builds? There is no right or wrong way to play with this one - it's all about exploration of the senses and having fun!
11. Witches Nature Potion
Activity: @oskarswoodenark
It's sensory, nature and pretend play all in one! Grab your trusty cauldron (we used the Gluckskafer Stainless Steel Pot with Lid and Ladle), and your ingredients (we used nature loose parts, but Grapat Loose Parts would work just as well) before mixing it all together!
12. Ghost Lanterns
Activity: @oskarswoodenark
Creating decorative ghostly figures is as simple as moulding some DAS Modelling Clay together! Wait for them to set before adding a tealight candle underneath for them to set your space aglow!
Trick or Treat Yo'Self!
We hope this blog post inspired you to try some of these fun activity ideas this Halloween! Be sure to share your photos with us on Facebook in The Wooden Ark Family, and by tagging us @oskarswoodenark on Instagram!
