8 Easy Halloween Paper Plate Crafts for Toddlers (Not Scary)

If you have a toddler, you already know the magic of a paper plate. It is cheap, it is sturdy, it does not mind being glued, painted and loved a little too hard, and it is the perfect size for tiny hands. Paper plates are basically the official craft supply of preschool.

These Halloween paper plate crafts for toddlers are the ones we actually do at our kitchen table on rainy October afternoons. None of them are scary, most take 15 minutes, and every one of them looks adorable taped to the fridge.

Heads up, some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share things I would actually use or buy for my own family.

Your toddler craft supply kit

Keep these in one bin and you can pull off any craft on this list in about two minutes:

• White paper plates. The plain, uncoated kind takes paint and marker best. Small dessert plates are perfect for little hands.
• Kwik Stix tempera paint sticks. Paint without the cups, brushes or spills. They dry in about 90 seconds. Life changing for toddler crafts.
• Glue sticks. Washable glue sticks are the safest, least messy choice for this age.
• Crayola washable markers. Fat tips are easiest for toddlers to grip.
• Construction paper in orange, black, green, purple and white.
• Googly eyes, cotton balls, yarn and a stapler or tape for the grown up.

Safety first: googly eyes, pom poms and small pieces are choking hazards for kids under 3. Supervise closely, or skip the small bits and draw eyes on with a marker instead.

8 Halloween paper plate crafts for toddlers

1. Paper plate pumpkin

The classic for a reason. Let your toddler paint or color the whole plate orange, then glue on a green construction paper stem and leaf. Older toddlers can glue on black triangle eyes and a smile to make it a jack o lantern. Tip: tear the paper instead of cutting it. Tearing is great for little fingers and gives the pumpkin a fun texture.

2. Fluffy paper plate ghost

Cut the bottom of a plate into wavy edges so it looks like a ghost. Your toddler brushes on glue stick and presses cotton balls all over it. Add two black paper circles for eyes and a little “O” mouth. Not scary at all, just a very surprised ghost. Ours are named Boo and Other Boo.

3. Paper plate spider

Color or paint a plate black. Cut eight strips of black construction paper and help your toddler glue or tape them around the edge for legs. Accordion fold the legs if you want them to bounce. Add big googly eyes (with supervision) and a smile. Punch a hole and hang it with yarn for a dangly spider.

4. Black cat mask

Cut eye holes in a plate, then let your toddler color it black. Glue on two triangle ears and draw whiskers with a white crayon or chalk marker. Tape a craft stick to the bottom so they can hold it up instead of wearing it. It doubles as a costume backup on Halloween night.

5. Paper plate bat

Fold a plate in half and cut along the fold. Use one half as the bat body, and cut wing shapes from the other half or from black paper. Your toddler paints everything black, then you staple the wings on. Add eyes and two tiny white fangs. Hang a whole colony of bats from your porch ceiling.

6. Candy corn plate

Cut a plate into a big triangle. Draw two lines across it, then let your toddler color the bottom yellow, the middle orange and the top white (or leave it white). It is a great early lesson in colors and patterns, and it takes about five minutes from start to fridge.

7. Paper plate mummy

Your toddler glues strips of white paper, gauze or masking tape across a plate in every direction. It does not have to be neat. Messier is better for a mummy. Add two googly eyes peeking out from the wrappings. This one is great for building fine motor skills, and kids love peeling tape.

8. Friendly monster plate

Hand over a green or purple painted plate and a pile of scraps: googly eyes, yarn hair, paper teeth and horns. Let your toddler make the monster however they want. Three eyes? Great. No mouth? Fine. This is the one where you sit back, sip your coffee, and let them lead.

Tips for crafting with toddlers (without losing your mind)

• Prep before you invite them to the table. Cut shapes and set out supplies first. Toddler attention spans are about four minutes.
• Cover everything. A plastic tablecloth or an old sheet makes cleanup a 30 second job.
• Dress for mess. An old t shirt over clothes or crafting in a diaper is valid.
• Focus on the process. If your ghost ends up looking like a potato, that is the point. Toddler crafts are about squishing, sticking and choosing colors.
• Stop while it is fun. One craft is a win. Three crafts is a miracle.
• Write the date on the back. Future you will want to know how old they were.

What toddlers learn from these crafts

Paper plate crafts look simple, but they pack in a lot of learning. Tearing paper and peeling tape build the hand strength toddlers need for holding crayons and, later, pencils. Choosing colors and naming shapes builds vocabulary. Following “first glue, then cotton” builds early sequencing skills. And getting to make something their own way builds confidence. Talk through each step while you craft together, and you have a preschool lesson hiding in a Halloween activity.

Show off their masterpieces

Tape a row of paper plate pumpkins to the front window, string bats and spiders across a doorway with yarn, or make a little gallery on the fridge. Kids light up when they see their art used as real decor. At the end of the season, snap a photo of each one before they go to the recycling bin. Keep a few favorites in a keepsake box.

More Halloween fun for little ones

Pair these crafts with my Halloween sensory bins for toddlers, my no carve pumpkin decorating ideas and these Halloween traditions to start with little kids. Want to get out of the house? Here are Halloween activities for kids in the KC metro. Everything spooky lives on my Halloween hub, and Browse by Holiday has ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas too.

Which craft are you trying first? Share it in the comments, and tell me what your toddler named their ghost.

So glad you are here.
xo, Pam