Top 5 recycled Halloween crafts for kids

Between face paints, costumes and pumpkin carving, here are our top five simple Halloween crafts for kids

It’s that time of year again when the leaves start changing colour, the days get shorter, and pumpkins start appearing on doorsteps. That’s right, Halloween is just around the corner. If you’re looking for a way to keep your little ones entertained between nibbles of Halloween chocolate, why not try some seasonal crafts?

Whether the rain is keeping the family inside or you fancy setting up a spooky arts party for a change of pace this Halloween, here are five kid-friendly Halloween crafts to try. 

Making Halloween eco-friendly with recycled crafts

At Hotel Chocolat, sustainability is at the core of all we do – from responsibly sourcing our cacao to reducing the plastic in our packaging. As a result, we’ve chosen eco-friendly Halloween crafts that use household bits and pieces that would otherwise go to waste. 

So, get ready to upcycle, recycle, and get into the Halloween spirit!

Egg box bats

Bats are surely one of the most iconic Halloween symbols. With this egg box bat decoration, your little ones can use up old packaging to create a single bat or a mobile.

You’ll need

• An egg box
• Black paint
• Paintbrushes
• Scissors
• Glue 
• String, ribbon or elastic
• Googly eyes or old buttons

How to

• First, cut the egg box in half so you have two separate three-cup sections
• Then cut out two triangles on both of the end cups to create wings
• Next, paint the egg box sections black and leave to dry
• Once the paint is dry, attach the googly eyes or buttons with glue
• Finally, pierce a hole in the top of the bat, thread and knot the string or ribbon and hang. Want the bat to bounce in flight? Use an elastic band instead of string for some extra movement!

Why not share a few dark chocolate Halloween treats while you craft? Wingston the Bat has 16 terrifyingly tasty nibbles to keep you going.

Cardboard tube cats

Kitchen roll and toilet roll tubes usually just end up in the recycling bin, so why not turn them into a Halloween decoration instead?

This craft is a wonderful way to use up decorative odds and ends you might have lying around! You can embellish as much or as little as you like.

You’ll need

• Cardboard tubes (kitchen paper towel, wrapping paper, or toilet roll centres work well)
• Black paper or card
• Scissors
• Paint – black, white, and any other colours you like
• Any decorations you fancy (buttons, pipe cleaners – anything you feel is going to waste)
• Glue

How to

The first step is to paint the cardboard tubes black and wait for them to dry. Alternatively, you can cover them in black paper – you could collage the paper for a textured effect.

Secondly, cut small triangles out of the black card or paper and stick two of them to the top edge of each tube – these will be the cats’ ears.

Paint a face on the cat – you can also use any old sequins, mini buttons, googly eyes or other accessories you have. 

From here, you can choose how to embellish your black cats. Pipe cleaners make excellent tails, and you could use pink paper to add a cute note. Why not experiment with creating a paper bow tie or use a scrap of ribbon to make a collar? Provide the kids (and yourself) with plenty of recycled decorations and get creative!

Milk bottle ghosts

The simplest and possibly most effective Halloween craft of them all. We love these on doorsteps at Halloween – they’re the perfect way to light up your doorway. Make them as cute or scary as you like!

You’ll need

• Clean, empty plastic milk bottles (two or four-pint sized)
• A black marker or paint
• LED fairy lights (optional) 

How to

All you need to do is draw or paint a spooky expression on the front of your milk bottle and wait for it to dry. When it’s dark outside and you’re ready to haunt, simply switch on the LED fairy lights and place them in the bottle. Eerie and effective.

Tin can pumpkins

You can achieve a similar effect with tin cans, rather than milk bottles. This time, a dash of orange paint creates a fabulous pumpkin aesthetic.

You’ll need

• Tin cans (empty, clean, and dry)
• Orange paint
• Black paint or marker pen

How to

Give your cans a layer of orange paint and wait for them to dry. Use your black pen or paint to draw a pumpkin face. Keep it simple with geometric shapes or opt for something a little more complex. Once dry, these make excellent decorations for the doorstep, mantlepiece or table.

Safety note: make sure your empty tin cans don’t have any sharp edges before handing them to the kids to paint.

Apple stamp pumpkins

Another effective way to create pumpkin decorations is to use apples as stamps. Rather than using plastic or rubber stamps that will end up in landfill, opt for apples! Halloween crafts like this one are great for adding a personal touch to greetings cards, signs, and banners.

You’ll need

• Apple
• Paper (black or white works well)
• Orange paint
• Green and black pens or paint for detail orange

How to

• First cut the apple in half and gently pat it dry using a paper towel
• Dip the apple half into the orange paint, flat side down
• Use the apple as a stamp to print a basic pumpkin face as many times as you like
• Leave the paint to dry
• Use black paint to add a jack o’lantern face, and green paint to add a pumpkin stalk
• Once it’s all dry, you can cut the pumpkins out or leave them on a paper background

Make your Halloween craft session spook-tacular with Hotel Chocolat

If you want to make an event out of your creative session, why not hold a Halloween crafts party? 

Play some fun Halloween music, and prepare some delicious seasonal nibbles to enjoy as you craft. We recommend stocking up on some Halloween treats – explore our chocolate range and find something for everybody. With high-cacao milk, dark, and caramel-milk chocolate delights available, the whole family will be happy.

Once you’ve whipped up some fabulous Halloween crafts and decorations, why not unwind with an autumnal hot chocolate? Our Salted Caramel & Clementine Drinking Chocolate is the best way to cosy up on All Hallows Eve!