5 Easy Halloween Craft Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills

5 Simple Halloween Craft Activities (18m-3yrs)

Are you ready to dive into the spooky and creative world of Halloween crafts with your little one? In this article, we have compiled five fantastic Halloween craft activities that are not only guaranteed to ignite your toddler’s imagination but are also perfect for nursery or kindergarten classes. From adorable and not-so-scary ghosts to colourful pumpkin decorations, these crafts will bring the spirit of Halloween alive while providing a fun and engaging experience for your little artist. So, gather your art supplies, put on your crafty hats, and let’s explore these delightful projects that are sure to make your toddler’s Halloween season extra special. In addition to these ideas we have a post on Halloween Play Dough Ideas.

Any craft activity can be great for fine motor skills so to help planning we have added specific links to how each will benefit fine motor development.

You may also like our Halloween Sensory Story – Are you a monster?

Here are 5 Halloween craft activities that your toddler will love.

1. Ghost Handprints
   Age: 18m-3y
   Resources: White paper, tempera paint, paintbrush
   How-to: Have child dip hand or fingers in paint and stamp onto paper. Repeat random prints to create spooky scene.
   Learning Outcomes: Develops fine motor control grasping/releasing. Explores textures and cause/effect of print-making. Boosts confidence in art abilities.
   Fine Motor Links: Finger isolation control, grasping paintbrush then pushing hand onto paper.
2. Pumpkin Stencil Prints
   Age: 18m-3y
   Resources: Pumpkin/leaf stencils, paper, tempera paint, paintbrush
   How-to: Child holds stencil on paper while brushing paint through cutouts. Peel off to reveal print. Can repeat layering colors.
   Learning Outcomes: Strengthens pre-writing skills using tools. Improves hand-eye coordination tracking stencils. Sparks shape/color recognition.
   Fine Motor Links: Controlled paintbrush grip motions, dexterity placing/removing stencil. Wrist stability.
3. Jack O’Lantern Faces
   Age: 18m-3y
   Resources: Orange, black construction paper, googly eyes, glue, scissors
   How-to: Child helps cut out triangular wedge and circle from orange and black paper then glue onto paper to create face. Glue on eyes.
   Learning Outcomes: Practices patterning/sequencing skills assembling features. Develops creativity, self-expression. Works on independence using tools.
   Fine Motor Links: Scissor control and precision gluing facial features. Finger strengthening grasps tools.
4. Bat Hands
   Age: 18m-3y
   Resources: Black paper, glue, scissors
   How-to: Child helps cut out small bat shapes. Glue onto latex free gloves then act out “flying”. Encourage open/close hand motions.
   Learning Outcomes: Explores imaginative play acting as bat. Develops bimanual coordination flapping hands. Refines grasps/releases.
   Fine Motor Links: Precision cutting and gluing with fingers. Palmar grasps strengthening. Bilateral hand coordination flapping wings.
5. Glowing Monsters
   Age: 18m-3y
   Resources: Glow sticks, pipe cleaners, glue
   How-to: Child shapes pipe cleaners into silly arms/legs then glues/wrap around on glow sticks. Can make multiple to display in dark room.
   Learning Outcomes: Enhances creativity designing unique creature. Builds understanding of cause/effect of light. Strengthens finger manipulations shaping pipes.
   Fine Motor Links: Precision pincer grasps using finger and thumb to shape and glue. Wrist twisting motions moulding pipes into designs. Visual tracking glow sticks placement.

We hope you have enjoyed our list of 5 simple Halloween crafts.