Halloween Craft Kits: Ready-Made Projects for the Whole Family
Print, cut, and build — five complete Halloween craft kits with step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and templates you can download and use tonight.
Halloween crafts hit the sweet spot between decoration and activity — they give kids something to do while producing real decor that holds up all month. These five kits are designed the way contractors design project sheets: complete supply list up front, steps in the right order, and no surprises midway through.
Every kit is printable. Download the instruction sheet, read it once start to finish before you begin, gather every item on the supply list, and then start. Experienced DIYers skip the first-read step and regret it every time.
Ghost Paper Lantern Kit
These paper lanterns hang from porch ceilings, stair railings, or bare branches in the yard. A set of six transforms a plain porch into something atmospheric in under an hour.
What you need: white cardstock (110 lb works best), battery-operated fairy lights (warm white or orange), black cardstock for eyes and mouth, scissors, craft glue, a hole punch, and thin ribbon or twine for hanging. Download the template below for pre-sized ghost faces and the lantern body pattern.
Assembly: Print and cut the lantern body, score the fold lines, glue the side seam, punch two holes at the top, thread ribbon through, stuff loosely with fairy lights. Attach the ghost face with a small dab of glue on each piece. The lights shine through the white cardstock for a warm, diffused glow after dark.
Contractor Tips
- Pre-cut everything before starting any craft with kids. A pre-cut session the evening before means the activity runs smoothly and the kids stay engaged instead of waiting.
- 110 lb cardstock is the minimum weight for lanterns and silhouettes — standard 20 lb printer paper won't hold up, especially in humid October weather.
- Battery-operated fairy lights (not plug-in) inside paper lanterns eliminate extension cord tangles and fire risk. Timer models that run dusk-to-10pm automatically are worth the small extra cost.