20 DIY Halloween Garland Ideas You Can Make With the Kids This Halloween

halloween garland ideas

Make Halloween decorating a fun family activity with these easy Halloween garland ideas. From toilet paper roll bats and paper plate pumpkins to cotton ball ghosts and colorful monster faces, these projects use simple, affordable supplies kids can safely enjoy. Each garland is easy to make and perfect for adding Halloween spirit to mantels, bedrooms, party tables, doors, and walls.


Toilet Paper Roll Bat Halloween Garland Ideas for Kids

Save a few empty toilet paper rolls for this fun bat garland. Flatten each roll slightly and paint it black, then allow the paint to dry before adding two pointed ears and simple bat wings cut from black paper. Kids can draw eyes with a white marker or glue on small paper eyes. Make several bats in different sizes so the garland feels lively rather than perfectly matched. Punch two small holes near the top of each bat and thread them onto black or orange string. Hang the finished garland across a fireplace, bookshelf, or hallway. This Halloween garland idea gives kids a chance to reuse household materials while making a decoration that looks surprisingly good.


Paper Plate Pumpkin Halloween Garland Ideas for a Fireplace Mantel

Paper plates make excellent pumpkin shapes because they are already round and easy for small hands to paint. Give each child a few plates and let them paint the fronts orange. Once dry, add black paper eyes, noses, and different expressions. Some pumpkins can have happy faces, while others can look surprised or a little spooky. Cut small green paper stems and attach them to the top of each plate. Punch holes near the sides and connect the pumpkins with orange ribbon or twine. This Halloween garland idea works especially well across a fireplace mantel because the large pumpkin faces can be seen from across the room. Add a few paper leaves between the pumpkins for a simple fall touch.


Cotton Ball Ghost Halloween Garland Ideas for a Kids’ Halloween Party

For a soft and simple ghost garland, cotton balls are a great choice. Cut small ghost shapes from white cardstock and let children cover each shape with cotton balls using school glue. Once the surface is covered, add black paper eyes and mouths. Younger children can make silly expressions while older kids can create different ghost faces. Attach each ghost to a piece of white string or ribbon, leaving a few inches between each shape. This Halloween garland idea is especially nice for a kids’ party because the ghosts look friendly rather than frightening. Hang them behind the snack table, across a wall, or above a craft station where children can see their homemade decorations.


Egg Carton Spider Halloween Garland Ideas for a Budget Friendly Craft

An empty cardboard egg carton can become a row of funny little spiders with very little cost. Cut the carton into individual cup shapes and paint each one black. After the paint dries, add googly eyes or white paper eyes. Cut thin strips of black paper for the spider legs and glue four on each side. If you want a softer version, use black yarn for the legs. Punch a small hole in the top of every spider and thread them onto sturdy string. This Halloween garland idea is a good pick for families who want to reuse materials instead of buying new decorations. The spiders can hang across a doorway, party table, or wall.


Handprint Ghost Halloween Garland Ideas for a Personalized Kids’ Room

Handprint decorations can become sweet Halloween keepsakes that children will enjoy making. Have each child place a hand on white paper and trace around it, then cut out the shape. Turn the handprint upside down so the fingers become the ghost’s body. Add black eyes and a small mouth, then write the child’s name and the year on the back. Make several handprint ghosts and connect them with ribbon or string. This Halloween garland idea works well in a child’s bedroom because it feels personal and playful. You can use white paper for classic ghosts or let children choose pastel shades for a softer Halloween display that stays cute rather than scary.


Paper Cup Witch Hat Halloween Garland Ideas for a Playful Party Display

Turn small paper cups into tiny witch hats for a colorful Halloween garland. Paint the cups black and let them dry. Cut circles from black cardstock for the hat brims, then glue each cup to a circle. Kids can decorate the hats with purple, orange, green, or silver paper bands. Add tiny paper stars, moons, or dots for extra decoration. Once the hats are ready, punch a hole near the top of each one and string them along orange ribbon. This Halloween garland idea looks great above a dessert table or party food station. It also gives children plenty of room to choose their own colors and decorations, so every little hat can look different.


Orange and Black Paper Chain Halloween Garland Ideas Kids Can Make

Paper chains are one of the easiest Halloween garland ideas for children, and they can be made with very basic supplies. Cut orange and black construction paper into equal strips. Kids can write Halloween words, draw pumpkins, or add small patterns to some of the strips before joining them. Form each strip into a loop and secure it with glue or tape, then pass the next strip through before closing it. Keep alternating orange and black until the chain reaches the desired length. This project is useful for decorating long walls, doorways, stair rails, or party tables. It also works well when several children are helping because everyone can make loops at the same time.


Popsicle Stick Monster Halloween Garland Ideas for a Fun Family Craft

Popsicle sticks can become funny monster faces with a little paint and imagination. Arrange three or four sticks side by side and glue them to two smaller sticks across the back to create a flat shape. Paint each piece in colors such as purple, green, orange, or blue. After the paint dries, add paper eyes, teeth, horns, ears, or funny hair. Make every monster different so kids can give each one its own personality. Attach the finished monsters to string with small pieces of ribbon or glue. This Halloween garland idea is ideal for a family craft afternoon and looks especially fun hanging across a playroom wall or children’s party table.


Painted Paper Pumpkin Halloween Garland Ideas for a Cozy Fall Mantel

For a simple pumpkin garland with a warm fall look, use thick orange paper or cardstock. Cut pumpkin shapes and let children paint stripes, dots, stars, faces, or other patterns on them. You can keep some pumpkins plain and decorate others with black paint for variety. Add brown paper stems and small green leaves after the paint dries. Punch holes on both sides of each pumpkin and thread them onto natural colored twine. This Halloween garland idea works well on a mantel because the orange pumpkins connect Halloween with the colors of fall. It can stay on display through October and still look appropriate alongside other autumn decorations.


Tissue Paper Ghost Halloween Garland Ideas for a Spooky Party Backdrop

Tissue paper creates soft, lightweight ghosts that can be made in large numbers for a party backdrop. Cut white tissue paper into squares and place a small cotton ball in the center of each one. Gather the tissue around the cotton ball and twist the bottom to form a ghost shape. Tie the neck with white thread, then add black eyes and mouths using a marker. Repeat until you have enough ghosts to fill your string. This Halloween garland idea works best when several ghosts hang close together, creating a playful backdrop behind a party table or photo area. Kids can make the faces while adults handle the stringing and hanging.


Cardboard Bat Halloween Garland Ideas for a Bedroom Door

Cardboard bats are sturdy enough to use year after year, making them a practical choice for a child’s bedroom door. Draw a simple bat shape on thin cardboard and cut out several copies. Older children can help with tracing while an adult handles any difficult cutting. Paint the bats black, or let kids use dark purple and navy for a different look. Add tiny white eyes or leave the shapes plain for a cleaner appearance. Attach the bats to black ribbon at different heights so they look like they are flying. This Halloween garland idea can be placed around a bedroom door, creating a fun Halloween entrance without taking up much space.


Felt Pumpkin Halloween Garland Ideas for Reusable Halloween Décor

Felt pumpkins are soft, colorful, and easy to store after Halloween. Cut pumpkin shapes from orange felt and add green felt stems. Older kids can decorate each pumpkin with small felt shapes, fabric markers, or simple stitched lines under adult supervision. If sewing is not suitable, use fabric glue instead. Punch or carefully make small holes near the sides and connect the pumpkins with orange ribbon. This Halloween garland idea is useful for families who want decorations they can bring out every October. Choose several shades of orange, or add black and cream pumpkins for a softer display. Store the garland flat in a box so it can be used again next year.


Paper Bag Spider Halloween Garland Ideas for a Kid Friendly Halloween Party

Small paper bags can become chunky spider bodies that are easy for kids to decorate. Paint each bag black and allow it to dry completely. Add large white eyes with black pupils, then attach strips of black cardstock or yarn as legs. You can fill the bags with crumpled newspaper before closing them if you want the spiders to look fuller. Attach each spider to a long piece of string and hang them above the party table or along a wall. This Halloween garland idea creates larger decorations that are easy to notice from across the room. Kids can also give each spider a different expression, making the party display more playful.


Candy Corn Paper Halloween Garland Ideas for a Kitchen or Dining Area

Candy corn shapes are easy to cut from white, orange, and yellow paper. Instead of making three separate pieces, cut a triangle from white cardstock and let children color or paint the bottom section yellow and the middle section orange. Once dry, punch two holes near the top and thread the shapes onto yellow, orange, or white string. Make the candy corn pieces large enough to be visible from the dining table. This Halloween garland idea works especially well in kitchens and dining areas because the shapes connect naturally with Halloween treats and snacks. Add the garland above a breakfast nook, across a kitchen window, or along a dessert table.


Yarn Ghost Halloween Garland Ideas for a Simple No Sew Kids’ Craft

Yarn ghosts are soft, lightweight, and require no sewing. Wrap white yarn around a small piece of cardboard several times, then carefully remove the bundle and tie a separate piece of yarn around the upper section to create the ghost’s head. Trim the bottom so the yarn hangs evenly. Add small black felt or paper eyes with glue. Make some ghosts short and others longer for a relaxed display. Connect them to a long piece of white or orange yarn. This Halloween garland idea is suitable for children who enjoy simple hands on activities without complicated cutting. Hang the ghosts near a window, bookshelf, or bedroom wall where their soft shape can move slightly with the air.


Mini Witch Hat Halloween Garland Ideas for a Cute Fireplace Display

Mini witch hats create a charming garland for a fireplace mantel. Cut small cone shapes from black cardstock, roll each one into a cone, and secure the edge with glue. Add a circular brim underneath each cone. Children can decorate the hats with tiny orange bands, purple stars, green dots, or paper buckles. Once the hats are dry, attach them to a piece of ribbon by gluing the ribbon to the back or tying each hat in place. This Halloween garland idea is small enough for a mantel without taking over the display. Pair it with pumpkins or small paper bats to create a cheerful Halloween arrangement that children will enjoy helping to make.


Leaf and Pumpkin Halloween Garland Ideas for a Rustic Family Home

Combine real autumn leaves with paper pumpkins for a simple seasonal garland. Collect dry leaves from your yard or a local park, making sure they are clean and dry before using them. Cut small pumpkins from orange cardstock and let kids decorate them with simple faces. Alternate leaves and pumpkins along a piece of twine, securing them with small clips or glue. This Halloween garland idea brings fall colors into the home while still giving the display a Halloween feel. It looks especially nice across a mantel, dining room wall, or entryway table. If real leaves become brittle, replace them with paper leaves so the garland can last longer.


Paper Monster Face Halloween Garland Ideas for Kids Under 10

Paper monster faces are a good choice for younger children because they can focus on painting, drawing, and gluing rather than difficult cutting. Cut large circles or oval shapes from colored paper and let children create monster faces with paper eyes, teeth, ears, horns, and hair. Use green, purple, orange, blue, and pink to give the garland a playful look. Punch two holes near the top of each face and string them together. This Halloween garland idea works well for children under 10 because there is no need for every face to look perfect. Hang the monsters in a playroom, hallway, or party area where their funny expressions can become part of the decoration.


Pumpkin Face Halloween Garland Ideas for a Kids’ Party

Turn simple orange cardstock into a cheerful pumpkin face garland that kids can help design. Cut several pumpkin shapes and let children add different faces using black paper, markers, or paint. Make some pumpkins happy, some silly, and a few slightly spooky to give the garland more personality. Add small green paper stems and punch holes near the top of each pumpkin before threading them onto orange or black string. This Halloween garland idea is perfect for hanging behind a kids’ party table, snack station, or gift area. It is inexpensive, easy to prepare in batches, and gives children a fun decoration they can proudly help make.


Recycled Cereal Box Halloween Garland Ideas for an Eco Friendly Kids’ Craft

Empty cereal boxes provide sturdy cardboard that can be turned into Halloween shapes instead of going straight into the recycling bin. Flatten the boxes and draw pumpkins, bats, ghosts, spiders, or monster faces on the plain side. Cut out the shapes and let children paint them using orange, black, white, purple, or green. Once dry, add paper details or markers. Punch holes in each shape and connect them with string or ribbon. This Halloween garland idea gives older kids more freedom to design their own shapes while making use of material already available at home. Hang the finished garland on a wall, door, or mantel, then store the pieces flat for another Halloween.