Who knew you could turn an old egg carton into a spooktacular collection of egg carton Halloween crafts?! With just a little paint, some glitter, and a few crafty touches, you can transform those cardboard cups into the cutest Halloween characters — from glittery bats and silly pumpkins to creepy-crawly spiders and friendly ghosts.
This project is the perfect mix of fun and imagination, making it great for kids and grown-ups alike. Whether you’re looking for a classroom craft, a rainy-day project, or just a festive way to recycle, these egg carton Halloween characters are sure to bring a big dose of charm to your spooky season!
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DIY Egg Carton Halloween Crafts
Materials:
- Egg carton
- White glue
- Acrylic paint
- Glitter (to match paint colour)
- Pipe cleaners (brown and green)
- Black cardstock
- Googly eyes (8mm)
Equipment:
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Make and paint the pumpkin
- Cut an egg cup from an egg carton. Trim down the edges of the cup so that they’re straight and even.
- Repeat, cutting a second egg cup.Glue the open sides together to create your jack-o-lantern shape. Allow to dry.
- Stick a wooden skewer into the top center of the pumpkin.
- Use the skewer to hold the egg carton pumpkin while you paint it. Paint the bottom first and then do the sides and top as well. Allow to dry.
Step 3: Add glitter
- Add white glue to all sides of the painted egg carton pumpkin. Use a paintbrush to spread the glue out so it’s an even, thin coat.
- Sprinkle orange fine glitter onto the glue until it’s well covered. Allow to dry.
Step 4: Decorate the jack-o-lantern
- Cut a 2 inch piece of brown pipe cleaner. Fold it in half, keeping the fold rounded. This will be the pumpkin stem.
- Cut a 3 inch piece of green pipe cleaner. Coil it around a pencil or the end of a paintbrush. Slide it off and pull the coils apart slightly, creating a tendril vine for the pumpkin.
- Insert the stem and vine into the top of the pumpkin, through the hole left by the skewer.
- Cut a jack-o-lantern mouth from a piece of black cardstock or craft foam.
- Attach the mouth to the side of the pumpkin, using white glue or tacky glue. Then add 2 googly eyes above it.
- Your egg carton Halloween craft is complete!
- Now have fun creating all kinds of fun Halloween characters, like a ghost, bat, or spider. Read more details below about how to make these crafts.
Helpful Tips:
- Use bright, bold colours: Egg cartons can soak up paint, so vibrant paints (and a couple of coats) will make the characters pop.
- Googly eyes make everything cuter: They instantly bring your characters to life, so keep a variety of sizes on hand to create different looks.
How can I make other egg carton Halloween decorations?
Once you’ve made the basic jack-o-lantern, try these fun variations:
Egg Carton Ghosts:
- Use 2 egg carton cups with the tops still attached and paint them white.
- Coil a pipe cleaner and glue it to the top of one cup.
- Attach the second cup on top to give the ghost extra height.
- Decorate with white iridescent glitter, googly eyes, and a cardstock mouth.
Egg Carton Spider:
- Cut 2 pipe cleaners into 4 pieces each, to make 8 legs.
- Paint one egg cup black and cover it with black glitter.
- Add 2 googly eyes to the face.
- Glue the pipe cleaner legs to the sides of the cup and bend them into shape.
Egg Carton Bats:
- Draw a bat wing shape on the flat lid of the carton, cut it out, and trace it for a second wing.
- Cut 2 tiny pointed ears from the leftover carton.
- Glue the ears to the top (technical bottom) of an egg cup and attach the wings to the sides.
- Paint the bat purple, cover with purple glitter, and add 2 googly eyes to the front.
Do I need glitter to make these Halloween egg carton crafts?
Not at all! While glitter adds fun sparkle, you can also just paint the egg cartons, or use paint markers or stickers to decorate your characters. Or, for a low-mess option, kids can decorate with washable markers.
Is this Halloween craft good for a classroom or group of kids?
Yes! These egg carton Halloween characters are inexpensive to make, they use simple materials, and they can be adapted for any age. Pre-cutting the shapes and letting kids paint and decorate them makes the craft especially classroom-friendly.
Can I make other Halloween characters from egg cartons?
Definitely! Try a black cat with triangle shaped ears, a mummy wrapped with strips of tissue paper, or even a friendly monster with crazy googly eyes.
The sky’s the limit with what type of character you can create! Use your imagination and create Halloween fun with simple supplies like pipe cleaners, pom poms, and yarn.
There’s something extra satisfying about turning simple, everyday materials into holiday magic. These egg carton Halloween characters are proof that with a little imagination, you can create decorations that are festive, fun, and full of personality.
Whether you set them out as table decor, use them for party favors, or just enjoy making them with your kids, they’re sure to bring plenty of smiles this spooky season. So gather your supplies, get a little messy with paint and glitter, and let these recycled treasures light up your Halloween!
Here’s even more Halloween craft ideas:
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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