Fun for 1-year-olds! A collection of Halloween craft ideas you can make while playing

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

Halloween fun for kids and grown-ups alike! Here, we’re sharing craft ideas you can enjoy with one-year-olds.

From stamping and marble-rolling art to tearing, pasting, and stamping again—it’s packed with activities kids love! Each project uses simple steps and is full of clever touches to keep little ones engaged.

Use classic Halloween motifs like ghosts and pumpkins to enjoy a wonderful time together.

Since we treat what the children make as finished pieces, we refer to them as “works” in the text.

Fun for 1-year-olds! A collection of Halloween craft ideas you can make while playing (21–30)

Buzzy Monster

Speaking of Halloween, it’s all about ghosts, right? By the way, have you ever noticed that when you’re thinking a ghost might appear, everything you see starts to look like a ghost? Here’s a “shivery monster” craft that seems to play on that psychology.

It’s easy to make: tear origami or colored paper into any shapes you like, imagine them as ghosts, and add eyes and mouths.

Using dot stickers for the eyes is simple and really sets the mood.

Make lots of colorful, fun ghosts and decorate the wall—they’ll look great!

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Autumn foliage made with bubble-wrap stamps

https://www.tiktok.com/@hekimen_25/video/7282366758479006983

In autumn, leaves change in a gradient from yellow to red and orange—it’s so beautiful, isn’t it? For this craft, wrap bubble wrap around a toilet paper roll or a small plastic bottle and secure it with a rubber band.

Your pom-pom stamp is ready.

Using a pre-made tree, dip the pom-pom stamp in paint and create autumn foliage.

Try expressing it with a variety of colors.

For children aged three and up, it’s also recommended to let them start by cutting out the tree with scissors.

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mayumi

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Jack-o’-lantern painted with orange paint

https://www.tiktok.com/@peta_peta_anyo/video/7412980662874983688

When you think of Halloween, jack-o’-lanterns come to mind, right? For this craft, paint orange on black construction paper to create a jack-o’-lantern, then glue on the facial features.

Each child will end up with their own original pumpkin.

Once it’s finished, draw around the pumpkin with crayons to add to the Halloween atmosphere.

Drawing on black paper lets you enjoy a nighttime feel and experience a different sense of color, making it a uniquely Halloween kind of fun.

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mayumi

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Easy ghosts with paper towels

Here’s a quick and easy ghost-making idea.

All you need is a cup and some paper towels.

First, draw lines on the paper towel with water-based pens in any colors you like.

Any color combination or shape works.

Then drape the paper towel over an upside-down cup and sprinkle water on it to make the colors bleed.

You’ll see it transform into dreamy, ethereal hues.

After that, draw a face on it and you’re done.

Using a spray bottle when you moisten it can make the process even more fun.

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yamamoto

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Jack-o’-lantern made with salt painting

@s_sennsei_
Salt painting you can enjoy from age 1. Even Halloween ghosts aren’t scary ☺️#HandmadeToys Production Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #CapCut
Taisho Romance – YOASOBI

Do you know about salt painting? This activity uses salt, glue, and paint—it’s fun and so tactile that you’ll want to touch it.

The method is very simple: draw a picture on construction paper with glue, then sprinkle salt over it so it sticks.

Using a cotton swab, drop watercolor paint diluted with water onto the salted glue, and you’re done! You can enjoy watching the colored water soak in and the colors blend.

The sparkling salt stimulates imagination and expression, making it extra enjoyable.

You can start from around age one, so give it a try!

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mayumi

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Halloween garland

Let’s make a garland to decorate your room or walls and create a fun Halloween atmosphere.

The method is very simple: unfold an origami sheet that’s been folded into a triangle, then fold both sides inward into triangles so they line up along the center crease.

Apply glue to the small triangular flap at the top, place a string under it, and fold the flap down to secure it.

Draw ghosts, pumpkins, skulls, and other designs to match the color of each triangle.

Your colorful, cute garland is complete.

It will also look adorable displayed together with chenille stems (pipe cleaners) from the 100-yen shop.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Colorful Ghosts with Finger Painting

How about making colorful ghosts with finger painting? Finger painting is a technique where you paint using your fingers or hands.

This time, though, we’ll do it a bit differently: you’ll paint by touching the paint and paper through a food storage bag.

That way your hands won’t get messy.

Once you’ve roughly created a ghost silhouette, add eyes and a mouth at the end.

The impression changes depending on where you place them! For example, placing them close together can make it look like a full-body ghost, while spacing them farther apart can make it look like a close-up of the face.

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yamamoto

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