Halloween is a time for spooky fun, and what better way to celebrate than with an expressive kids’ ghost craft? This paper ghost art project is not only a great way to get into the Halloween spirit, but it also provides an opportunity for kids to explore their creativity and learn about different art mediums.
Do you know what a ghost looks like? Well, here’s the secret that makes this naturally lovely autumn art project eerily successful…NONE of us know for sure…! So the opportunities for imaginative interpretations are literally endless.
By beginning with ghost illustrations that use the simplest of lines and shapes (a smudge, a scribble, a big inkblot, a stamp, torn paper, etc.) and encourage free and loose marks, kids can focus on the emotive expressions of the ghosts.
This ghost art project provides an excellent opportunity to investigate emotion in art and explore new or unconventional tools & methods to create them. Just look at this little gallery of moody and evocative phantoms we created simply by using a few different art techniques!
Beyond that, a wonderful way to teach your kiddos how to incorporate scrap, recycled, and natural materials into their work!
In the mood to make more Halloween art? Try our paint potions art lab and 2D magic potion compositions, or stamp a patch of potato and apple print jack-o-lanterns.
To make your own scrap paper ghost art you’ll need:
BASIC SUPPLIES:
- A piece of cardboard, cereal box, or heavy card stock
- Scrap paper pieces
- Mark-making materials
- Scissors
- A glue stick
- Sticks and twigs for decoration
- A hot glue gun
- String, twine, or a ribbon
MARK-MAKING SUPPLIES:
- Vine charcoal or charcoal pencils
- Chalk
- Soft pastels or oil pastels
- A pencil eraser or kneaded eraser
- Paint or watercolors
- Simple stamps
- Ink and an eyedropper, brush, or bamboo reed pen (like this)
How to Make Scrap Paper Ghost Art – DIY Instructions:
Tear assorted scrap paper pieces into small squares.
Grab a few different colors of scrap paper and rip them into small squares (ours were about 2 inches by 2 or 3 inches).
You can also experiment with using different textures (like paper bag scraps or homemade paper pieces) to add another interesting visual element to your ghost art!
Use different mediums to draw ghosts onto your paper scraps.
Oh, the possibilities! You can use all different kinds of supplies to make simple shapes, scribbles, or smudges into ghosts.
Scroll down for a few specific techniques that we found work especially well for ghosts.
Arrange your paper ghosts on a piece of cardboard and glue.
Pick a few of your favorite ghost illustrations (around 4-9) and arrange them on a piece of cardboard or heavy card stock.
We laid ours out in vertical and horizontal rows so that we could easily incorporate a few sticks and twigs to create “frames”. Use a glue stick or craft glue to affix your scrap paper ghosts to the cardboard.
Add decorative twigs and leaves with a hot glue gun.
Use a hot glue gun to add sticks, twigs, or leaves to create natural autumn “framing” around each ghost.
Attach a piece of twine or ribbon to the back of your ghost craft to hang.
Using glue or tape, affix twine, string, or ribbon to the back to hang.
And just like that, you have a fun, handmade ode to October!
Ghost Art Mark-Making Ideas
Need a few mark-making pointers? Here are some of our favorite methods of creating spooky, artful ghosts…
- Ink and a brush, bamboo pen, or similar will create great ink blots or sharp thin lines.
- Working with younger kids or attempting to avoid a messy ink situation? Use liquid watercolors instead!
- Charcoal, soft pastels, chalk, and an eraser make the loveliest, softest squiggles, scribbles, and smudges.
Tips for Creating Your Paper Ghost Art
1. Use Different Types of Paper
Don’t limit yourself to just one type of paper. Different types of paper can add different textures and visual interest to your ghost art project. For example, you could use construction paper, newspaper, tissue paper, or even old book pages. Experiment with different types and colors of paper to see what effects you can create.
2. Encourage Creativity
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to create a ghost. Encourage kids to use their imagination and create their own unique interpretations of what a ghost looks like. This can be a great opportunity to talk about emotions and expressions, as kids can give their ghosts different facial expressions to convey different emotions.
3. Incorporate Natural Elements
Adding sticks, twigs, or leaves to your ghost art can give it a unique, autumnal feel. This can also be a great opportunity to talk about the changing seasons and why leaves change color and fall off trees in the autumn. Once finished, you can use any leftover ghosts as part of a Halloween-inspired nature collage!
4. Make Your Ghost Craft from Recycled Materials
This ghost project is a wonderful opportunity to teach kids about the importance of recycling. Instead of using new paper, consider using recycled materials like old newspapers, magazines, or junk mail. This not only makes the project more eco-friendly, it also adds an interesting visual element to your ghosts.
5. Add a Personal Touch to Your Ghost Art
Encourage kids to add a personal touch to their ghosts. They could draw faces on their ghosts, give them names, or even write a short story about each ghost. This can make the project more engaging and meaningful for kids.
6. Create a Ghostly Gallery
If you’re doing this project with multiple kids, consider creating a gallery of paper ghost crafts! Once all the ghost displays are finished, hang them on a wall or bulletin board. This can be a fun way to showcase everyone’s hard work and creativity.
7. Safety First
Remember to supervise younger children when using scissors or a hot glue gun for their ghost craft. Always prioritize safety when doing crafts with kids.
10 Ways to Use Your Mixed Media Paper Ghosts for Halloween Craft Projects
- Make Halloween Greeting Cards: Kids can use their paper ghosts to create unique Halloween greeting cards. Simply glue the ghost onto a folded piece of cardstock and decorate it with Halloween-themed doodles or messages.
- Create a Ghost Garland: String together the paper ghosts to create a festive Halloween garland. This can be hung in a doorway, across a fireplace, or along the edge of a table.
- Use for a Ghostly Halloween Storybook: Kids can use their paper ghosts as characters in their own Halloween storybook. They can write and illustrate a spooky story, using the ghosts in different scenes.
- Make a Paper Ghost Mobile: Attach the paper ghosts to a hanger or a stick with string to create a ghostly mobile. This can be hung in a window or from the ceiling for a spooky Halloween decoration.
- Put on a Halloween Shadow Puppet Show: Attach a stick to each ghost and use them as shadow puppets for a Halloween-themed puppet show.
- Craft Ghostly Bookmarks: Trim the ghosts into a bookmark shape, punch a hole at the top, and add a ribbon. Now, kids have a spooky bookmark for their favorite Halloween stories.
- Make a Halloween Scrapbook: Kids can use their paper ghosts in a Halloween scrapbook, documenting their Halloween activities, costumes, and memories.
- Create Ghostly Window Decorations: Attach the paper ghosts to a window with a bit of tape. When backlit, they’ll create a spooky scene for passersby.
- Make Halloween Placemats: Laminate the paper ghosts and use them as placemats for a Halloween-themed dinner or party.
- Make Phantom Magnets: Attach a small magnet to the back of each paper ghost. Kids can then use them to hold up Halloween artwork or important notes on the fridge.
More Ghost Art Projects for Kids
Turn a little piece of scrap fabric into the cutest DIY ghost craft you’ve ever seen! From standalone light-up mini ghosts to phantom mobiles and eerie terrariums – you can scare up ALL kinds of ghostly decor.
Use our printable Halloween picture frames as a ghost drawing prompt! Fill the eerie set of frames with hand-drawn portraits of the fabulous phantoms that haunt the houses where the frames hang.
For kids who like peeling and sticking, print out a set of DIY ghost stickers (bonus points for making your own homemade Ecto-Cooler, complete with throwback juice “boxes” you can decorate with your mini ghosties).
More Halloween Paper Art and Craft Ideas for Kids
- Combine torn paper with old family photos or school pictures for an absolutely hilarious werewolf kids’ craft!
- Use our printable kit to design your own haunted house (a great companion project for our little paper ghosts who would love to haunt the halls!).
- Craft a stylish set of witch or warlock boots.
- For another opportunity to explore mixed media with a Halloween theme, try making our bendable paper bats.
*A note about affiliate links: We strive to use simple, earth-friendly supplies that can be purchased locally whenever we can, but sometimes we find the best universally available options, a rare eco-friendly find, or a niche product only available on Blick Art Materials, Amazon, Etsy, or Woodpeckers Crafts. When included in our supply list, these products are affiliate links, and if you click through to make a purchase we receive a small commission that helps us re-order these supplies!
