With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to think about spook-tacular ways to decorate your home for your little ones and what your Halloween decor plans will be for this year.
Truthfully, coming up with kid-friendly Halloween decor ideas can be a real nightmare. (Pun intended, of course.) If you’re looking for a few ideas that are kind of creepy but mostly cute, and won’t scare the neighborhood children when they come to trick-or treat, please enjoy these fun and easy kids Halloween decoration ideas. These suggestions will transform your home into a Halloween wonderland without breaking a sweat or causing a meltdown from terrified little ones.
Our kids are older now and lean into the spooky mood of the holiday a little more with bats, witches, and tombstones, but there’s an incident involving a scary “haunted” telephone from a Halloween party one year that we’ll never forget. Set the tone without bringing on tears this year with these Halloween ideas that the kids will love.
Outdoor Halloween Decor: Dried Corn Stalk Bundles
Set an ever-so-slightly spooky tone starting with the front door by using bundles of eerie dried corn stalks, either harvested from your summer garden or purchased at the farmer’s market. When it comes to outdoor Halloween decorations, corn stalks create an instant autumnal atmosphere without being outright scary and are the perfect backdrop to friendly a jack-o-lantern and smiling ghosts. Not a single mummy, skeleton, or skull to cause is required to create the perfect no fright entryway.
Get the tutorial: How to Dry Corn Stalks From the Garden for Fall Decor
Craft a Wreath in Black
This simple DIY embroidery hoop wreath is so easy to make that little hands can actually help out with this project, except for the hot-glue. Find a small faux crow with soft feathers to ensure little ones find it more cute than creepy. Dollar store supplies in black come together in this adorable spider web, leaf, and crow wreath that will delight trick-or-treaters when they come to your front porch in their costumes. Wreaths make great Halloween crafts to display proudly on your front door for everyone to see.
Get the tutorial: Embroidery Hoop Halloween Wreath
Unique, Charming, Warty Pumpkins
Sure, at first they look like something you’d find growing in the garden of a ghoulish fairy tale wicked witch, but on closer inspection, these warty pumpkins are actually kind of endearing. Their weirdness is what makes them so great for children; they encourage you to slow down and take a closer look to figure out just what in the world is going on there. Truly a great addition to your front porch if you can find a local pumpkin grower who specializes in interesting varieties.
See more from this farmhouse fall porch: Autumn Front Porch Decorated With Interesting Pumpkins
Cute Halloween Decor: Baby Boo Planter
When it’s time to switch out summer planters for something more appropriate for fall and start planning your Halloween decorating ideas, consider this cute and affordable planter decoration idea featuring the Jack O’ Lantern’s diminutive, ghostly cousin, the baby boo pumpkin. Kids and kids-at-heart alike will be delighted to see this display overflowing with mini pumpkins or gourds.
Get the tutorial here: Inexpensive Oversized Fall Porch Planter Idea
A Friendly Face
If you’re looking for fast and easy ideas for Halloween, draw a quick smiley face on a row of baby boo pumpkins for your mantel or shelf, and you’re sure to set a friendly tone. Use a basic Sharpie marker for these and they’ll definitely make all the Gen Z and Gen Alphas in your life smile.
See also: Fall Front Porch Decor That You Can Grow or Gather
Cookie Cutter Crusty Pie Toppers
Don’t forget to decorate your Halloween treats this season. Take your pumpkin pie or other pumpkin desserts to a new level by using Halloween cookie cutters to create spooky shapes with leftover pie crust. It’s like giving your dessert a “Hocus Pocus” makeover – the perfect addition to your Halloween party spread. Make the shapes as spooky or not spooky as you like.
Get the recipe: Perfect Plant-Based Pumpkin Pie
Make Your Own Patch of Paper Pumpkins
Looking for a fun and festive Halloween craft to do with your kids? Why not try making paper pumpkins? All you need is some scrapbooking paper to match your decor, twigs from the yard, and some scissors and glue. Cut the paper into strips and glue the ends together to form a circle. Your kids will love making these cute and easy decorations for the holiday season!
Get the tutorial: Easy Paper Pumpkin Craft
Eye-Catching Reverse-Painted Pumpkins
Try this modern variation instead of Halloween pumpkin carving. No sharp tools or candles are required and no one will have the dirty job of scooping out the pumpkin guts (unless they want to make candied pumpkin seeds, of course). All that’s needed is some craft paint, painter’s tape, and some paintbrushes. Try painting the pumpkins in different colors to match your Halloween decorating scheme.
Get the tutorial: Reverse Painted Pumpkins
DIY Scrap Wood Ghosts and Pumpkins
Raid the garage for scraps of wood leftover from other projects to make your own front yard Halloween decorations. These sturdy decorations will last for years to come, and your kids will love knowing that they helped build them when you put them out every year.
Get the step-by-step: DIY Scrap Wood Ghosts
Wood Scrap Candy Corn Decor
Whether you love actual candy corn or you just love to hate it, you have to admit that these candy corn decorations are pretty cute. Make these from leftover 2×4 scrap wood and a little craft paint in white, orange, and yellow.
Get the how-to: Candy Corn Decor Made From 2×4 Wood Scraps
Halloween Decor Surprise: Halloween Candy Soup Tureen
If you have a fun seasonal soup tureen but never seem to get around to actually serving soup in it, repurpose it by hiding a Halloween candy surprise inside. Display it prominently on a table in a high-traffic area in your home, and wait to see how long it takes the little ones to discover the treat hidden inside.
See also: How to Grow Your Own Pumpkin Patch
Draped Spiderweb Lace
Lacey spiderweb tablecloths and runners are easy to find at the craft store and usually quite inexpensive, but these props pack a bewitching punch when it comes to turning your home into a (slightly) haunted house in a matter of seconds. Drape Halloween fabric over lampshades, chandeliers, stair railings, exterior door frames, and course tables to set the mood.
See also: The Best Quick and Easy Fall Front Porch Decor Ideas
Edible Halloween Decor: Halloween Sprinkle Sticks
Part crafty table decoration, part Halloween treat, these sprinkle sticks will get excited looks from little ones every time. Display them standing upright in a small cup on a buffet table to add a sense of whimsy and a great pop of Halloween color.
Get the recipe: Halloween Sprinkle Sticks
The Dollar Store FTW! Dollar Store Fall Decor Ideas
These dollar store home decor posts have become some of my most well-read home decor posts, so I’m excited to share some more ideas for how to decorate your home using these affordable finds in today’s look at dollar store fall decor. The idea is that we often think of the dollar store as somewhere to find “cheap ‘n cheerful” disposable junk, but I’ve realized over the years that quite a few things I’ve bought at the dollar store have actually stood the test of time.
Get the ideas: Top 10 Dollar Store Fall Decor Finds
You Have No Business Calling Yourself a PSL Fan Unless You’ve Made This Recipe
This dairy free pumpkin spice creamer is a great, healthy way to enjoy your favorite pumpkin coffee beverages at home or on-the-go this fall season! It’s so easy to make and the fresh pumpkin flavor that you get when you make your own this way is so much better than any store-bought pumpkin coffee drink.
Get the recipe: Homemade Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer for Coffee
Already Planning for Christmas? These 10 Cookie Recipes Will Instantly Upgrade Your Holiday Baking Game
Try these recipes for plant-based Christmas cookies to put together a cookie tray that everyone at your gathering can enjoy together this year! Everyone deserves delightful cookies at Christmas time, no matter what their particular dietary needs are, and if you’re the kind person who brings the cookies that everyone can enjoy, you’ll definitely be very much appreciated. Here are some of my favorite plant-based Christmas cookies that I’ve shared over the years.
Get the recipes: 10 Easy Plant-Based Christmas Cookies
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.