Cut a black paper rectangle about 8 inches wide and 5 inches tall. An adult helps cut a separate 3-inch-tall body from black cardstock: a simple oval with two broad pointed ears at the top.
Starting at the bottom long edge, fold a strip about half an inch deep. Flip the paper and fold again, repeating the back-and-forth pattern to make a long, narrow accordion. Press each crease firmly.
Pinch the accordion at its center and wrap a small piece of tape around that center. Gently spread the folds on the left and right into two fan-shaped wings while leaving the middle narrow.
Glue the cardstock body vertically over the taped center, then draw two white eyes. Let the glue set before placing the bat on a shelf or attaching it to a wall with a surface-safe removable adhesive.
A little help: Keep the project as a wall or tabletop decoration. Skip loose hanging cords and real lights or candles, and use adult help for cutting the ears.
Make a friendly green monster crown with enormous paper eyes, purple horns, and a grin your child designs. Then invent a silly monster walk for a living-room parade.
25 min hands-on · 1 or more makers Ages 3–4 with a grown-up; older children can make their own
Fill a paper cauldron with pretend fizzy bubbles, crinkled tissue, and little yellow stars. Everything stays on the page: a colorful witches-and-wizards project with no mixing or heat.
35 min hands-on · 1 or more makers Ages 6+ with a grown-up nearby
Let a toddler explore orange paint on a big paper pumpkin, then choose a friendly face together. There is no carving and no need to stay inside the lines.
25 min hands-on · 1–4 makers, each with an adult nearby Ages 2–4 with a hands-on adult throughout
