Halloween Spider Craft for Kids

Spider Craft for Kids using Recycled Egg Carton

Kids love to make crafts as much as their parents do. This craft especially draws out the giggles because children are making a creep-crawling spider from a recycled material everyone is familiar with: the cardboard egg carton!

Although good for all ages, my children (all 5 years-of-age and younger) had some difficulty with scissors and the whole punch. I made notes of when a particular step should be done by an adult... hopefully to make your life easier while making this otherwise kid-friendly craft.

Spider Craft for Kids Ingredients

Craft Ingredients (See Picture):

* (1) 12-count (or HIGHER!) cardboard Egg Carton
* (1) Tube of water-based Black Paint
* (1) Paint Brush for each child
* (4) Black fuzzy Pipe Cleaners for each spider
* (1) Pair of Scissors
* (1) Hole Punch or other paper-piercing tool
* (1) Pair of Wire Cutters (optional)


Directions:

 1.) Cut out each individual egg-holding shell from your recycled cardboard egg carton. This can be tricky, so if you kids still have difficulty with their fine motor skills, this should be done by an adult. Once every shell is cut out, trim the bottom of the shell so that it sits evenly on a flat surface.

Punched Leg Openings

2.) Using a hole punch (another prep-work item for an adult with strong hands) or other sharp paper piercing tool, make four openings on two opposite sides of the egg shell for the legs of your future creep-crawling black spider.

3.) Paint your favorite shade of color, though I most certainly recommend BLACK paint... makes the craft project for kids (and adults!) more entertaining and creepy. Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour to dry.

The Belly of the Beast

4.) Time to make the legs! Take four black fuzzy pipe cleaners and, using your scissors or wire cutters, cut the pipe cleaners in half. Now you should have eight black fuzzy pipe cleaners for the eight spider legs. Bend each leg in half making an upside down letter "V". For a little bit of fun,  make a "foot" on one side of each letter "V"  by bending a small amount of pipe cleaner to the side.

5.) Insert all black fuzzy pipe cleaners into each leg opening. Twist two side-by-side pipe cleaners together on the inside of the shell of the recycled egg carton to hold the legs in place. Turn your new spider right-side-up and adjust legs. Place in any nook in your home that needs a little more creepiness this Halloween holiday season. If the kids didn't have enough enjoyment from making the spiders, this step can be particularly fun as they prepare to scar their family and friends.

Finished Spider Craft for Kids