Easy Paper Jack-O’-Lantern Craft Project for Kids

Halloween is just around the corner, so what better way to get into the spooky spirit than with an easy and fun Paper Jack-O’-Lantern Craft for kids! This simple and creative art activity is perfect for children of all ages, exercises fine motor skills, and can be easily made at home, daycare, or in the classroom. 

With just a few simple craft supplies and a dash of imagination, your little ones can create their own charming pumpkin faces to enjoy for the Halloween season. So, grab some paper, scissors, and paint, and let’s dive in. It’s so much fun!

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Paper Jack-O’-Lantern Craft

October is the perfect month to engage kids in festive, hands-on crafting! Jack-O’-Lanterns are perhaps the quintessential symbol of Halloween, so what better way to celebrate than by making your own? This delightful paper craft is not only a great creative outlet for little hands, but it also allows them to join in the fun of making Halloween decor.

Additionally, cutting out the pumpkin shape and jack-o’-lantern facial features encourages fine motor skill development, enhancing hand-eye coordination and dexterity. This cute pumpkin craft strikes a balance between crafty fun and skill-building, making it an ideal and educational activity for preschoolers!

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Craft Supplies Needed

Before you start this fun Halloween craft with your little ones, make sure you’ve got all the right supplies.

• Jack-O’-Lantern Craft Template
• White paper or cardstock
• Washable paint
• Paper plates or plastic cups (for the paint)
• Paintbrushes
• Scissors
• Glue

Watch the Video Tutorial

Watch the video below to be walked through every step of this craft.

How Do You Make a Jack-O’-Lantern Out of Paper?

This Halloween paper craft is lots of fun for home or school. Follow the easy steps below to learn how to make it.

STEP 1: Download and print the Jack-O’-Lantern Craft Template. Our non-scary Jack-O’-Lantern Craft Template is available in our Teachers Pay Teachers shop! After purchasing the template, download it to your device and then print it on white cardstock. Each child will need one copy of the stem, mouth, and pumpkin outlines, and one copy of the leaves, eyes, and nose outlines.

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STEP 2: Paint the craft templates. Use markers, crayons, paint, or even dot markers to color the patterns! We used our favorite Crayola Washable Paint. Use whatever colors inspire you! Some of our favorite colors for this craft include orange, turquoise, or purple for the pumpkin, green or Granny Smith Apple for the stem and leaf, and black, and yellow or orange for the eyes, nose, and mouth. We topped the eyes, nose, and mouth with a layer of Crayola Glitter Medium for a little extra Halloween fun!

Alternatively, you could trace the templates on orange, yellow, or black construction paper to cut and glue.

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STEP 3: Cut the templates. When the paint is dry, use scissors to cut apart the pieces. Be sure to help or give young kids a little more time for this step. Older children will want to cut their own template out all by themselves.

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STEP 4: Put together the craft. We began by gluing the eyes, nose, and mouth to the pumpkin. Next, kids can glue the stem and leaf to the top of the pumpkin.

STEP 5: Your Jack-O’-Lantern Craft is complete! Kids will enjoy showing off their cute pumpkins to friends and family. What a great way to spend quality time with kids! Happy crafting!

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Take it Further

• Use this craft to decorate a Halloween bulletin board.
• Pull students into small groups of five, and invite them to use their jack-o’-lanterns to act out the song Five Little Pumpkins.
• Celebrate the fall season by taking a trip to a kid-friendly pumpkin patch, haunted house, or maze.
• Carve a real jack-o’-lantern!
• Pair this craft with a book about Halloween.
• Invite kids to make this craft at your harvest or Halloween party!
• Watch a Halloween movie, such as It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, while making this craft.
• Pumpkin Shapes – Identify all the shapes used to make this craft!
• Use a black marker to give your pumpkin mischievous eyebrows and warts.
• Grab your wide popsicle sticks and tape one to the back of the craft to make a pumpkin puppet!
• Turn this craft into a festive card by preparing a second jack-o’-lantern template and gluing it to the back. Write the message “Gourd Vibes Only!” or “Happy Halloween!” inside the card.
• Instead of cutting out the pumpkin’s eyes, dip a paper roll into black or yellow paint and stamp them on!
• Trace the shapes onto the small pumpkins, then cut them out. Place a flameless candle behind your craft to make it glow!
• This craft is the perfect way to celebrate National Pumpkin Day on October 26th and make it all about the letter P!
• Instead of painting this craft, découpage it with glue and colored tissue paper.
• Staple a string to the top of your pumpkin and hang it in your bedroom.
• Play “Halloween Dance and Freeze” to the song Time Warp.
• Laminate your child’s painted pumpkin, leaf, and stem, then invite them to draw on their own spooky faces over and over again with a dry erase marker.
• Instead of using the provided paper eyes for your adorable pumpkin, try using plastic googly eyes!
• Offer this craft as a make-and-take at your community library or nature center program.
• Encourage kids to come up with a creative name and story for their jack-o’-lantern!
• Make our cute Ghost Craft to go with your pumpkin, then hang them up together!

More Jack-O’-Lantern Crafts for Kids

Looking for more great ideas? These easy crafts are fun for kids of all ages.

• Coffee Filter Jack-O’-Lantern Suncatcher
• Jack-O’-Lantern Nightlight Jars
• Paper Plate Jack-O’-Lantern Craft
• Terracotta Planter Jack-O’-Lantern Craft
• Positive and Negative Space Jack-O’-Lantern Craft from Buggy and Buddy