Seasonal Activities

Free Halloween Crafts: Painted Leaf Ghosts and Bats

Collect leaves on an autumn walk, paint them white or black, and turn them into a flock of ghosts and bats.

Updated 7 September 2023

Painted leaves turned into Halloween ghosts and bats

Quick answer

Paint collected leaves white for ghosts or black for bats, let them dry, then add eyes and teeth. Ages 3 to 7, about 20 minutes plus the walk.

What could be better than using the leaves little ones love to pick up? Encourage your child to collect some beautiful leaves in the park, then paint them into spooky ghosts and bats. Painting with a brush develops hand-eye coordination, and choosing colours and designs supports their creativity.

1. Painted leaf ghosts and bats

Collect leaves on a walk, paint them white or black, and turn them into ghosts and bats with eyes and teeth.

Best forPainting, nature collecting and creativity
Age3 to 7
Time20 minutes, plus a walk and drying
Mess levelMedium
DifficultyEasy
CostUnder £2

You will need

A variety of leaves
White and black paint
Paintbrush
Paper and paper towel
Googly eyes and white card (optional)

How to set it up

Go for a walk and collect some leaves.
Paint the leaves white for ghosts or black for bats, and let them dry.
Decorate with eyes and teeth.

Why it helps

Painting with a brush develops hand-eye coordination and strengthens fingers, and choosing colours and designs supports creativity. The walk to collect leaves is part of the activity.