Every year we end up with an abundance of autumn leaves lying around and crafting with them during Halloween is something that our family looks forward to each year! This post is an update to the Halloween activity blog post from two years ago, since last year we also made bats in addition to our yearly ghosts and I thought they should be together in one place. This is a fun project for a wide age range– toddlers can enjoy the painting portion of it, and older children can get creative with the details. After Halloween each year we store our ghosts in a box and take them out the following year. Not all of them make it since some leaves are a lot more delicate than others, but a majority of them do! You can use any thick paint, such as acrylic or tempera paint.

How to make leaf ghosts

Go on a nature walk and collect large leaves. We are using oak leaves, and our leaves are pressed and dried but you can also use freshly collected leaves. If you’re doing this project with toddlers then fresh leaves are likely a better option since they are less likely to become damaged in the process. Paint the base of the leaf with a white paint, then add the eye and mouth details. During previous years when Elliot was younger I would let him coat the leaves in paint then add the mouth and eye details for him. Now that he’s older, we sit together and make our own alongside one another.

How to make leaf bats

Go on a nature walk and collect large leaves. We are using maple leaves because I feel that the shape of them work perfectly for the shape of a bat, and our leaves are pressed and dried. You can also use freshly collected leaves, which would be ideal for younger children or toddlers since they are not as fragile. Paint the base of the leaf with a black or dark brown paint, then add the base of the eyes and fangs using white paint. Add a dot to each eye using black or dark brown paint. Use scissors or an xacto knife to cut the ears out on the top of the leaf.