Toilet Paper Roll Halloween Crafts for Kids
Empty toilet paper rolls are one of the most useful free craft supplies in the house. With a little paint, paper and imagination, a plain cardboard tube can become a bat, a mummy, a black cat or a goofy monster. Toilet paper roll Halloween crafts are ideal for rainy October afternoons, classroom activities and party tables, and they are a fun way to show children how everyday recycling can be turned into something new.
Below you will find how to prepare your tubes, eight easy cardboard tube projects and some tips for getting the best results with children of different ages.
Getting Ready: Tubes and Supplies
Start collecting cardboard tubes a few weeks before Halloween. Kitchen roll tubes can be cut in half to give you two more. Discard any tubes that are damp or damaged, and store the rest somewhere dry.
- Cardboard tubes from toilet paper or kitchen rolls
- Acrylic or poster paint in black, white, orange, green and purple
- Construction paper or card in the same colors
- White glue, a glue stick and clear tape
- Scissors (child-safe scissors for younger kids)
- Googly eyes, pipe cleaners and markers
- White crepe paper, gauze or toilet paper (for mummies)
- Optional: glow sticks, string, tissue paper
Paint or wrap? Painting gives a smooth, bold finish but needs drying time. Wrapping tubes in colored paper is quicker and less messy, which makes it a better choice for large groups or very young children.
8 Toilet Paper Roll Halloween Crafts
1. Hanging Bats
Paint a tube black or wrap it in black paper. Fold the top edge of the tube inwards on both sides to make two pointed ears. Cut a pair of scalloped bat wings from black card and glue them to the back. Add googly eyes and a tiny pair of white paper fangs. Thread string through the top to hang your bats upside down from a shelf or curtain pole. For a fluffier bat, see our bat pom pom craft with free wing template.
2. Mummies
Wrap a tube in strips of white crepe paper, gauze or toilet paper, crossing them at angles and securing the ends with glue. Leave a small gap near the top and stick on two googly eyes peeping out. Mummies are perfect for younger children because there is no need for neat edges; the messier the wrapping, the better.
3. Black Cats
Cover a tube in black paper and fold in the top to create ears, just as for the bat. Draw or glue on yellow or green eyes, a pink nose and white whiskers. Cut a long, curly tail from black card and glue it to the back so it curls around the side.
4. Frankenstein's Monster
Paint or wrap the tube green. Glue a strip of black paper around the top with a zigzag edge for the hair. Add googly eyes, draw a stitched scar and a wide mouth, and push two short pieces of pipe cleaner or rolled paper into the sides for the neck bolts.
5. Owls
Fold the top of a brown or purple tube inwards to make ear tufts. Cut two large circles of white paper with smaller black circles on top for the eyes, add an orange triangle beak and glue on paper feathers or wings. Owls look lovely lined up on a windowsill. If your children enjoy owls, they might also like our Perler bead witch owl pattern.
6. Pumpkins
Cut a tube into rings about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide, paint them orange, then stack five or six rings side by side and tie them together through the middle with green string or a pipe cleaner. The rings fan out into a round pumpkin shape. Add a green paper leaf and a twisted brown paper stalk.
7. Witches
Wrap a tube in green paper for the face and body. Make a pointed hat by rolling a quarter-circle of black card into a cone and gluing it to a black paper circle brim, then fix it to the top of the tube. Glue strands of purple or orange yarn under the brim for hair and draw on a cheeky face.
8. Glowing Eyes in the Bushes
This is a favorite outdoor decoration. Draw pairs of spooky eye shapes on several tubes and cut them out carefully (an adult should do the cutting). Snap a glow stick, drop it into each tube and tuck the tubes among bushes or plant pots at dusk. The glowing eyes peep out of the darkness at trick-or-treaters. Never cut open glow sticks, and keep them away from small children.
Turn Your Tubes into Treat Holders
Cardboard tubes also make great party favors. Fold one end closed, fill the tube with small treats or stickers, then fold the other end and decorate it as a monster or mummy. For a reusable alternative, try sewing our felt pumpkin trick or treat bag.
Tips for Crafting with Kids
- Prepare in advance: base-coat or pre-wrap tubes the day before so children can go straight to decorating.
- Choose the right glue: glue sticks are less messy for little ones; white glue holds better for heavier pieces like wings.
- Adapt for age: toddlers can stick on pre-cut shapes and eyes, while older children can cut wings, draw faces and design their own characters.
- Watch small parts: googly eyes and pipe cleaner pieces are not suitable for children under three.
- Allow drying time: painted tubes need about 30 minutes before you add paper pieces, so plan another activity in between.
Display Ideas
Line up your finished characters along a mantel, hang bats from a branch in a vase, or group monsters together as a party table centerpiece. A row of tube mummies and black cats also looks great alongside our coffee filter ghosts.
Toilet Paper Roll Craft FAQs
Are toilet paper tubes clean enough for crafts?
Cardboard tubes from toilet paper and kitchen rolls are generally fine for crafting. Only use tubes that are dry and undamaged, store them in a clean box and ask children to wash their hands after crafting. If you prefer, plain craft tubes can be bought from craft stores instead.
How do I stop the paint soaking in?
Cardboard absorbs paint, so the first coat often looks patchy. Use a thicker acrylic or poster paint, apply a white base coat first, or simply wrap the tube in colored paper instead.
Recycled Fun for the Whole Family
Toilet paper roll Halloween crafts prove that you do not need expensive supplies to create memorable decorations. Save your tubes, choose a few characters and let children's creativity take over. For more simple projects, browse our Halloween crafts for kids and paper crafts.
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