Egg Carton Spiders

Skeletons, witches, ghosts … It’s that spooky time of year! Get into the Halloween spirit by creating some creepy (but cute) spiders using paper egg cartons, a dab of paint, and a few pipe cleaners. Cutting, painting, and decorating encourage growing creativity and develop fine motor skills. The spiders make adorable wall and table decorations, or a fun craft activity for a party or classroom.

What You Need:

• Paper egg carton
• Scissors
• Pipe cleaners
• Paint

What You Do:

1. Help your child cut out one of the sections from the egg carton to form the body of the spider.
2. Place the cut-out section on your workspace with the outside part facing up. Invite your child to paint it.
3. When the paint is dry, help her poke four small holes on each side. Insert a 3-4 inch length of pipe cleaner in each one and fold down on the inside to secure.
4. Bend each pipe cleaner leg in the middle to form spider-like legs.
5. Encourage her to draw or paint other details on the spider, such as eyes or spots.

For a spooktacular display, make several spiders and arrange them on a “web” of yarn or thinly stretched cotton. Hang the web on a wall or the front door to spook incoming guests and trick-or-treaters.