Party Whammy

24 Halloween shapes to draw and cut

Print the drawing instructions or pick another shape. These cards describe the designs; they do not contain cut-out outlines.

Random drawing prompt

Draw one when the room is ready

Bat - fold, draw one scalloped wing and two ear points, cut, unfold to a 6-inch wingspan

Motifs: fliers and night sky

Draw your chosen outline on paper before cutting. Use a fold for symmetrical shapes and a full outline for uneven shapes.

  1. Bat - fold, draw one scalloped wing and two ear points, cut, unfold to a 6-inch wingspan
  2. Ghost - fold, draw half a sheeted body with a wavy hem, cut, unfold and dot two marker eyes
  3. Crow - fold, draw a hunched half-bird with a wedge beak, cut, unfold with wings mid-flap
  4. Owl - fold, draw half a round body with ear tufts, cut, unfold and add two big circle eyes
  5. Crescent moon - draw and cut a full crescent outline, then tape a small star inside the curve
  6. Witch on a broom - draw a full side-view outline with a pointed hat and broom, then cut it out
  7. Bent witch hat - fold, draw half a drooping cone over a wide brim, cut, unfold
  8. Star cluster - fold, cut one 4-point star, then tape two smaller ones beside it on the string

Motifs: classic Halloween shapes

Draw faces after cutting, or use colored paper and add details with markers.

  1. Pumpkin - fold, draw half a fat circle with a stubby stem, cut, unfold, then draw the zigzag face
  2. Black cat - fold, draw half a sitting cat with a triangle ear, cut and unfold; add a hooked paper tail on one side
  3. Spider - cut a round body and eight thin paper legs; glue four legs to each side
  4. Skull - fold, draw half a rounded skull with a jaw notch, cut, unfold and add circle eyes
  5. Candy corn - fold, draw the pointed triangle on the fold, cut, then stripe it yellow, orange, and white
  6. Haunted house - fold, draw half a roofline with two chimneys and a door, cut, unfold to a full skyline
  7. Tombstone - fold, cut the rounded half-top and leave RIP blank for kids to letter in silver crayon
  8. Cauldron - fold, draw half a round pot with one foot, cut and unfold; add a third foot in the middle and two paper bubbles above

Motifs: silly extras and fillers

Mix these characters with pumpkins, ghosts or stars along the twine.

  1. Frankenstein - fold, draw half a square head with flat hair and a neck bolt, cut, unfold
  2. Mummy - fold, cut a head shape, then wrap it with two thin white paper strips glued on
  3. Vampire - fold, draw half a high collar with a pointed cape edge, cut, unfold and dot two fangs
  4. Scarecrow - fold, draw half a patchwork head with straw fringe, cut, unfold and color the patches
  5. One-eyed monster - fold, draw half a wobbly blob with both arms up, cut, unfold, add one giant eye
  6. Apple with a worm - fold and cut an apple outline, unfold and cut a bite from one side; curl a green paper strip through the bite
  7. Potion bottle - fold, draw half a bottle with a cork, cut, unfold and glue a paper star bubble
  8. Corner web - fold the sheet into quarters, cut notches along the folds, unfold to a web wedge

Halloween paper garland templates

Make an orange, black and purple paper chain, or string pumpkins, bats and ghosts along twine. The printable pack above has 24 drawing prompts to help you sketch the figures. Below are strip sizes, assembly instructions, blank measurement notes and an example craft schedule for eight children. The pack prints instructions, not ready-made cut-out outlines.

What would you like to make? A paper chain A garland of paper figures

Cut strips and measure your paper chain

Mark the 11-inch side of a letter sheet at one-inch intervals, then cut across the 8.5-inch width. You will have eleven strips, each 1 by 8.5 inches. Try orange, black and purple in that order, repeating the sequence as you link the rings.

With a one-inch overlap, each strip makes a ring with a 7.5-inch circumference. That is the distance around the ring, not the length it adds to the chain. The ring shape, interlocking links and droop all affect how far the chain reaches. A swag does not always need twice the distance between its ends.

Make ten links with the paper and overlap you plan to use. Hold the sample in the shape you want and measure its reach. Divide the target length by that measurement, multiply by ten and round up for a starting strip count. Measure again as the chain grows.

Example only: If ten links reach 24 inches in your chosen hanging shape, a six-foot target suggests 72 ÷ 24 × 10 = 30 strips. A ten-foot target suggests 120 ÷ 24 × 10 = 50 strips. At eleven strips per sheet, those counts need three and five sheets respectively, before allowing for color choices or spares. The 24-inch sample is illustrative, not a tested measurement for these strips.

Count sheets separately for each color: divide that color’s strip count by eleven and round up. The Christmas paper-chain instructions offer other repeating color patterns for a winter garland.

Draw and cut the Halloween shapes

Use Print all 24 in the pack above to print the drawing prompts. For a simple start, draw a pumpkin, ghost or bat. A pumpkin can begin as half an oval beside a fold, with half a stem at the top. Cut and unfold it, then draw a face. A ghost uses a rounded top and wavy hem; a bat uses pointed ears and a scalloped wing on each side.

Use a fold for shapes with matching left and right halves. Draw a complete outline for an uneven shape, such as a crescent moon or a witch riding a broom. If you want children to trace shapes, draw and cut a sample beforehand.

Aim for figures about 5–6 inches tall, adjusting wider designs to the paper. Try two outlines on a letter sheet before drawing the rest. Six sheets can hold twelve figures; twelve sheets can hold all 24 designs if two fit on each sheet. Colored orange, purple or green paper lets children add faces without coloring the whole figure.

Copy paper works for chains. For figures, try 90–120 gsm paper, or card stock for pieces you want to keep. Make a sample with the paper you have to see how easily it folds and holds its shape.

If your group would rather make characters to take home, look at the Halloween paper puppet craft. For a separate winter project, the Christmas puppet instructions and paper gingerbread house craft offer other paper builds.

How to assemble the two garlands

  1. Curve one strip into a ring and overlap the ends by one inch. Tape the overlap closed.
  2. Pass the next strip through the closed ring before taping its ends together.
  3. Repeat your color sequence. Compare the growing chain with the place it will hang before adding the final rings.

Attach the figures to twine

Leave a one-inch tab above each outline when drawing it. Cut around the figure and its tab, then fold the tab behind the figure. This hanging tab is separate from any center fold used to draw a symmetrical shape. Glue the tab over the twine and press it closed according to the adhesive instructions.

For a six-foot decorated length, cut eight feet of twine: six feet for figures and one foot at each end for tying. Arrange twelve figures six inches apart, starting three inches inside the decorated length and ending three inches before its other end. Lay them out before gluing so you can change the order.

Hold the finished garland where you intend to hang it and adjust the droop. Try tape supports about every two feet, adding more if needed. If using painter’s tape, follow its surface and removal instructions rather than assuming it will peel cleanly from every wall.

Get the supplies ready

Print these notes and fill them in before cutting the full batch. The printable party games guide also covers keeping setup notes where another helper can find them.

  • Paper in your chosen colors, plus spare sheets.
  • Ruler, pencil and scissors for the guests who will cut.
  • Tape for chain overlaps and glue for figure tabs.
  • Twine measured for the decorated length and tying ends.
  • Markers or crayons for faces and other details.
  • Printed drawing prompts and any outlines you have prepared.
  • A scrap bowl at each station and a place for finished pieces.

Garland measurements to print and fill in

DetailYour notes
Where the garland will hang______________________________
Target chain reach: 72 inches, 120 inches or another length______________________________
Ten-link sample reach in inches______________________________
Estimated strip count______________________________
Color sequence and strips of each color______________________________
Sheets of each color and spare sheets______________________________
Figure count and chosen designs______________________________
Decorated twine length and tying ends______________________________
Adult helping with cutting or stringing______________________________

Before party day, make a sample chain and one figure, prepare outlines or cut parts for guests who need help, and sort the paper by station. For more on deciding which steps children can do themselves, see craft party activities.

An example 40-minute craft for eight children

Put two children at each of four stations: counting strips, linking rings, cutting figures and attaching figures to twine. Have sample work at each station and some prepared figures at the stringing station so its first pair can begin before the cutting pair finishes. An adult can hold the twine and help close tabs.

Example rotation schedule: four ten-minute rounds, 40 minutes total. Label the pairs A, B, C and D. Move each pair to the next station when the round ends; the pair at stringing returns to counting.

  1. 0:00–0:10: A counts strips, B links rings, C cuts figures and D attaches prepared figures to twine.
  2. 0:10–0:20: A links rings, B cuts figures, C strings figures and D counts strips.
  3. 0:20–0:30: A cuts figures, B strings figures, C counts strips and D links rings.
  4. 0:30–0:40: A strings figures, B counts strips, C links rings and D cuts figures.

Demonstrate the steps before the timed rounds. Allow extra time afterward for adhesive to hold, hanging and clearing scraps; completion is not guaranteed in 40 minutes. If you are hosting alone and several children need help cutting, keep everyone on one step at a time instead of running four stations.

Guests who prefer a seated activity without cutting can try Halloween silly story sheets. For readers who finish early, Halloween word games offer another table activity.

What to do after the garland craft

Clear the craft supplies before starting the next activity. Pick something that fits the time and space you have:

Halloween paper garland questions

How many strips do I need for a six-foot paper chain?

Measure a ten-link sample in the hanging shape you want. Divide 72 inches by that measurement, multiply by ten and round up. This gives a starting count; check the growing chain against the space before finishing.

Does the print button give me cut-out templates?

No. Print all 24 prints the drawing instructions shown in the pack. Draw the outlines yourself, or prepare outlines for children to trace. The page does not include a downloadable outline sheet.

How many sheets do I need for twelve paper figures?

Six sheets hold twelve outlines if you can fit two on each sheet. Twelve sheets hold one of each of the 24 designs. Test the layout first because wider shapes may need more room.

How far apart should I put the figures?

For the six-foot decorated length in the example, place twelve figures at six-inch intervals, with the first and last three inches from the ends. Cut eight feet of twine to leave a one-foot tying end on each side.

Will painter’s tape leave marks?

A clean removal cannot be guaranteed for every wall finish. Check the tape maker’s surface and removal instructions before using it. The garland may also need extra support depending on its weight and where it hangs.