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How to Make Easy DIY Outdoor Halloween Decorations

Like spooky Halloween decor, but have small kids? Check out these 3 tips to create easy DIY outdoor Halloween decorations that are simple and affordable.

If you’re like us, we enjoy some spooky decorating at Halloween. However, we’ve got small children so it can’t be too scary. We surely wouldn’t want to keep them from sleeping, right?

No parent would EVER want a child not to sleep. Yikes! THAT is scary. So, we found a way to make easy DIY outdoor Halloween decorations without scaring our kids!

Kid-Friendly Halloween Decoration Ideas

**Amazon Affiliate links are included in this post.

So, how did we mesh spooky with kid friendly? Let’s take a tour…

DIY Outdoor Halloween Decorations

TIP #1: Ravens & Spiders instead of Ghouls & Goblins

Skip the scarier Halloween icons for critters like owls, ravens, and spiders. Now, let’s be honest, most adults are probably more afraid of spiders than zombies. Spiders are actually real, folks! Eek!

However, for a kiddo, those found-in-nature creatures are already familiar. Even though a black crow might feel a little spooky, it’s not an unknown scary goblin. If you do have a ghoul… choose the friendlier types — like our “Halloween” Mummy sign.

A decorative crow figurine used as a DIY outdoor halloween decoration

An outdoor Halloween sign reading "I would turn back if I were you!"

A fall flower arrangement and crow figurine used as DIY outdoor Halloween decorations.

Flying bird adhesives on the side of a house used for DIY outdoor Halloween decorations

Cute pumpkin display and wooden mummy sign used as DIY outdoor Halloween decorations

TIP #2: Black Contact Paper is Cheap… & Spooky!

I bought this giant roll (75 ft long!) of black contact paper 4 years ago, and I’m still using it. For Halloween, I cut out trees, ravens, and owls to use on the windows and doors.

Ravens

To make the birds, I used my Cricut in combination with the Sentimentals cartridge (note: if you buy the new Cricut, you don’t even need cartridges; but I have an older version).

Tree Silhouettes

The tree silhouettes were too large for a machine, obviously. To make trees:

  1. Measure the size of the window.
  2. Cut sections of contact paper to fit the window.
  3. Tape 2 or more sections of contact paper side by side, if the window is wider than standard width contact paper.
  4. Flip over the contact paper.
  5. Draw the tree outline on the backside of the contact paper.
  6. Cut out the silhouettes.

Grab the kids to help apply the decals onto the windows. We created a spooky scene by placing owls in the trees and ravens flying across the front door. By the way, I love to include the kids when we are decorating the yard for Halloween – they also enjoyed this DIY Halloween Tombstone project.

At night, light shining through the windows gives a dramatic effect to the dark silhouettes. I love that this idea is so versatile… make pumpkin faces, monsters, or ghosts, for example.

Spooky Halloween Decorations for Kids

Fall wreath and flying bird adhesives used as DIY outdoor Halloween decorations

Bird adhesives on house as DIY outdoor Halloween decorations

Kid-Friendly Halloween Decoration Ideas

DIY outdoor Halloween spider web and window adhesive decorations

TIP #3: Dollar Store Spider Webs add Dimension

The vinyl decals provide a spooky look, but it’s all 2-dimensional. A simple way to add dimension is with nylon spider webs. You can pick the webs up at the Dollar Store and layer them over the scenes created with contact paper.

Stick a few spiders in there, too. The kids will have fun “decorating” the webs with creepy crawlies!

Spooky Halloween Decorations for Kids

Halloween Home Decor Ideas

If you saw my Fall Home Tour last week, you may have noticed all of the Fall Decor is still in these photos. How do you decorate for Halloween? I like to decorate for fall in September, add in Halloween-y decor during October, then trim it back to just the fall items through Thanksgiving. But, maybe that’s too complicated? Or maybe it would be fun to setup a gigantic Halloween display in the yard? I’d love to hear what you do!

If you’d like to see more Halloween Ideas, visit some new blogs and see their creative Dec-O-Ween decor, too! Get all the links below.

Dec-o-ween: The best Halloween decorating ideas from 11 different bloggers

TUESDAY
Decor and the Dog
Corner52
Remodelando La Casa
A Designer At Home

WEDNESDAY
Go Haus Go
Number Fifty Three

THURSDAY
Boxy Colonial
Newly Woodwards
Domicile 37

FRIDAY
Craftivity Designs
Sunshine and Munchkins

Melinda crowe

Sunday 24th of September 2023

I made almost all my decorations this year some one stole my decorations s & idol Halloween in a big way so that being said after I quit crying I said I got this & used what I had or could find cuz I'm financially challenged with everything going up so I made different size ghost large 1 use mannequins head with makeup I put on & wig with white sheat 4 bottom shear curtains for the head a pole 4 arms could use pool noodles I used dinosaurs put dolls in there mouths doll torso on sticks with injured faces to be really scary & old lanterns home made tomb stones

Shani | Sunshine & Munchkins

Saturday 22nd of October 2016

I love this! This kind of Halloween decor is right up my alley since I've got kids too. The ravens are an awesome touch and that contact paper was a steal!

craftivitydesigns@gmail.com

Monday 24th of October 2016

It's always that price, a great deal, for sure.

Corinna - ADesignerAtHome

Saturday 22nd of October 2016

The contact paper is such an ingenious idea! I'll definitely be picking up some black contact paper now.

craftivitydesigns@gmail.com

Monday 24th of October 2016

So handy for seasonal decor, organization and much more!

Sarah @ Making Joy and Pretty Things

Monday 17th of October 2016

Love the cut out birds across the door. That is SO cool. My kids would love that. And yes, children not sleeping is possibly the most scary thing of all ;)

craftivitydesigns@gmail.com

Wednesday 19th of October 2016

Thanks, Sarah!

Colette @ restyle it wright

Saturday 15th of October 2016

So cute! My favorite are the cut out Ravens you added to the siding and the door. I love how it diagonally crosses that space.

craftivitydesigns@gmail.com

Sunday 16th of October 2016

My favorite, too :) It's a fun effect.