Looking for a fun and easy way to add a touch of spooky flair to your Halloween décor? This Cheesecloth Ghost Craft is a perfect DIY project that uses simple materials to create a ghostly decoration. Kids will love helping to make this spooky figure, which can be displayed inside or on the porch to greet trick-or-treaters. With a little creativity and some basic crafting supplies, you can transform cheesecloth into a charming ghost that glows from within, thanks to hidden fairy lights.
The magic of this craft is in the process. Watching the cheesecloth transform into a ghostly figure makes it extra special for young crafters. It’s a great project to do together as a family and offers a hands-on way to get kids excited about Halloween while working on fine motor skills. Plus, it’s reusable—store it away to bring out year after year!
Why You’ll Love This Craft
You’ll love this Cheesecloth Ghost Craft because it’s simple to make and creates a big impact in your Halloween decorations. The process of shaping and drying the cheesecloth is fun and engaging for kids, who will be amazed at how the material can stand up on its own. This craft also allows for creativity in decorating the ghost’s face, giving your ghost its own personality.
What You’ll Need
- Dollar store paper towel holder
- Large styrofoam ball
- Fairy lights
- Cheesecloth (2 packages)
- Black felt
- Glue
- Bowl of liquid starch or fabric stiffener (optional, for added structure)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Set up the base:
Start by placing the paper towel holder on a flat surface. Place the large styrofoam ball on top of the holder to act as the ghost’s head. To make this easier for your child, use scissors to cut out a thin slot so that the ball slides on securely.
- Add the lights:
Wrap fairy lights around the paper towel roll holder. You can tape to secure the end of the lights to the styrofoam ball.
- Drape the cheesecloth:
Cut the cheesecloth into large sections, draping them over the styrofoam ball and paper towel holder. Use at least two layers for a fuller look. Adjust the cheesecloth so it flows nicely around the ball and the holder, creating the appearance of a ghostly figure.
- Add structure (optional):
For a stiffer ghost, dip the cheesecloth in liquid starch or fabric stiffener before draping it over the base. Let it dry completely—this could take several hours or overnight. - Create the face:
Cut out eyes and a mouth from black felt and use glue to attach them to the front of the cheesecloth ghost’s head. This gives the ghost its personality, so have fun with different expressions!
- Remove the base:
Once the cheesecloth is fully dry, carefully lift the ghost off the styrofoam ball and paper towel holder. The ghost should hold its shape and appear to float. - Display your ghost:
Place your cheesecloth ghost on a table, hang it with a string, or set it up outside for a glowing Halloween decoration.
This simple yet impressive ghost craft adds a fun and spooky element to any Halloween setting. It’s a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday while enjoying a creative project together!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
