Hidden-mouth spookies

Materials

• Ready-to-print templates (pumpkin, vampire, Frankenstein)
• Child-safe scissors
• Glue (stick or liquid)

Procedure

A playful Halloween craft for preschoolers is the “hidden-mouth spookies”: a pumpkin, a vampire, and Frankenstein. Each picture has a big mouth that disappears when folded. Children carefully cut around the character and along the mouth line, following the guides. They fold the mouth inward on the crease so that when it’s closed, the mouth hides—when opened,  a funny tongue. From two separate paper strips they cut themselves, they make “handles”: glue one strip to the folded back of the mouth on the right and one on the left, creating finger loops so kids can slip in their fingers and open–close the mouth like a tiny puppet. The activity strengthens fine-motor skills, hand–eye coordination, and step sequencing (cut–fold–glue–test). Work with close supervision, use child-safe scissors, and let the glue dry before play. Finish with a mini show: the characters talk, snap at the air, and shout “boo!”, building language, role-play, and humor.