Make a Paper Haunted House!

Witches, spiders, ghosts, black cats, and Jack-o'lanterns.  What do all of these have in common?  You could add any or all of these Halloween icons to a paper Haunted House!

Follow the instructions below, or better yet, join us at the courtyard of the Gilroy library on Saturday, October 30 between 11 am and 1 pm to decorate a paper haunted house! We will provide you with a paper outline of a house with window flaps and you can decorate what is behind the windows!  Will your house have friendly black cats and pumpkins or be scary with creepy, crawling spiders, ghosts, and witches? Draw or cut out items for your windows. Customize your picture using your imagination!

No registration is required for this event. This is an outdoor activity in the courtyard. Enter through the doors off the children's area. To encourage social distancing, there will be only one family per table. Several tables will be set up, but there may be a wait for a table. In case of rain, you will be provided with a house and some colored paper to do the activity at home.

Don't worry if you are not able to attend the event.  Here are some instructions to help you make a paper haunted house.

Sketch an outline of a haunted house. 

Include some towers to make it scarier looking. 

Or, print a template from Sarah Jane Studios or All Kids Network

Cut out house pieces.

Have an adult cut out the windows on your haunted house with a utility knife. 

To make flaps to cover the windows, cut only three sides and make a crease on the fourth side.

Or, you may want windows without flaps.
Cut a piece of contrasting color behind each window.  
Glue or tape the paper to the back side of your house.

Draw some pictures of ghosts, spider, witches, etc. under each flap. 

Glue the decorated haunted house to a larger piece of paper. 

Add a moon, old tree, or Jack-o'lantern to your picture.

You may want to sing a song about each item in the window!  

Song:  Old Gus Goblin      Tune:  Old MacDonald Had a Farm 

Old Gus Goblin had a haunted house, eerie, eerie, o.

And in that house he had a ghost, eerie, eerie, o.

With a boo, boo, here, a boo, boo, there,

Here a boo, there a boo, everywhere a boo, boo.

Old Gus Goblin had a haunted house, eerie, eerie, o.

...bat...flitter...

...witch...cackle...

...skeleton...clank...