Free Halloween Craft Project: How to Make a Halloween Tree Centerpiece

Finding free Halloween craft projects is a great way t o entertain the kids! This Halloween craft project is made with materials that almost anyone would have around the house. When you have kids you make lots of craft projects. Use up some of those left over craft project materials and create a free craft project that is perfect for the Halloween holiday. I came up with the idea for this project after putting together a Halloween cardboard house kit with my nieces and nephews. It did not hold up after a few years of putting it together and then storing it, so we replaced it with this Halloween tree centerpiece craft project using materials we had lying around the house. It was free and fun to make!

Halloween Tree

This is an easy craft project that one child can complete alone or a group of children could make really elaborate.

You will need:

Metal Coffee Can
Spray paint or acrylic paint (leftover wall paint or primer will work as well)
Small Rocks or Sand
Tree Branch (Small to Medium sized)
Wax Paper
Crayons
Iron
Cookie Cutters
Black Marker
Scissors
Thread
Any left over craft materials from other projects

Take the kids outside to start this free Halloween craft project. They will need to look for a great dried tree branch, the ones that have fallen to the ground and dried out should be perfect. For a larger group of kids encourage them to find a larger tree branch so they will have more room to decorate. The more dried the tree branch is the more scary it will be.

Use spray paint or any left over house paint to coat your coffee can for a more finished look. Halloween colors would work best, but using what you have will keep this craft project free. You could also wrap the coffee can with colored paper or even newspaper tied with a piece of raffia or Halloween ribbon.

Next, have the kids pick up small rocks from the yard or even use some sand from the sand box. Stand your dried out tree branch in the metal coffee can and place rocks or sands around it to stand it up in the can. This will also lend some weight to the Halloween craft project and make it a more substantial centerpiece for you dining table or fireplace mantel.

Now that you have the basic form of your Halloween tree prepared you are ready to decorate.

Take wax paper and drop bits of broken or shaved crayon on the paper. Place a loop of thread that starts and ends in this pile of wax. This will make you hanging mechanism. If you forget this step you could insert those pliable metal hooks that Christmas ornaments are hung from after the ornaments are made. Top off with another piece of wax paper and iron on a low setting. Once this has cooled slightly have your kids trace Halloween cookie cutter shapes onto the wax paper. You could also let them free and draw any scary designs they would like. It will cut easier i it is not cooled completely.

Now you are ready to cut out your Halloween ornaments. Scissors can be used for basic designs, which is what makes basic cookie cutters a good option. If you have older children you may find that they could use an exacto knife for this portion of the craft project.

The kids can embellish these Halloween tree ornaments with any left over craft project materials you have laying around the house. Googly eyes, glitter, and markers all will add visual appeal to the ornaments.

Once they are completed have the kids hang the ornaments on the tree. This is a great centerpiece for the breakfast table during the Halloween holiday. Best of all this is a free craft project that children of any age should enjoy making.