Adorable DIY Ghost on a Swing – Kid-Friendly Halloween Craft

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Halloween doesn’t have to be all chills and thrills—sometimes, it’s the cute and cheerful decor that steals the show. If you’re looking for a fun, kid-friendly project this season, you’ll love making an adorable ghost on a swing.

With his happy smile, the little guy strikes the perfect balance between sweet and spooky.

But the real magic happens when the sun sets, and he casts his not-so-spooky glow over the world.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make an easy ghost on a swing that kids will love. But, before we get there, do me a favor and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!

What you need

To make the ghost

• Tulle or cheesecloth fabric
• Clear drying wood glue
• Water
• Aluminium foil
• Craft wire
• Black adhesive vinyl or permanent marker

To make the swing

• Scrap wood
• Jute rope
• Small tea light

How to make an adorable ghost on a swing

There are two parts to this tutorial:

1. Cobbling together a swing – little ones will need help with this part.
2. Making a small ghost – it’s fun and messy, just the way kids like it.

The swing

I’ve already shared quite a few tutorials to make a wooden swing on the blog. This one is a variation of the teddy bear swing that hangs in our bedroom, with one small modification. I drilled a hole in the middle of the seat for the tea light.

Just make sure the tea light fits inside the hole snugly.

That’s what gives the little ghost its eerie glow at night. If you’re not comfortable with drilling big holes in wood, you can make the swing using cardboard. Just glue equally sized pieces together until you have something that’s the same thickness as the tea light. and then you can make a hole with a sharp craft knife. 

Make four holes in each corner and thread the jute twine through them to make a swing.

Hang the swing from a sturdy tree branch or a porch beam. You can even hang the swing inside for a year-round perch for cuddly toys or the little ghost which we’ll be making next.

Making the ghost

This part is a bit messy, but if you can rip fabric into strips and mix glue in water, you’ll be done in no time. I used tulle to make my swinging ghost, but any gauzy fabric that lets the light shine through will work. Before making the ghost, we need to create a frame or skeleton. Kids may need help putting the skeleton together. Grab some tin foil and scrunch it up into a ball.

Use the swing as a guide to figure out how big the ball should be. The foil ball will form the head of the swinging ghost. Stick the ball onto a piece of wire to make a torso. Cut another length of wire for the arms and wrap it around the torso. Bend the arm wire at the elbows. 

Pop the bottom of the wire torso into a piece of Styrofoam. If you don’t have any Styrofoam floating around, you can fill an empty tube with soil and use that. Or drill a hole in a small block of wood. As long as the torso stands upright and doesn’t fall over.

Place the wire and foil frame on the edge of a box. I covered my box in tape to protect it from the mess. Wrap the foil head with cling wrap. Double-check that the arms are in the right position and use some hot glue to secure them in place.

Now for the messy bit. Mix equal quantities of wood glue and water in a bowl.

Tear the tulle (or whatever fabric you’re using) into strips and dunk them into the glue mixture.

Drape the fabric over the wire and foil frame.

Arrange the fabric around the frame and let it fall naturally over the edge of the box. Add more layers to cover the frame completely. Don’t overdo the layers. Two or three should be enough. You still want the light to shine through. Leave the ghostly frame to dry completely on the box.

Once it’s dry, cut away the wire frame and remove the foil ball.

Glue on some eyes and a grinning mouth for just the right amount of creepiness mixed with oodles of charm. You can also use a Sharpie to draw the eyes and mouth on.

Mounting the ghost on the swing

Pop the ghost on the swing and glue his hands to the rope.

When the sun starts setting, switch the tea light on….

…. and let the adorable ghost welcome trick-or-treaters with his cheeky grin.

This DIY is as easy as it is charming, and it’s guaranteed to bring a playful spirit to your home or garden. Whether you hang him indoors or out, this swinging ghost is sure to become a fast favorite in your Halloween lineup.

 If you like the idea of making a swinging ghost, don’t forget to pin the tutorial for later.

Sharing is caring.

More adorable Halloween Craft Ideas

1. Upcycled plastic bottle witch 
2. Jack-o’-lantern Halloween light switch
3. Witch legs in a cauldron
4. Magical floating tin can

Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry, it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you.

The Ghost

Swing

Or if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then here you go.

And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love and laughter.  Thank you for popping in for a visit.