Halloween Ghost Painting for Kids with Peeps Marshmallows

The next time you’re at the store, grab a package of ghost Peeps marshmallows to try this Halloween ghost painting for kids. It’s so super easy to set up and kids have a blast.

Two-panel collage: left panel shows a top-down scene of a large paper sheet full of multicolored ghost prints on a plaid table; right panel shows two white trays, one with orange paint and one with purple paint, each holding a white marshmallow ghost used for Halloween ghost painting for kids.

Halloween ghost painting for kids that’s spooky-cute

Maybe I am the only one, but I don’t think I ever realized that they make Peeps for seasons other than Easter.

While at the store recently, I spotted these ghosts and immediately got excited.

We have done painting with Peeps for Easter, so it was an immediate “YES!” when I saw this Halloween design.

And now I’m wondering…are there Christmas Peeps? Valentine’s Day? What a time to be alive with such possibilities. 😂

🎃 Related: Check out this spooktacular list of the 50+ best Halloween activities for kids!

Three children stand at an outdoor table covered with an orange-and-black plaid tablecloth, stamping ghost shapes onto a long sheet of white butcher paper; two children wear cone-shaped orange headbands with decorations; shallow white dishes of green and yellow paint rest at the table corners during Halloween ghost painting for kids.

Why we love this Halloween ghost painting for kids

Lots (most) of the art projects that exist for kids around the holidays are very cookie-cutter, this-way-not-that-way crafts.

The teacher usually has a sample and the kids make something identical.

But this type of activity is entirely process-art based, where the value comes from the doing and not necessarily the final result.

Each ghost print comes out slightly different, which adds to the charm.

👻 Don’t miss these other ghost activities!

Two-image collage: left image shows four bottles labeled “Crayola Washable Paint” in green, orange, violet, and yellow beside two unopened “Peeps Marshmallow Ghosts” packages and three empty white scalloped dishes on white paper; right image shows four dishes each filled with one paint color with a single white marshmallow ghost resting in the paint.

Materials

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Kids’ paint
Ghost-shaped Peeps marshmallows – psst: they’re about $1.50 in-store
Shallow trays or containers for paint
Paper

Close view of small hands pressing a white ghost-shaped marshmallow into orange paint on white paper filled with purple, green, orange, and yellow stamped shapes; ridged marshmallow texture and overlapping prints are visible from Halloween ghost painting for kids.

How to do Halloween ghost painting for kids

Lay out your paper.
Pour a thin layer of Halloween-colored paint into each shallow container and place one ghost Peep into each paint color.
Invite kids to dip the flat side of the Peep into the paint.
Stamp the Peep onto the paper to make a perfect little ghost print.
Keep stamping until the paper is filled with colorful ghosts.

Four hands extend toward the center holding marshmallow ghosts coated in purple, yellow, orange, and green paint; below, the paper is densely covered with stamped ghost shapes in the same colors.

What kids learn with Halloween ghost painting for kids

Sure, it’s adorable and festive, but kids are practicing some real skills too.

They’re strengthening fine motor muscles as they grip and stamp.

They’re exploring cause and effect as they see how much paint creates a clear ghost versus a blobby one.

And they’re learning about positive and negative space (a bonus art concept wrapped up in a simple ghost craft for kids!).

Close view of a child’s hand placing a purple paint–coated marshmallow ghost onto white paper scattered with multicolored stamped shapes; the orange-and-black plaid edge of the tablecloth is visible along the bottom edge during Halloween ghost painting for kids.

Adapting this ghost craft for kids of all ages

For toddlers: use thicker paper and pre-pour smaller amounts of paint to keep things manageable.

For preschoolers: encourage them to experiment with overlapping prints and mixing colors.

For older kids: add details with paintbrushes or markers once the ghosts are dry (ex: funny faces, hats, or speech bubbles).

Everyone gets to enjoy this playful, preschool Halloween process art project at their own level.

Overhead view of a long sheet of white butcher paper on an orange-and-black plaid tablecloth, covered edge to edge with stamped ghost-shaped prints in purple, orange, yellow, and green; multiple children’s hands hold paint-coated marshmallow ghosts while stamping; several white scalloped dishes with paint sit around the paper during Halloween ghost painting for kids.

Understanding printmaking as an art technique

Before we ever had printers, people used blocks, stamps, and carved plates to make repeated images.

Introducing printmaking through something playful like a ghost Peep helps kids experience this centuries-old art form in a way they can touch and understand.

You can point out how every stamp is similar yet slightly unique which is an important artistic concept that shows them no two prints are ever exactly the same.

This sets the stage for deeper conversations about other types of printmaking they might try later.

🧡 We have a list of THE BEST printmaking projects for kids! You don’t want to miss it.