Get creative with Monster Painting, a fun and colorful art project for kids! Using a loofah and paint, children can stamp fuzzy monster shapes, then decorate them with googly eyes and silly features. This open-ended monster art activity is perfect for preschool or early elementary kids and makes a great Halloween craft or rainy-day project at home or school.
Looking for another easy Halloween craft? Check out our Cotton Swab Skeletons.
Easy Monster Painting Art Idea
When my boys were little, we made monster paintings just like this at the kitchen table. I’d set out paint, paper, and a few loofahs, and before long, colorful creatures covered the table. It was simple, a little messy, and always made us laugh!
Kids love this craft because there’s no right or wrong way to make a monster. They can mix colors, add as many eyes as they want, and turn each blob into something totally their own. It’s creative, playful, and full of surprises every time.
Why You’ll Love This Craft
This activity is perfect for classrooms, rainy days, or family craft time. Here’s why it’s such a favorite:
- Easy to set up – Only uses basic supplies you probably already have at home or school.
- Kid-friendly – Safe, simple, and fun for young artists.
- Creative – Kids can mix colors and design their monsters any way they like.
- Messy fun – Loofah painting makes each monster unique and surprising.
- Decor-ready – Finished monster paintings make bright, cheerful wall or classroom art.
Craft Supplies Needed
Before you get started, make sure you have everything you need:
- Bath loofah
- Washable paint
- White cardstock, construction paper, or small canvas
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Black Sharpie
- Paper plate
Watch the Video Tutorial
To see the process in action, watch the video below to see how we created our dancing skeleton!
How to Make Monster Paintings
Follow these simple steps to create your own colorful and silly monster paintings.
STEP 1: Prepare your supplies. Pour washable paint onto a tray or paper plate. Set out white paper, googly eyes, glue, and markers so everything is ready before kids begin.
STEP 2: Dip the loofah. Lightly press the loofah into the paint until it’s covered but not dripping. Kids can use one color or mix several for fun, textured monster shapes.
STEP 3: Stamp the monster. Press the painted loofah onto the paper to make round, fluffy monsters. Encourage children to fill their page with playful designs or create one big monster painting.
STEP 4: Add eyes and a mouth. Once the paint is dry, glue on wiggly eyes and use a marker to draw a mouth for each monster.
STEP 5: Draw features. Use a Sharpie to draw arms, legs, horns, and other funny monster details. Kids can even write a name or a short story about their creature.
STEP 6: Display and enjoy! Mount the paintings on black cardstock, then hang the finished monster paintings on a bulletin board, art wall, or refrigerator. They make fun classroom decorations or creative Halloween art for home.
Take It Further
Once your monsters are finished, there are lots of ways to take this craft further and keep the creativity going. These ideas are perfect for extending play at home, in the classroom, or during a Halloween-themed activity:
- Add more textures – Experiment with different tools like sponges, brushes, or bubble wrap to create unique monster shapes and patterns.
- Try different painting techniques – Explore new ways of painting monsters, such as blow painting with straws, splatter painting, or stamping balloons.
- Make a monster story – Have kids name their monsters and write a short story about them. You can even turn the paintings into a mini monster book.
- Try a canvas – Paint monsters on small canvases for a longer-lasting display.
- Mix media – Add yarn, stickers, sequins, or scraps of colored paper to give your monsters extra personality and dimension.
- Seasonal themes – Adapt monsters for different holidays—snowy monsters for winter, flowery monsters for spring.
- Create a monster gallery – Display all the paintings together to make a fun classroom or home “monster wall.”
- Pair with a book – Read monster-themed books like Monsters Love Brownies by Ben Okon or How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace.
- Magnet monsters – Cut out your monster shapes and attach magnets to the back.
More Halloween Crafts and Activities for Kids
If your kids are ready for more festive fun, try these simple and engaging Halloween projects:
- Preschool Bat Craft – A playful activity that really flaps!
- Halloween Suncatchers – Create bright, colorful designs that look great in windows.
- Halloween Hedgehog Craft – Use candy corn to make spiky little hedgehogs!
- Preschool Ghost Craft – Cute, easy, and perfect for tiny hands.
- Paper Jack-o’-Lantern Craft – Quick, fun, and full of pumpkin charm.
- Cut-and-Paste Frankenstein Craft – Let kids design their own friendly green monsters.
Save This Craft
Save this craft on Pinterest using the image below!
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