Spider Web Tape Resist Art: An Easy Halloween Activity for Kids

Are you looking for fun and easy Halloween activities for kids?  I have the BEST one for you! This spider web tape resist art is an easy Halloween craft that uses materials you already have at home, it’s simple enough for toddlers but also fun for big kids… and it turns out SO COOL!

What is tape resist art (and why should I try it)?

Tape resist art is a kind of process art where you place removable tape on a surface, paint over the entire surface, and then remove the tape.  There’s no paint where you had the tape, so however you placed the tape on your surface, you now have as negative white space (and possibly a cool design).

Process art: an art project where the finished product is not the most important focus; the process of making and creating is most important.

Okay, so now that you know what tape resist art is, here’s why you need to try it with your kiddos:

1. Process art is SO GOOD for kids! It allows for creativity, imagination, risk taking, and new sensory experiences! 
2. This kind of process art actually comes out CUTE! And let’s be honest. Not everything a toddler creates on their own is pretty to look at. But with tape resist art, you get to let your little one totally go to town and paint however they want… and then you have a really cute, display-worthy project at the end. WIN-WIN.

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Supplies needed

To make these adorable tape resist spider webs, you only need a few basic supplies, which you probably have at home already:

• A large piece of cardboard/broken-down cardboard box OR a blank canvas
• Painter’s tape
• Paint in your choice of colors (we used washable tempera paint)
• Paintbrush(es)
• Optional: googly eyes and/or plastic spider rings

**We used a large piece of cardboard (a broken-down cardboard box) to create our spider web.  This worked very well, but if you want to make a more long-lasting piece of art, a blank canvas might be a better option.

Setting up your spider web

To create a spiderweb design on your cardboard, first create a plus sign with the painter’s tape.  Next, create an ‘X’ through it.  Finally, connect each line with smaller pieces of tape.  Now you have a spider web!

I let Ella (my then-4-year-old) help me choose our paint colors.  TIP: Consider using colors that mix well together.  Depending on your child, they may mix colors as they paint.  This is no problem!  But if they are working with a full rainbow of colors that they mix, you might end up with some very brown-ish artwork.

Lay out your paints and paintbrushes, and consider laying down some newspaper or a shower curtain liner under your child’s workspace.

Creating your spider web tape resist art

Now comes the fun part: Let your child get to work!  They should paint all of the exposed cardboard (or canvas, depending on what you’re working with).  You can see that Ella is pretty meticulous and painted each section of her spider web with a different color.  However, I promise this craft still looks really cool if your child mixes colors throughout, or even just paints with one color across the whole surface.

If a giant cardboard box is a lot of painting space for your little one, feel free to break this project up into multiple painting sessions, or consider creating a smaller masterpiece.  

Of course, the hard part is always WAITING.  Wait until your paint is completely dry before peeling off the tape.  Then peel very carefully to reveal the most beautiful spider web you’ve ever seen!

Adding a spider to your web

Every spider web needs a spider (or three)!  We created adorable handprint spiders right on top of ours.  To do this, simply paint both of your child’s hands with washable black paint (don’t paint their thumbs).  Help them carefully stamp both hands, fingers pointing out, on top of your spider web.

Then add googly eyes, or paint eyes on!

Other options for adding a spider include painting a spider by hand or gluing plastic spider rings to your web.

More Halloween (and spider) fun

Looking for more ways to extend your Halloween learning and fun?  You know I’ve got you.  Here are some fun spider books you don’t want to miss:

• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle 
• National Geographic Readers: Spiders by Laura Marsh
• I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton
• Creepy Crawly Sticker Activity Book by National Geographic Kids

And some other Halloween books, too:

• Pig the Monster by Aaron Blabey
• The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat by Stan & Jan Berenstain
• How to Catch a Witch by Alice Walstead
• Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago

Planning for Halloween fun with a preschooler? You’ll LOVE this Halloween & Pumpkin Fun printable activity set.  You can check it out HERE.

And for more fun fall activities, be sure to check out my pumpkin pie sensory bin and apple tree name craft.  Both are easy, fun, and festive!

If you try this fun and easy spider web tape resist art project, will you let me know?  Comment below (or message me on Instagram) and tell me how yours turned out!