This toilet paper roll stamped cauldron craft is perfect for Halloween! Not only is it easy to make, but the paint mixture creates a cool bubbly effect that your kids will love, and the tutorial even includes a free template that you can download and print out at home.
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Looking for an easy last-minute Halloween art project to do at home (or in your classroom)? This super simple cauldron craft is lots of fun for kids to make, and it’s made using a special paint mixture that creates bubbles as you use it.
This activity is a great way to repurpose those empty toilet paper rolls that you’ve been collecting, and it’s perfect for both younger and older kids. Your children will definitely be asking to make this again!
Why You’ll Love This Craft
- Easy to make: This craft only requires a few simple steps, and even younger kids should be able to participate (provided the cutting is done by an adult)!
- Cool bubbly effect: This isn’t your average paper roll stamping craft—because dish soap is mixed into the paint, it creates a cool bubbly effect whenever the paper roll is pressed onto paper.
- Template included: Don’t want to draw your own cauldron? Simply enter your email address in one of the signup forms in this article and we’ll send the template straight to your inbox!
Looking for more fun Halloween crafts to do with your kids? Check out these Paper Roll Stamped Spiders, this Pumpkin Apple Stamping Craft or these Blow Painted Ghosts!
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Required Materials
- Cardstock: I used black cardstock for the cauldron and white cardstock for the background. You can use black construction paper for the cauldron if you like, but you’ll need to cut the paper down to size in order to print the template, since it was designed in US Letter format (8.5 x 11 inches). I don’t recommend using regular white paper for the background, as it is thinner than cardstock, and the paint is more likely to soak through and make the paper wavy.
- Scissors: Any scissors that can cut through cardstock will work.
- Glue: I used a glue stick, but a small amount of liquid glue could work as well.
- Paint: You can use either washable kids’ paint or acrylic paint for this project. I chose to use purple and green washable paint.
- Water: Regular tap water is fine—you’ll be using this to dilute the paint.
- Dish soap: I used clear dish soap because I didn’t want the color to tint the paint, but most colors of dish soap would probably work if you use purple and green paint like I did. If you choose to use lighter colors like yellow or orange, you may want to avoid dish soap that is green or blue.
- Popsicle sticks: These were used to stir the paint mixture. You can also use a metal spoon or something similar.
- Toilet paper rolls: You’ll need one for each color of paint you’re using, though you may want to keep a few extras on hand if you’re doing this craft with multiple kids. If you don’t have any empty toilet paper rolls, a paper towel roll that has been cut into pieces can also work.
The full supply list and instructions can be found in the how-to card.
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How to Make a Bubbling Cauldron Craft (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Cut template. Print the template on a sheet of black cardstock, then use scissors to cut out the shape of the cauldron.
Step 2: Glue cauldron to cardstock. Glue the cauldron to the bottom of a sheet of white cardstock, leaving room for bubbles at the top.
Step 3: Create paint mixture. In a small bowl, pour about 1 ½ tablespoons of paint, 1 ½ tablespoons of water and a squirt of dish soap, then stir them together with a popsicle stick. (The measurements don’t have to be exact.) Repeat this process as desired to create more colors—we made green and purple.
Step 4: Stamp bubbles. Once your paint mixture is ready, dip an empty toilet paper roll into one of the bowls, gently tap it again the side of the bowl to allow excess paint to fall back in, then press the toilet paper roll onto the sheet of cardstock to create a bubble. Repeat as desired to create a bubbling cauldron, then allow the paint to dry before displaying.
This project was so much fun to make! My kids were fascinated by the paint bubbles that formed whenever we pressed the paper rolls onto the cardstock, and that part was easy enough for my toddler to do on his own.
Helpful Tips
- Pick the right dish soap: Make sure that your dish soap doesn’t contain dyes that might tint the paint you’re using. This shouldn’t be an issue if you stick to purple and green, but it’s something to keep in mind if you decide to use other lighter colors, like orange or yellow. Using clear dish soap rather than colored will help avoid this issue altogether.
- Adjust the paint’s consistency: I’ve included approximate quantities in the how-to card on this page to give you an idea of how much paint and water I used, but depending on the consistency of the type of paint you use, you may need to adjust the quantities. The paint mixture should have a thin, watery consistency, but it should still be vibrantly colored and form 3-dimensional soap bubbles when the toilet paper roll is pressed onto the cardstock. (You can test this on a separate piece of paper before you start creating bubbles above your cauldron.)
- Remove excess paint: Before you press your paper roll onto the sheet of cardstock, make sure to gently let any excess paint drip back down into the bowl containing the paint mixture. This will prevent the cardstock from becoming covered in paint splatter, thus making it look neater.
- Get younger kids involved: If you have young kids at home who aren’t ready to use sharp scissors, simply cut out the cauldron shape for them, then let them continue on their own. They may need a little help measuring out the quantities for the paint mixture, but they should be able to glue the template, stir the paint and stamp the bubbles all on their own!
More Halloween Crafts for Kids
If you have tried this Paper Roll Stamped Witch’s Cauldron or any other project on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Paper Roll Stamped Witch Cauldron
Materials
- free cauldron template (request it by filling out the form below this printable how-to card)
- 1 sheet black cardstock
- 1 sheet white cardstock
- 1 pair sharp scissors
- 1 glue stick
- washable kids' paint (green and purple) or other colors of choice
- water as needed
- dish soap as needed
- 2 popsicle sticks for stirring
- 2 toilet paper rolls
Instructions
- Print the template on a sheet of black cardstock, then use scissors to cut out the shape of the cauldron.
- Glue the cauldron shape to the bottom of a sheet of white cardstock, leaving room for bubbles at the top.
- In a small bowl, pour about 1 ½ tablespoons of purple paint, 1 ½ tablespoons of water and a squirt of dish soap, then stir them together with a popsicle stick. (The measurements don’t have to be exact.) Repeat this process to create a green paint mixture as well.
- Once your paint mixture is ready, dip an empty toilet paper roll into one of the bowls, gently tap it against the side of the bowl to allow excess paint to fall back in, then press the toilet paper roll onto the sheet of cardstock to create a bubble. (The bubble will eventually pop, but its shape will remain.) Repeat as many times as desired to create lots of bubbles coming out of the cauldron, then allow the paint to dry.
Video
Notes
- Use clear dish soap: If you decide to use light paint colors like yellow or orange, avoid colored dish soap that might tint the paint mixture.
- Adjust the paint’s consistency: Measurements don’t need to be exact, but you may need to add more paint or water to obtain a thin, watery mixture that is vibrantly colored and creates soap bubbles when stamped. (You can test its consistency on a separate sheet of paper before painting the bubbles.)
- Remove excess paint: To minimize paint splatter, let excess paint drip back down into the bowl before using the paper roll to stamp the bubbles.
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