A bat drawn as one wavy M with a dot bodyDraw a wide M with scalloped bottom edges, then a round dot in the middle with two ear points.
A black cat made from two circles and a tailA big circle for the body, a small one on top with two ear points, and a long curling tail. Fill it black.
A branch shaped like a hand reaching from the groundFive twiggy fingers bent at the knuckles, rising from a mound of earth. Thicker at the wrist.
A candle stub in a curly iron holderA short candle, a spiral handle on the holder, and a teardrop flame leaning to one side.
A cobweb stretched across a page cornerThree straight lines fan out from the corner. Join them with sagging curves, closer near the corner.
A crescent moon with a bat crossing itDraw the crescent, then a small black bat overlapping its inside curve. Leave the rest of the sky blank.
A crooked tree with three bare branchesA thick trunk that leans, then three branches that split into thinner twigs. No leaves at all.
A crow with a sweet wrapper in its beakA teardrop body, a pointed beak holding a twisted wrapper, and a tail that sticks out behind.
A key with a skull for its handleDraw the skull small at the top, then a long shaft and two square teeth at the bottom end.
A lone lamp post in the fogA thin post and a lamp head. Rub soft pencil round the light, then lift a glow with an eraser.
A skull from the front in six simple shapesA circle, a narrower jaw below, two big eye sockets, a small upside-down heart nose, a row of teeth.
A spider abseiling down the margin on a dotted lineDash a line down from the page top, then a small oval with four bent legs each side.
A tombstone with a crack down the middleA rectangle with a rounded top, a zigzag crack from top to bottom and grass tufts at the base.
Two eyes blinking out of a dark keyholeFill a keyhole shape with black, leaving two small white ovals with dots in the round part.
Silly 14
A bony hand giving a thumbs upDraw the palm as a small square, the thumb as two bones pointing up and the fingers curled over.
A broomstick with a rear-view mirrorA long handle, a bristle bundle tied with string, and a small round mirror stuck up on a stalk.
A candy corn with arms and legsA rounded triangle in three bands, stick arms out to the sides and two little feet below.
A cauldron bubbling over with spaghettiA round pot on three legs, with wavy strands pouring over the rim and one meatball on top.
A ghost holding its BOO sign upside downA plain ghost holding a placard. Write the letters upside down and give the ghost a proud smile.
A ghost tripping over a sheet that is too longA tilted ghost with its arms out, the sheet trailing behind in a long wavy train.
A mummy unravelling from one loose endA bandaged figure with one strip trailing off to a cat that is pulling it.
A one-eyed monster in a party hatA round blob with one big eye in the middle, a stripy cone hat and a blower in its mouth.
A potion bottle labelled DO NOT DRINK, with a straw in itA round bottle with a cork pushed aside, a bendy straw poking out and a label on the front.
A pumpkin with braces on its teethCarve a big grin, then draw a thin line across the teeth with a tiny square on each.
A spider wearing eight tiny shoesA round body, eight bent legs, then a small oval shoe at the end of every leg.
A vampire bat wearing a bibA round bat with two small fangs, its wings folded, and a bib tied at the neck.
A werewolf having its fur brushedA shaggy head in profile, eyes closed and happy, with a hairbrush halfway through its mane.
A zombie hand holding a lollipopA hand rising from the ground, its fingers wrapped round a stick with a big spiral sweet on top.
Easy 10
A bat hanging from a washing line by its feetA line with two pegs, a bat hanging from it upside down between them, its wings folded like a cloak.
A ghost with rosy cheeks, wavingA rounded ghost shape, two dot eyes, two pink circles below them and one small arm raised.
A little witch hat with a star buckleA wide brim, a cone that bends over at the tip, and a band with a star where the buckle sits.
A pumpkin with cat earsDraw the pumpkin as three bumps, then two triangles on top where the stalk would go.
A pumpkin-shaped name tagA wide pumpkin outline with a short stalk, and a flat space across the middle for the name.
A single potion bottle with a cork and a labelA round base, a long neck and a cork. A curved label across the front and a line for the liquid.
A string of paper pumpkinsA drooping line with small pumpkins hanging from it, each tilted a little differently.
A sweet bag with its top folded overA tall rectangle with a folded band at the top and a paper-clip bat holding it shut.
A sweet wrapper with a smileA rounded rectangle with twisted ends like a bow tie. Put a smile and two dots in the middle.
BOO written with a ghost as the first OWrite a B, then a ghost with a round open mouth for the first O, and a plain O after it.
Cute 9
A black cat sitting on a wordWrite the word in thick letters, then sit a black cat on top with its tail hanging down the side.
A cat hiding in a pumpkin, only its ears and eyes showingDraw the pumpkin open at the top, then two ears and two big eyes just above the rim.
A cupcake with bat wingsA cupcake case and a swirl of icing, with a bat wing on each side of the case.
A ghost carrying a trick-or-treat bucketA small ghost with one arm out, holding a round bucket with a handle and a sweet sticking out.
A ghost family in size orderThree ghosts side by side, tall, medium and small, the smallest holding the middle one's arm.
A ghost peeking out of an envelopeAn open envelope with the flap up and a ghost rising out of it, its hands on the edge.
A spider with long lashes in a heart-shaped webDraw the web as a heart with spokes, then a round spider in the middle with lashed eyes.
A teddy bear wrapped as a tiny mummyA round bear with ears, then bandage strips wrapped across it, leaving one eye showing.
An owl in a pointed hat on a crescent moonDraw the moon first, then an owl sitting in its curve with a tall pointed hat.
Detailed 10
A border of bats and starsRule a line along the page edge, then bat, star, star, bat. Keep the bats all flying one way.
A cauldron whose bubbles rise into a headingA cauldron at the side, a trail of round bubbles going up, and your heading inside the biggest.
A cobweb frame round a photo spaceLeave a rectangle blank, then run web lines from its corners out to the edge of the card.
A lantern ringed with mothsA lantern with a candle inside, then four or five small moths circling it on dashed paths.
A pumpkin carved with stars instead of a faceShade the pumpkin dark, then leave small star shapes white where the light shines through.
A row of pointed railings against a full moonA big circle first, then tall black railings with spear tips crossing in front of it.
A spell book with a clasp and corner guardsA thick closed book at a slight angle, triangles on each corner and a strap across the front.
A web with a new pattern in each ringDraw a full web, then fill each ring between the spokes with dots, stripes or tiny zigzags.
A witch hat filled with pattern stripesSplit the cone into bands with curved lines, then give each band a pattern of its own.
Bats spiralling out of a witch hatA hat on its brim, a spiral line rising from it, and bats along the spiral, growing bigger.
For cards 3
A banner held up by two batsA wavy ribbon across the middle, with a bat at each end gripping the ribbon in its feet.
A treat tag shaped like a tombstoneA rounded-top rectangle with a hole for the string and a short message where the name goes.
An invitation corner with a spider on a threadA small web in the top corner and one spider dropping from it towards the words.
How it works
Halloween doodle ideas at thumbnail size: bats, webs, ghosts and pumpkins, some spooky and some silly. Each of the 60 says which lines to draw first. Deal three, then pick a group.
Read the full guide
Simple spooky doodles
Spooky holds 14, and most take a few strokes: a tombstone with a crack down the middle, a crescent moon with a bat crossing it. Easy spooky doodles like these stay spooky when small, because the shapes are plain and black.
Silly Halloween doodles for cards and bags
Silly holds 14 jokes, from a spider wearing eight tiny shoes to a cauldron bubbling over with spaghetti. For a card, BOO written with a ghost as the first O takes a minute and needs no drawing skill.
Fill bats, cats and hats solid black. A silhouette reads at any size and hides a wobbly outline.
Doodle on a paper treat bag before you fill it. A full bag will not lie flat.
Questions and answers
What are some cute Halloween doodles to draw?
Press once, then choose Cute in the list under the button for 18, such as a pumpkin with cat ears or a cupcake with bat wings. Round shapes, dot eyes and no teeth keep them friendly.
Is anything here too scary for young children?
There is no gore and no film monster. The spookiest items are silhouettes: a crooked tree with three bare branches, a skull from the front in six simple shapes. With a nervous child, use Cute or Silly.
How small should a doodle be?
About the size of a stamp. At that size a few firm lines look deliberate. Detailed holds 15 that fill more space, such as a web with a new pattern in each ring.