Want to make learning about the Skeletal system fun? Try building this cotton swab skeleton craft for kids, it was a huge hit in our homeschool co-op.

Halloween is coming up, and you need to come up with a fun craft for your kids.

If you like this skeleton craft, check out my list of Skeletal System Activities for more ideas.

There are so many different skeleton crafts out there, but most of them are either too difficult or take too long to complete. Plus, none of them have enough detail for my liking!

This easy-to-follow tutorial will show you how to make a fun cotton swab skeleton that’s perfect for any little kid who loves Halloween or is learning about the human body!

With a large class full of boys, they had a great time cutting up the cotton swabs, and creating something rather than working on a worksheet.

We discussed the skeletal system, how there are 200 bones in the body with half of those being in our hands and feet. It was such a fun learning activity combined with crafting that the kids were so excited to create this skeleton.

>> See more human body activities for kids

Did you know that we’re born with 300 bones as babies, but they begin to fuse together as they grow? I have to admit that doing these types of activities helps me learn as well!

>> See more Halloween Activities for kids

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Learning about the different types of bones

One of the ways that we extend the learning process in our homeschooling is that we talk about the different parts of the body. During this fun skeleton activity, we also took the time to learn about the different types of bones listed below:

Long – femur, tibia
Short – carpal bones (hands/wrist)
Flat – skull
Irregular – vertebrate
Sesamoid – knee cap

I also asked the kids to imagine what it would be like if they didn’t have any joints so they walked around like robots not bending their limbs.

Then I asked them to visualize what it would be like to have no bones and they imagined they’d be a puddle of goo unable to move.

Looking for more skeleton activities? Kindergarteners will enjoy learning about bones with these fun Skeleton Activities for Kindergarten.

Recommended Skeleton Kits

In addition to this fun skeleton craft, be certain to check out some of these super fun skeleton kits as well. Adding in more creative ways for learning is a good way to keep the kids focused and paying attention for longer periods of time.

Halloween Skeletons, Halloween Decorations Skull 16 SmartLab Toys Squishy Human Body, Multicolor, Standard 4M Glow Human Skeleton Science Kit Build the Human Body Learning Resources Skeleton Model, Miniature Model, Easy to Manipulate, 41-Piece Model, Ages 8+ Multi-color, 9.2 inches tall Kids Halloween Skeleton Costumes Glow in The Dark White Bones Stretch Body Suit for Boys Girls

A fun way to learn about the body would be to buy one of the Halloween costumes that have a skeleton and your child can label the bones with masking tape.

If you like this activity, check out my list of skeleton preschool activities for a more fun learning experience.

Cotton Swab Skeleton Craft Supplies

All you need to make this cotton swab skeleton is listed below.

Black construction paper
Cotton Swabs
Scissors
Skull printable (Once you click on the link, it will automatically download to your downloads folder)
White glue

Recommended Skeleton Books for Kids

Want to see how all of the bones in your body are formed or find out how many bones are found in your body? Try one of these colorful skeleton books, your kids will love them.

These are great for all ages, and if one of the books is more mature or harder to read, then just sit down and read it with them. Bonding time and learning time makes for great family time.

Skeleton Meets the Mummy The Magic School Bus Presents: The Human Body: A Nonfiction Companion to the Original Magic School Bus Series My Book of the Human Body: For Kids Ages 6-12.Human Body! (Knowledge Encyclopedias)My First Human Body Book LEFUYAN Anatomy of Human Body in English, 3D Picture Popular Science Book for Kids Early Education Christmas Birthdays Gift

Cotton Swab Skeleton Directions

>> Print out the skeleton skull (once you click on the link, the file will automatically save to your download folder on your device)

Get some cotton swabs and plan how you’d like your skeleton to look. Be sure to include a spine, we added the ribcage and limbs. Where there are joints. I told the kids to cut the cotton swabs in half for the limbs.

The fingers have 5 small pieces to show that they are separate bones.

Depending on the age of your child, you can simplify or increase the difficulty of this craft.

Older kids can show how each finger is made of 3 small bones, they can research how many rib bones there actually are to make sure the craft is accurate.

They can show the separate bones in the legs to show the tibia and fibula, and the radius and the ulna in the arm.

You can add the bones in the feet and toes.

So many possibilities.

Did you like this skeleton craft? Let the kids try to go through and name some of the bones on their own!

Fun Skeleton Craft for Kids

Teach about the human skeletal system with this fun skeleton craft using Q-tips.

Materials

Black construction paper
Cotton Swabs
Scissors
Skull printable (Once you click on the link, it will automatically download to your downloads folder)
White glue

Instructions

Print out the skeleton skull template.
Get some cotton swabs and plan how you’d like your skeleton to look. Be sure to include a spine, we added the ribcage and limbs. Where there are joints.
Cut the cotton swabs in half for the limbs.
The fingers have 5 small pieces to show that they are separate bones.
Older kids can show how each finger is made of 3 small bones, they can research how many rib bones there actually are to make sure the craft is accurate.
They can show the separate bones in the legs to show the tibia and fibula, and the radius and the ulna in the arm.
You can add the bones in the feet and toes.

Notes

Depending on the age of your child, you can simplify or increase the difficulty of this craft.

Are you ready for a spooky experiment this Halloween? Try this Tea Bag Ghost Experiment and see how awesome it is.

Need more human body activities?

The Human Body book for Early Learning is available now!

Human Body Activities for Early Learners

More Skeleton Activities

X-ray Coloring Pages

X-ray Handprint Craft

Skeleton Bones Craft

Skeleton Worksheet for Kindergarten

You’ll love how kids are learning while having fun with these skeleton worksheet for kindergarten.

Skeleton Crafts for Preschoolers

Are you looking for crafts about human bones? Check out this list of awesome skeleton crafts for preschoolers! Perfect for Halloween or skeletal system lessons.

Skeleton Activities for Elementary Students

For older kids, add these skeleton activities to make your skeletal system lesson fun and exciting.

Skeletal System Worksheets for Kids

Thumbprint Skeleton Craft

Skeleton Bones Ripped Paper Craft by A Little Pinch of Perfect