# Build a Spider Web with Yarn > Kids trace a marker-drawn spider web on sticky orange contact paper with black yarn, snipping pieces to length as they go. It builds fine motor and scissor skills plus a little estimation, and ends up as kid-made Halloween decor. - URL: https://www.funlittles.com/halloween-fine-motor-activities-build-spider-web/ - Ages: 4–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low - Time: prep 15 min, activity 30 min - Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 1 kids - Skills: fine-motor, scissor-skills, estimation, pretend-play ## Materials (one batch) - 1 sheet Orange self-adhesive paper (contact paper) - 1 piece Black permanent marker (Sharpie) - 1 piece Black yarn - Assorted colored yarn (optional) - 1 piece Masking tape - 1 piece Good pair of scissors (household) - 1 piece Tray or other sturdy surface (household) - 1 piece Spider for the center (e.g. a homemade spider medallion) (optional) ## Substitutions - Instead of black yarn: Assorted colored yarn (Any color you prefer works.) ## Safety - Supervise scissor use, especially with younger children. - An adult or older child draws the web with the permanent marker. Keep permanent markers away from little hands and faces. - Supervise around long lengths of yarn, and put the yarn ball away after play. - If you add a toy spider or other small decoration, watch for choking risk with children who still mouth objects. ## Before you start - Draw a spider web on the sticky side of the orange self-adhesive paper with a black permanent marker. An older child can do this step. - Optional: cut short yarn bits ahead of time for kids to match to the lines of the web. ## Steps 1. Set out the drawn spider web paper, a big ball of yarn and a pair of good scissors. 2. Place the paper sticky side up on a tray and gently tape the edges with masking tape so it doesn't slip. 3. Start at the center circle and press yarn along the drawn lines, working your way out. 4. Pull yarn straight from the ball, stick it along a line and snip it off when that section is traced. 5. Try guessing: look at a line, snip off about that much yarn, and stick it on. 6. Play a game: who can cut a piece closest to the size of the line? 7. Keep going until the whole web is traced in yarn. 8. Put a spider in the center and play pretend. 9. Tape the finished spider web on the wall as Halloween decor. ## Tips - Taping the contact paper to a tray ensures the paper doesn't slip off while the child builds the web. - Hand the drawing step to an older child. My 7 year old prefers setting up kids activities for her sister now. - My child preferred to start with the center circle and work her way outside. Your child may choose a different way to finish the spider web. - Snipping yarn to fit each section was a GREAT LESSON in approximation and estimation: look at a section and guess how much yarn it needs. - If your child isn't keen on spiders, this makes a friendly spider web. ## The original post by TurkeyMom (2016) Spiders! Ahhhh!! Do spiders get big reactions from your or your child? Both my kids are very curious about critters and don't usually shy away from them. But if your child is not very keen on these furry 8 legged creatures, this **Halloween activity** that builds [**fine motor skills**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/fine-motor-activities/) while building a spider web will be the one for you. Make a friendly spider web. **More Halloween Activities** Materials **[Orange Self-Adhesive Paper](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179QJNGO/?tag=blmemo-20)** **[Black Sharpies](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F8R95G/?tag=blmemo-20)** **[Black Yarn](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003KSOH8A/?tag=blmemo-20)** **[Masking Tape](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004Z49T/?tag=blmemo-20)** I purchased the self-adhesive paper from my local office supplies store but I located a similar product online for you. Draw a spider web on the sticky side of the orange self adhesive paper with a black permanent marker { or have an older child do this step} My 7 year olds prefers setting up kids activities for her sister than engaging in already set up activities now. Leave a big ball of black yarn { or any color you prefer. We loved this **[assorted colored yarn](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XLP2UGI/?tag=blmemo-20)** that we used in our [**sticky fall tree art**](https://www.funlittles.com/fall-tree-crafts-sticky-fall-tree-toddlers-can-make/)} and a pair of good scissors. ### Building the spider web with yarn : Building fine motor skills and scissor skills I would place the self adhesive paper on a sturdier surface { like a tray} and gently tape with **[masking tape](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004Z4BI/?tag=blmemo-20).** This ensures that the paper doesn't slip off when the child is building the spider web. My child preferred to start with the center circle and work her way outside. Your child may choose a different way to finish the spider web. With the masking taping the contact paper in place, it should be easy for the child to trace the spider web with the black yarn. my almost 6 year old continued building the spider web while strengthening her fine motor skills. Children can use 2 ways to get the yarn length almost right. First she directly pulled the yarn from the ball and stuck them directly on the contact paper and snipped them off once a certain section was traced off completely. Then she would approximately snip off smaller yarn bits and use them to trace the sections. This was a *GREAT LESSON in approximation and estimation*. She had to look at a certain section of the spider web and guess how much yarn is needed to trace that section. Alternatively you could also cut smaller yarn bits and have the child match the yarn bits to the size of the lines in the spider web. We turned this part into a game and watched for who got the yarn size as close as possible. Finally we finished off the spider web with one of our [**spider medallions**](https://www.funlittles.com/halloween-crafts-kids-spider-medallions/) in the center and for a while this halloween activity turned into pretend play. We taped our completed spider webs on our wall for a cool kid-made Halloween decor! Pin this so you don't forget this super cool Halloween activity Thanks for reading.