If you’re planning to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year, you will make their night by using this glow-in-the-dark Halloween candy bucket! Learn how to make this easy craft project for some spooky fun this All Hallows Eve.
Do you hand out candy to all the witches and goblins roaming the streets on Halloween? If you do, you probably need a good candy bucket to help make the job a little easier.
When you hand out candy, you can do it in a couple of different ways. Either bunch up some candy and hand out pre-portioned DIY Halloween Treat Bags. Or, use a Halloween candy bucket and dole out pieces to each trick-or-treater.
I use both methods, depending on the year and how I’m feeling. But I particularly love this glow-in-the-dark Halloween candy bowl. In fact, the whole family loves it so much that I display it as part of our Halloween decor when we don’t use it for trick-or-treaters.
It also works equally well if you’re hosting a Halloween party! And the best part about this treat bucket is how easy it is to make.
Note: If you love all things Halloween, be sure to check out these DIY Halloween Paper Bags, Frankenstein Halloween Bags, and DIY Halloween Bags Personalized with Names!
Supplies Needed To Make This Halloween Candy Bucket
I’ve included a list of everything you’ll need for this glow-in-the-dark project and even added links for some items to make finding them easier. Some links below are affiliate links, which means that you do not pay anymore but a portion of any purchase will go to this site.
- Witch’s bucket
- Testors Craft Paint (in black and green glow in the dark)
- Spooky hand
- Foam block
- Paintbrushes
- Industrial adhesive
Halloween Candy Basket Video:
Are you a visual learner? If you want to see how to make this project instead of reading about it, I made a video to show you the full process. Check it out!
Can’t watch the video or missed some of the steps? Just follow along with the written instructions below (and feel free to grab our handy printable recipe card at the bottom of the post).
How To Make A Halloween Candy Bucket
Here are the steps for making your own creepy awesome glow-in-the-dark treat bucket.
Step 1
TIP: You may or may not need a foam block inside of your Halloween treat bucket. If the hand is not long enough to come out of the top, find a foam block to lift it up. I needed one.
Paint this foam block with black Testors craft paint. This will hide it more when your Halloween candy bucket is empty.
Make sure you paint the sides as well as the top with a thick coat of paint. A sponge brush is great for painting foam.
Allow this to dry completely. NOTE: This may take a while to dry.
Step 2
As you’re waiting for the paint on the foam block to dry, you can start working on your Halloween candy basket itself. I love a good glow-in-the-dark paint for Halloween!
Use a paintbrush to put a thick layer on the top rim as well as some random drips around the sides. Be sure to do this all the way around the witch’s bucket for the best effect.
Allow this paint to dry. NOTE: I found that one coat worked fine, but you can add another coat if you wish.
Step 3
Once everything is dry, use the industrial adhesive to put the foam block on the bottom of your Halloween candy bucket.
Step 4
Then, use more adhesive to put the hand on top of the foam block. Allow everything to dry completely.
Your bucket is complete! All that’s left is to fill your Halloween treat bucket with a ton of candy for the big night!
Alternatively (or maybe in addition!) this DIY Halloween candy bucket project makes the perfect touch for a Halloween party. Fill it with treats or even treat bags for a cute display that everyone will love.
It looks spooky in the daytime with the green dripping paint and the hand reaching out to grab you as soon as you get some candy. (the hand is my favorite part!)
But turn the lights out and things get even more spooky!
Prepare for any Halloween party by making this spooky Halloween candy bucket. Everyone is sure to love it! You don’t even have to tell them how easy it is to make!
Halloween Candy Bucket FAQs
Here are a couple of common questions I get about this Halloween candy bucket project from readers. If you have a question but don’t see it down below, please leave it in the comments so I can answer it for you.
Does glow-in-the-dark paint really work?
Yes, it does! Here are a few tips though to get the most out of it.
- Apply it thick compared to how you would normally paint something. You need a good coat of the paint in order to see it at night.
- It can wash off when exposed to water. If you plan to leave your bucket outside, keep it covered from the elements.
- In order to glow at night, glow-in-the-dark items need to “charge” in the light. Then, once it gets dark, they will reflect the light it absorbed earlier. If you keep this glow-in-the-dark bucket in the dark up until “showtime,” you will be disappointed with the dim results.
Should I seal my bucket to prevent the paint from washing off?
I didn’t seal mine because I thought that adding the sealant would negatively impact the way the final product would look. This project is easy enough to do, that I figured if it did get messed up, fixing it would be a cinch.
More Halloween Inspiration
If you love this simple Halloween candy bucket project, be sure to check out these other ideas too!
- Pumpkin Door Hanger with Testors Paint
- Dollar Store Skull Wreath from Tried and True
- DIY Halloween Pillow with a Spider
- Halloween Pillow Boxes from 5 Little Monsters
- Halloween Signs
- DIY Party Blowers from Liz on Call
- Halloween Tree
- Custom Stamped Favor Bags from See Lindsay
- Easy Halloween Crafts for Kids: Pumpkin Magnets
- Ghost Luminarias from Hey Let’s Make Stuff
- Halloween Lanterns
- Halloween Wood Sign with Testors
So, whether you make this Halloween candy bucket or one of these other party crafts, you are sure to love just how quick and easy all of these ideas are to make!
Want to print the instructions for this Halloween candy bucket? Use the printable card below!
Equipment
Supplies
- Witch’s bucket
- Testors Craft Paint in black and green glow-in-the-dark
- Spooky hand
- Foam block
- Industrial adhesive
Instructions
- If your skeleton hand isn't long enough to come out of the top of your bucket, find a foam block to put under it to lift it up.If you need one, paint your foam block black so it blends into your bucket and is less noticeable when empty. A sponge brush is a good choice to cover the foam block in a thick coat of paint.Allow this to dry completely, hiwch may take a while.
- In the meantime, you can start working on your Halloween candy basket itself. Glow-in-the-dark paint is perfect for Halloween!Add a thick layer of paint around the top rim and some thick random drips around the sides.Allow this to dry completely. One coat may be enough, but you can add a second coat if you need it.
- After your paint dries, use the industrial adhesive to attach the foam block to the bottom of the bucket.
- Next, use additional adhesive to attach the hand to the top of the foam block. Allow plenty of drying time.
- Your bucket is done! Fill it up with treats and get busy handing them out!
