I'm not crafty, but I know people who are! Here are 3 Halloween decorations you and your kids can make from Cassie at The Crafty Crow. These are spooky enough for the holiday, but still sweet enough for any Sproutlet to enjoy! --Diana
Flying Bat
Even your youngest children can participate in making a flying bat! They look great hanging in groups of different sizes and you can add red rhinestone eyes or silly googly ones if you have them.
Materials:
- newspaper or other paper in similar size
- black tempera paint
- paint brush
- stapler
- string or yarn for hanging
- newspaper or plastic grocery bags for stuffing
1) Open up two pieces of newspaper and cover in black paint; let dry completely.
2) With unpainted sides together, draw a simple bat shape using the photo for reference and cut out both pieces at the same time.
3) Match up both sides of the bat and staple all around the edge but leave openings under the wings for stuffing and on top of the head for the string.
4) Staple the string sandwiched between the front and back pieces on top of the head.
5) Use crumpled newspaper or grocery bags to lightly stuff your bat; when done, staple closed and hang.
Egg Carton Ghosts
Get the egg cartons out of the recycling bin and start making ghosts! Two cups make a small ghost, three cups a medium ghost and four cups make a large ghost.
Materials:
- cardboard egg cartons
- scissors
- white tempera paint
- paint brush
- paper towels or newspaper
- black permanent marker or black paint
- glue (optional)
1) The adult helper needs to trim the cups from the egg carton so they will sit flat.
2) Paint the egg cups white and let dry.
3) Start stacking the cups. Stuff a little bit of paper towel or newspaper in the top of each cup that is stacked to raise it up a bit.
4) Use the black marker or black paint to make a ghost face on the cup at the top of the stack.
5) Glue can be added between the layers for longevity if desired.
Jack O’Lantern Votives
I used baby food jars for this project but a glass jar of any size will work. Don’t worry about getting the tissue just right or whether there are enough layers or not - these always turn out looking great. Remember to use caution with an open flame around children and never leave it unattended. These votives look just as good without a candle inside.
Materials
- clean and dry glass jar
- orange tissue paper
- black construction paper
- scissors
- Mod Podge or white glue
- paintbrush
1) Tear the orange tissue into small pieces of varying size.
2) Pour a small amount of Mod Podge or white glue into a bowl.
3) Using the paint brush, spread the Mod Podge onto the jar.
4) Cover the wet Mod Podge with tissue, then brush more Mod Podge on top of the tissue; continue like this until the jar is covered. Sticky fingers can become really frustrating - show your child how to use the paintbrush to pick up and place the tissue pieces rather than their fingers.
5) Let dry; trim along the top edge if necessary after the tissue has dried completely.
6) Cut pieces of a Jack O’Lantern’s face from the black paper and glue onto the tissue covered jar.
7) Cover with a final layer of Mod Podge if desired.
Great ideas! Anybody make any of these? Want to create more Halloween crafts, visit SproutOnline.com for great crafty ideas! Share pictures of these--or your favorite Halloween craft! We'd love to see!