Halloween has always been my favorite holiday -the whole season. Everything from art projects at school, to the Fall themed foods at restaurants, to brainstorming costume ideas, to actually getting ready and going trick or treating, is SUCH a blast! I think it’s so exciting when you’re a kid and even more exciting to share the fun of it all with either your young siblings or children. We can always relive our younger years through the children’s grins! Here are a few arts and crafts ideas to help jumpstart your celebrations — feel free to tweak them or make them your own, but please share what you changed:1. Paper Plate Masks: Cut out the center of the paper plate and decorate the border to resemble any animal of your choosing. Get creative with stuff you might have around the classroom or house (i.e. glue, crayons, cottonballs, paint, popsicle sticks and paper). For example, to make a lion, you may want to paint or color the border area a golden yellow color. Grab orange construction paper to make orange fringe and glue around the edges. Use the center portion of the plate you cut out earlier to make sturdy ears. Make sure to color these accordingly. Secure 1 or 2 popsicle sticks near the bottom and allow some time to dry.
TIP: You can use this art project to teach children about animals or in a bible school setting as well! Playing pretend never gets old!
Spins & Needles – October 2009 (Photo credit: spins & needles)
2. Paper Costumes: Stop by your local grocery store and ask the clerk for brown paper bags. You can easily cut these bags and fashion them into almost any costume. You will obviously need construction paper, glitter, markers and glue, but it has got to be one of the most economical costumes ever. When I was little, I remember my mom helped my brother and I make Indian and pilgrim vests, complete with head pieces made from the scraps, when she was teaching us about Thanksgiving. The pictures are priceless. I might share them with you one day. That day is not today.
3. Decorating Cupcakes: Halloween is a time to explore dark and disgusting concepts…like eyeballs when they’re not in your socket. Bake a batch of cupcakes, the flavor can be of your personal taste, and frost with a dark frosting. Grab chocolate malt balls and cover them in white frosting. Use food dye and chocolate chips to create the rest of the eye. Place 2 on top of each cupcake!
4. Witch Hats: Paper plates, construction paper, glue and elastic rolls are all you need to make a good, sturdy witch hat. Make sure the plates are black. Make a black cone out of construction paper, apply glue to the bottom edges and secure at the top. Poke holes on either side and attach elastic to facilitate wearing the hat.
TIP: Once the children are done making their hat, have them wear them and proceed to a brief lesson about the Halloween holiday. They should at least know what they’re celebrating or where the traditions came from.
Related articles
