Part of the fun of Halloween is getting the grand kids involved in making decorations. I always do a test run first on a new idea to make sure it is something that will not be too involved for them.
I also keep my directions very elementary and kid friendly. I can remember attempting to imitate elaborate crafts as a child and when mine did not turn out as well as the sample being disappointed in my achievement.
I have a large age range for my grand kids from 5 to 13 so I have to make things interesting and not too childish for the 13-year-old.
My simple craft that is easily created by younger children is the Bat from a toilet paper roll.
Simple laying the tube on black construction paper to measure and taking the end to draw the circle for the head is fast and easy. I will probably do some templates so the 5-year-old can just cut them out if he prefers.
Simply roll the black construction strip that you cut for the body and roll it around the toilet paper roll. Cut a strip the width you want for the wings and glue them on the top. I took dental floss to make a string to hang it on. Punch a small hole in the top and thread the dental floss (or thread) in from one of the open sides and up to through the top out. I knotted the end and applied glue so it would stay in place and not pull out.
I folded the wings in the center and then folded it a couple more times to make it look like the wings were flapping.
To let my 13-year-old nurture his creative side with a more artistic versions yet create something my 5 and 9-year-old could have fun mastering I designed blown out eggs shells and decorated them as ghosts and ghouls.
I bought some suction cups from the Dollar Store to use as stands and am planning on letting them use their Egg Shell Ghouls for place settings for the Halloween Feast.
The Ghost is super easy and allows for creativity to the designer. I blew out several eggs by placing a hole in each end and blowing out the egg centers in a bowl. I then washed the shells and let them dry over night.
The ghosts were decorated with permanent markers and I draped netting over the egg to give it a flowing ghost appearance. I glued the netting on to the egg in several places. The hat is made by wrapping pipe cleaners in circles and gluing it on top of the net. The bag is simply cut from felt and glued on the outside of the net.
The Ghouls are prepared like the ghosts. I painted two with paint. The Werewolf was painted with child’s water colors to give it a lighter color. I drew the face first with permanent markers.
The Frankenstein was painted with acrylic paints from a child’s set sold at a dollar store. I drew the face after it had dried. This shell had been broken but I glued the pieces back together and felt it added a more ‘Frankenstein look’ to the egg.
I found that using a pair of scissors to snip the bottom of the shells to increase the size of the holes to slip on the suction cups for stands worked perfectly and did not break or crack the shells.
The vampire egg was just decorated with black and red permanent markers and placed on a suction cup to stand.
This craft will really let children use their imaginations to create a set of ghosts and ghouls for a fun table setting.
Want some recipes and some more crafts to inspire your creativity check out a few from my friends:
about gracehodgin
Grandma Blogger encouraging grand parents to remain active in the lives of their grand children and to inspire imagination and creativity.
When Grace is not writing articles for her blog then she morphs into GracieLoo and is off to ZombieZoo where she is the resident Grandma who hands out cookies, kisses, band-aids for booboos and reads stories to her beloved ZombieZoo Residents.
What clever ideas! I really love the bat, great recycle project. We’re definitely going to have to make a few of those this year and I’m going to suggest to my son’s teacher, she’s always looking for simple crafts that upcycle.
I’ll have to give you my list of things you can do with toilet paper roles
Fabulous ideas! I love the blown out eggs and that would be a perfect project for me to do with my 11 yr old and 13 year nephews!
The older children enjoy this craft so I hope they like it.
Great ideas! Not too much to do as far as things to get and easy to do! Will make a great project weekend when I have my grandchildren before Halloween. Then they can take them home! Perfect! Thanks!
Both are fun and inexpensive and they do like displaying them too.
I love these! Wonderful idea. And I agree Mr Frankenstein looks great with the break!
Thanks Kat, I felt the making lemonade out of the lemons worked great on this one.
Eggs for Halloween is a great idea! Never thought of it, but brilliant!
Thanks I like using resources around the house.
I think the roll/tube bats are just adorable, and the perfect afternoon project on a Fall day. The egg shells look like something to keep Momma busy, I think the kids would have a hard time articulating the faces with paint on a delicate surface. Might be fun with hard boiled eggs (like for easter), if I can find some food safe paints
I’m sure either would work but you don’t have to apply a lot of pressure with painting or with permanent markers and my grand children did not have a problem with their designs. Remember that this project is just one to encourage creativity not perfection. Children can easily paint features on with a brush. If you notice in the post I suggested this for older children where the younger children may enjoy the ghosts better.
How very creative – where were you when my kids were little!!
Thanks maybe I’ll still be around by the time the grand kids yet here, right?
What great ideas! Halloween is my favorite Holiday (or one of them) so I love how you get in the spirit!
These are fun ideas for Halloween! It’s rainy season here right now, and I’m always on the lookout for something that will keep the kiddos busy inside and away from the TV. Thanks for sharing!
You are so clever! I’m going to steal this idea for my daycare kids! Thanks!
Aww, that is so cute! I love Halloween!
I love the bat
Love the bats! I’m going to have to collect the toilet paper rolls to make next year!
thanks for the craft idea.
aww those are cute – can use the suction cup idea during Easter too… good job
The tp roll bat was a huge hit with my 3 boys! Thank you for showing us such a fun craft project.
really cute idea!