I’ve got a fab guest post today from Maggy who you’ll normally find sticking and painting up a storm over at Red Ted Art.
We were a little slow to “embrace” Halloween in our house. As a new mum, I was all into not giving my kids sweets and only being healthy. My son didn’t taste chocolate (other than on cake) until he was almost 3 years old (goodness, how MEAN of me). But that is now long gone and three years later, we all eat sweets and biscuits and cakes.. and I say BRING ON HALLOWEEN.
Though we do like to make sure that the focus is NOT JUST the begging for sweets. We have started our own Halloween Tradition for our family – and it is a time for us to get together and spend quality time to something nice.
I also think it is fun to get into the Halloween spirit with some ghoulish fun…. And would love to share some of our favourite activities for the season with you.
First up: Get creative in the Kitchen. Why not try your hand at Halloween Treats for the kids? We love making Frankenstein cookie pops (seriously easy to make, believe me) and Owl Cupcakes (I rather LOVE these). I always use very basic recipes for baking, that work well and then allow you plenty of time to have fun with the decorations. Eat this with the kids, have a Halloween Party or take them to a play date!
If you know Red Ted Art and have seen our guest posts here before, you will know that we LOVE Loo Roll Crafts. Loo rolls are incredibly versatile and “by definition” cheap. Well free actually. Show me a household that doesn’t have a loo roll! The perfect craft material for kids. Make these ADORABLE Toilet Paper Roll Bats. Use them as treat bags, hang them up as bunting OR even better… create mini piñatas. Genius.
This is a great costume for those of you who “don’t do making”. I actually “invented” this as a student and a friend and I went out dressed like this one Halloween. We had a great time. So why not try these skeleton fancy dress costumes. You will be laughing your way all around the trick or treating about how simple they are to make. Hop over to Red Ted Art for the free template too! For more ideas check out our other No Sew Costume ideas.
A little more ambitious maybe…. You can use “recycled” tissue paper to make some Halloween Lanterns – these can also be used to carry your treats in… maybe draw on the eyes in that case! Need an EVEN easier lantern craft? Use a paper lamp shade and cut out some paper shapes. Done! So easy and effective!
Finally, we have a SPOOKY glow in the dark eye ball craft. We LOVE googly eyes and stick them on everything. That made us come up with the idea of these eyeballs!! Add some glow in the dark paint and you can surprise your trick or treaters! My son totally adores these and they make him very very happy.
So… will you do a little more than “just” Trick or Treating this year? Tell us about YOUR favourite Halloween activities…
Once Halloween is over.. we will be starting on the big “C” word… and here is an “alternative” Christmas gift idea for you… why not give the gift of creativity and reduce the toy mountain at the same time? I have a list of “Basic” and “Jazzed up” Craft Kits you can put together yourself. And then if you WISH you can pop in a copy of Red Ted Art the book and you will have a fabulously creative gift to give!
About the Author: Maggy Woodley, is a crafty mum of two! She loves everything about crafts and loves nothing better to recycle and forage for craft materials –making crafts economical and fun. Maggy also writes at Life at The Zoo for all sorts of things including cooking with kids and Theatre Books and Movies for well, just that. Maggy’s craft site, Red Ted Art, is also now being translated into German, Spanish and Russian! Enjoy!
anna says
I need to get started making some halloween crafts soon too, im always so last minute! I think we will do some pumpkin related ones with the kids this year like decorating and carving as somehow they have still never done this! love the bats halloween pinata too
Emma says
I have pinned! The Frankenstein cookies are fab!
Pinkoddy says
I love Halloween craft. My son is off school ill and has gone onto Pinterest and actually selected the Pinata Bats as something to make today. I absolutely love the Gift basket idea and the book is fantastic.
Erica at ButeauFull Chaos says
Stopping by from the Mondays Parenting Pinit Party! Awesome Halloween crafts! Thanks for sharing!