HALLOWEEN CRAFT ACTIVITIES

Halloween is an occasion that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Most events and parties are for either children or grown ups. It rarely happens that all age groups can celebrate together. In this article we will focus on home made Halloween decorations and how to involve your children when making them.

Perhaps you have visited friends and been impressed with the home made decorations or have visited a craft fair and watched a demonstrator make things in an instant, but beware. Before you suggest to the kids that they make Halloween decorations make sure you are comfortable with the idea. Not everyone has the time or the talent to make decorations. It is just a matter of sticking to what you enjoy. If you prefer preparing food then there are plenty of Halloween recipes that younger folk can get involved in preparing. Stick to what you are good at otherwise nobody will enjoy themselves.

No matter what type of decorations you decide to make there are certain "tools" and craft supplies you will need. Any house with children will probably have most of the items already but check before you tell the kids that they will be making Halloween decorations. Items that you will need include, safety scissors, glitter glue, Halloween confetti, water soluble markers, coloured card, pipe cleaners, assorted costume accessories such as wigs and face paints.

The easiest way to draw a design on any object is to use a template. To get Halloween templates just do a quick search online. You will find all sorts of designs such as bats, ghosts and ghouls and they can all be printed in the size you need. It's very simple.

Outdoor decorations are just as important as indoor versions at Halloween. Before you finalise the items you are going to make ensure that they are weatherproof if they are to be used outdoors. There is no point making decorations if they are going to dissolve in heavy rain.

So now onto some specific ideas. In our opinion you cannot go wrong with decorating a pumpkin. They are part and parcel of Halloween decorations and most homes will have a well light pumpkin in their window or porch. The big advantage of focusing on a pumpkin is that children of all ages can have a go and you do not have to stick to one side of the pumpkin. You can have different faces on different sides.

Before decorating the pumpkin make sure you select one that is nice and smooth. It will help when trying to draw a design on it. Don't forget to cut the top off and scrape out the inside. When cleaning out the pumpkin leave about 1/2" on the inside. You will need the pumpkin to remain rigid.

When painting any object it is always recommended that you apply a base coat. This also applies when painting a pumpkin. Orange paint is the obvious choice but I wouldn't get too worried about it. After all the pumpkin just has to last for a week or two.

By the time you have got a nice smooth pumpkin and applied a base coat you will be keen to get going on the actual design. The key to success is to keep it simple. Don't go for an intricate design. Remember you just want the kids to have fun, it is not a master's degree. You may want to trace the design onto the pumpkin yourself and then let the kids crack on with the colouring.

The second activity we recommend is candle decorating. For this you will need nice thick pillar candles that have plenty of space for tracing a design. The process is very similar to decorating a pumpkin in that all you have to do is trace your chosen design onto the candle and let the children colour between the lines.

Halloween is a fun time of year and all the activities associated with the occasion should reflect that. There should be no pressure on the kids, they should be given the freedom to decorate as they see fit. You may end up having to do ninety percent of the work yourself, particularly when very young children are involved, but once you plan for that there should be few surprises.

Perhaps after reading this article the whole process of making Halloween decorations seems like too much work. If that is the case don't worry. There are plenty of other options. Buying decorations online is very easy and relatively cheap. Hanging spiders, scene setters and tombstones can all be used to transform you home.