Ingredients
- 15 sheets of construction paper, 9 inches by 12 inches, in black, orange, white, purple, green, yellow, brown, and red
- 5 sheets of white printer paper, 8.5 inches by 11 inches, for templates and practice shapes
- 1 bottle of washable school glue, 4 fluid ounces
- 1 glue stick, 0.74 ounces
- 1 package of washable markers, with at least 8 colors
- 1 box of crayons, with at least 12 colors
- 1 pair of child-safe scissors for each child, up to 4 pairs
- 1 pair of adult scissors, 8 inches long, for any thicker or detailed cuts
- 1 pencil, standard writing size, for tracing
- 1 ruler, 12 inches long, for measuring strips
- 1 black marker, chisel or bullet tip, for small facial details
- 1 sheet of self-healing cutting mat, at least 12 inches by 18 inches, if the adult needs detailed cutting
- 1 table covering, at least 24 inches by 36 inches, such as kraft paper, a reusable vinyl mat, or a flattened paper grocery bag
- 4 washable craft smocks or old shirts, optional and substitute friendly
- 1 roll of painter's tape, 1 inch wide, for hanging finished pieces temporarily
- 15 small envelopes or 1 lidded storage box, at least 12 inches by 9 inches, for finished crafts
Instructions
- Cover the table before you begin, because a layer of kraft paper or a flattened grocery bag saves the whole evening from glue spots and marker marks.
- Set out the work area. Place the paper, scissors, glue, drawing tools, and templates where every child can reach them. Keep one small scrap bowl nearby for paper pieces you may reuse.
- Make simple templates. On printer paper, draw a pumpkin, ghost, bat, cat, monster, spider, moon, leaf, and tombstone. Keep the shapes broad and simple, using curves and straight lines rather than tiny points.
- Cut the large shapes first. Trace the templates onto construction paper and cut 15 main pieces. You can make one large background scene, or create 15 individual characters, each about 4 to 8 inches wide.
- Prepare the repeating pieces. Cut orange ovals for pumpkins, black triangles for bat ears, white circles for eyes, and green strips for stems.
- Choose the first character. Start with a ghost, pumpkin, or moon because each has a forgiving outline. Place the pieces together without glue first, then shift them until the face or pattern feels balanced.
- Add the background. Use one full sheet of construction paper as the base, or glue the character onto a smaller rectangle for a card.
- Glue the large pieces. Apply a thin line or small dots of glue to the back of each shape.
- Build the faces and details. Add eyes, teeth, cheeks, hats, leaves, stars, or tiny windows.
- Give each piece a personal mark. Invite children to add stripes, freckles, stitches, grass, stars, or a funny expression with crayons and washable markers.
- Make a hanging loop if you want one. Cut a paper strip 1 inch by 4 inches, fold it into a loop, and glue the ends to the back of the finished piece.
- Let uneven parts stay or adjust them. If a face looks crooked, add a hat, cheek, eyebrow, or extra star to balance it.
- Dry everything flat. Leave the crafts on the covered table for 30 to 60 minutes or longer if needed.
- Clean up and store the scraps. Wipe glue from the table while it remains wet, close the markers, and return reusable paper to the scrap bowl.
Notes
Children ages 3 and up can help with gluing, arranging large pieces, and adding crayon details with close adult supervision. An adult should handle detailed cutting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
