Halloween is just around the corner and we're feeling spooky! To get yourself in the mood to Trick or Treat, I've rounded up my favourite Halloween DIY activities that are fun for all the family.
Mandarin Pumpkins
Possibly the easiest Halloween DIY you’ll find! Mandarins and satsumas are the spitting images of mini pumpkins, so they are an obvious choice for easy DIY decoration. These are the perfect last-minute addition to a busy household wanting to give a nod to Halloween, but with no time on their hands to make something complicated.
Equipment:
Black permanent marker
Some mandarin oranges
- A blunt knife
Instructions:
Simply score lines on the mandarins to add definition, and then draw on a spooky face of your choice using the permanent marker. A great idea for encouraging kids to eat their fruit!
Ghost Balloons
Ghosts and ghouls are known for floating around silently and creeping up on you when you least expect it, and these balloon ghosts are no different! With only a few materials required, you can find the crafts you need in most local shops. Spookiness at it's most convenient!
Equipment:
- White balloons
- Helium
- Black permanent marker
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape
- White crepe paper
- White gift ribbon/string
Instructions:
Inflate the balloons with helium. Cut out 3 strips of crepe paper for each balloon, each piece being 60cm long. Use double-sided tape to attach the strips to the bottom of the balloon. Draw a mouth and eyes on the balloon using the black marker, to resemble a ghost. Then tie the ribbon to the bottom of the balloon and tie wherever you want to scare people!
Bloody Candles
Simple yet effective, make sure children are supervised if doing this activity. With Halloween occurring at the height of autumn, candles are currently taking over the shops, once more making this activity very accessible. Plus, swap the colours and they're not just for Halloween - try red and gold for Christmas, too.
Equipment:
- White candles
- Red candles, preferably of the long, candlestick type
Instructions:
Simply light the red candle, and as it begins to melt rest it on the side of the white candle until the red wax transfers. Do this all around the sides of the candle, until you have the desired effect.
Ghost Luminaries
This is great for those doubting their artistic skill. Give children the freedom to design their own ghost faces, making them as simple or as detailed as they would like, and you'll end up with your own family of ghosts at the end. They look great stacked on staircases as above, but can also be placed on the windowsill or mantelpiece where they are less likely to be knocked over!
Equipment:
- Battery-powered tea-lights
- Small white paper bags
- Black permanent marker
Instructions:
Draw faces on the bags with the permanent marker and then place the tealight inside and switch on. Place lots together to create a pack of ghosts!
Wonder Webs
Choose to keep them white, or spray paint them black or silver. The fantastic thing about these spiders webs is that they look a lot more complicated than they are - once you've done one you'll be making them in your sleep. Plus, they are a great excuse for an autumn ice cream if you're out of lollipop sticks...
Equipment:
Lollipop sticks
- White string
- Silver paint
- Small plastic spiders
Instructions:
Paint three lollipop sticks silver and lets them dry. Glue the sticks together at the centre, forming an asterisk-shape. Tie one end of the string to the centre of the sticks. Wrap it around the other spokes, then move outward, wrapping the sticks in a circular motion. Tie off the string and add a plastic spider.
Googly Eye Door
Googly eyes are both spooky and funny, and when used correctly, can be the perfect addition to a Halloween decoration. By sticking pairs of them all over a door it appears that lots of creatures are lurking within. But you can also have fun with this and stick them anywhere you like - the fridge, the bin, a lampshade - the more random the better.
Equipment:
Googly eyes with sticky backs
- A door
Instructions:
Simply glue googly eyes onto the door in pairs at different angles, wherever you wish.
Mummy Piñata
Not just one of the cutest Halloween decorations you will ever see, this little man is also a great way of recycling your toilet paper tubes. Due to their mini size, the piñata is the perfect treat to give to children without the sharing squabbles. If you really get the hang of making them, why not hand them to Trick or Treaters too?
Equipment:
Toilet paper tube
- Googly eyes
- White crepe paper
- Double-sided tape
- Gift tag
- String
- Small sweets
Instructions:
Apply a strip of double-sided tape to the edge of one of the ends of the toilet paper tube, and place pieces of the crepe paper over the hole on that side. Place the sweets inside the tube, not packing it too full. Tie a gift tag onto the piece of string. Place the string across the other end of the tube, and secure with double-sided tape and crepe paper, as before. Wrap the crepe paper around the tube until completely covered, securing with double-sided tape. Push a section at the top of the tube apart to create some space for the googly eyes. Simply pull the tag when you want to release the sweets!
Bat Pegs
Liven up your washing line this Halloween! While these bat pegs can still be used as clothing pegs, feel free to let your creativity roam - you can use them to clip up photos, or hang the Wonder Webs and Mummy Piñatas around the house. Decorate with a silver pen to add some extra eeriness.
Equipment:
- Clothes pegs
- Black acrylic paint
- Bat template from familyfunmag.com/printables
- Black card
- Silver pen (optional)
Instructions:
Paint each peg with black acrylic paint. While drying, print off the bat templates and cut out. Use a pencil to trace two wings onto black card and cut them. Fold over a tab on the base of each wing and glue them to the sides of the peg. Decorate as desired.
Creepy Crawlers
Half spider, half pumpkin, these little creations are what Halloween is all about. If you can't get hold of a real mini pumpkin, fake versions are available online, which you can re-use year after year. Also, choose to replace a real tea-light candle with a battery-powered version if the decoration will be left unattended.
Equipment:
- Black pipe cleaners
- Mini pumpkins hollowed out (real or fake)
- Tea-light candles
- Superglue
Directions:
Cut the pipe cleaners to a suitable size and bend in 2 places to make them look like legs. Attach 4 on each side of the pumpkin using superglue. Place a candle in the middle of the pumpkin and light.
Cat Lanterns
If you're feeling more adventurous and have more time on your hands, why not give this one a go? Feel free to adapt the size of the cats according to the size of pumpkins you find, and also to the size of the area you want to display them in. They look particularly effective at the entrance of your house but they can go anywhere you like - put them in the bathroom to spook guests or as a centrepiece on the table.
Equipment:
- Pumpkins ranging from short and fat to long and tall and very small
- Cucumber
- Black card
- Black permanent marker
- A cutting utensil for the pumpkin
- Black spray paint
- Tea-light candles + dish to place it on
- Superglue
Directions:
Cut out the top of a small pumpkin you are using for the head, and scoop the inside clean. Place it upside down on the base (taller) pumpkin, turning to find a good fit. Decide on the placement of the eyes, then draw them on and carve them out. Cut pointy ears out of the card and mark their positions on the head with a pen.
Carve two shallow grooves into the head to hold the ears. Avoid cutting all the way through the pumpkin. (For more realistic ears, carve crescent-shaped grooves.) Stuff the head with a loosely crumpled newspaper, in preparation for spray painting.
Cover pumpkins, mini pumpkins, and cucumber with one or two thin coats of black spray paint. Allow to dry.
Remove stuffing and insert the ears. Put a tea light on a lid or dish to catch any drips, and stick to the top of the big pumpkin with superglue. Attach the head on top of the tea-light candle. Position cat and arrange tail and paws next to the body.
