Halloween Crafts

There are many different crafts to make for Halloween. These are just a few ideas to get you started. Best of all, they are all kid friendly projects.

To start off Halloween on the right foot, try making your own cards to send to friends and family. You can buy supplies at a craft store and create anything your imagination comes up with. If your imagination needs a jump start, there are kits that come with blank cards and decorations ready to glue on. Target has a small kit for $1.

Rather than using a boring pillowcase or a store bought bucket to use for trick-or-treating this Halloween, make homemade bags. Blank canvas bags can be found at craft stores. With some paint and stencils, or even markers, kids can create a custom bag. Once Halloween is over, the bag can be used for other things, like hauling books to and from the library.

You could also find some smaller fabric bags, or sew your own, and have your kids decorate them with craft paint. Then fill each bag with some Halloween goodies for your neighbors or family friends. Hopefully the recipients will reuse the bags in some way, cutting down on waste.

If you have kids that are too little to participate much in carving a Jack O'Lantern, pick up some mini pumpkins and craft paints. Painting faces or spooky designs on smaller pumpkins is a festive way to decorate without involving sharp objects, and you'll avoid the smell that accompanies carved pumpkins.

For other Halloween decorating, pick up some butcher paper. Cut some potatoes into stamps, and use poster paint for ink. Stamp your designs onto the paper and you'll be done in no time. This simple process can be used to make tablecloths, banners and window decorations.

If you want window decorations that don't block so much light, you should be able to find paint or markers made especially for windows. This paint usually washes off with soap and water or window cleaner. Kids will have fun painting pumpkins, ghosts, bats, etc. onto the windows and you'll be able to relax, knowing it will come off later.

These crafty things aren't just for Halloween - and by altering the decorations (ex: using turkeys instead of bats) you can adapt the ideas to other holidays. If you want to go a step further, try putting some homemade goodies in the bags you've made for the neighbors.