Halloween Projects: Paper Mache Pumpkin / Jack-O-Lantern Pinatas and Decorations

If you're trying to find a fun project for the kids to do this Halloween season, have you considered paper mâché? Paper mâché is a fun and safe way to get the kids involved in making crafts with a paper mâché paste and newspaper. The vast variety of things you can create is nearly endless, but for this Halloween season why don't you make something that's cheap, practical, and fun? You can make jack-o-lanterns to set out as decorations, or make pumpkins to use as piñatas, a fun way to divide up all of that extra Halloween candy. The kids will have a blast making them, and you'll save a few bucks. Everybody wins!

First of all, you'll need to make the paste. To make the paper mâché paste, all you need is flour, water, and salt. Mix one part flour with two parts water. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt to keep it from molding. Mix it until it is smooth and has no bumps or lumps.

To make the pumpkin or jack-o-lantern, you need to blow up a balloon to the desired size. For a piñata, wrap a string around the bottom of the balloon and up the sides. Pull it toward the top so that there's some left over to hang around a tree, etc. Tape the string to the balloon, and then get ready for the paper mâché part. Put the balloon in a bowl to keep it stable while you're working on it. Tear (don't cut) a newspaper from top to bottom in one to one and a half inch strips. Drag a strip through the paste, and then run the strip between two of your fingers to get rid of the extra paste. You want enough on there so that it will stick to the balloon, but not so much that it slips all over the place. Once you've got the right amount of paste on your newspaper strip, put the strip of paper on your balloon, wrapping it around to cover as much area as you can, including the string wrapped around the bottom of the balloon. Do this until you have the entire balloon covered. As you're creating your paper mâché pumpkin or jack-o-lantern don't forget to make the stem! If you are making a piñata, one or two layers of the paper will do. If you're making a decorative jack-o-lantern, add a few more layers to make it sturdier.

Let the paste dry, and then use a needle or a pin to pop the balloon. Cut out the face (if making a jack-o-lantern), or a square in the top where the candy will go into the piñata. Decorate with streamers (glued on- Elmer's Glue works just fine) or paint. If you have other ideas for decorations, go ahead and try them out. Once your paper mâché project is finished, and completely dry, set it out for decoration, or fill the piñata with that extra Halloween candy and enjoy!