Kids and Family Halloween Crafts ~ Spider, Mummy Monster, Ghost Lollipops, and Halloween Chocolate Lollipop Recipe

Following the line of crafting Halloween projects with the whole family I wanted to share several sites with family craft projects that are good for the younger children too and may also include recyclable materials.

1.  This first craft is of a spider and they used egg cartons as one of the materials. A great recycle craft project. Kids will have fun painting and gluing their way to a spooky Halloween with these spiders! Here is the link for the tutorial -
http://www.squidoo.com/halloween-homemade-decorations

Glow In The Dark Mod Podge Monsters

The theme of this summers CHA is Kids Crafts - so Steve and I have developed some ideas that are kid friendly, parent approved and just plain fun.

We spent 3 hours teaching how to transform salad dressing bottles into fun glow in the dark monsters with a cousin it vibe. The monsters are designed to help kids that might be afraid of the dark. They can create their own glowing monster that will scare away any monsters that might be under the bed.

Each one turns out different and both boys and girls age 3-8 loved this project. This is a great classroom, camp, birthday party craft.

I see you!

Punky Pink!

Off center...

Not so blue!

Glow in the dark Mod Podge

Supplies:
Glow in the Dark Mod Podge
Salad Dressing, BBQ Sauce or Drink Bottle (plastic)
Black Spray Paint
1 yard Cheese Cloth (Jo-Ann fabrics)
Foam Brush
Google Eyes
Tacky Glue
Yarn Scrap (bright colors and textures are best)
Scrap cardboard
Scissors

Steps:
Clean out the bottles and paint the outside with black spray paint.


Attach the cheese cloth to the bottle with glow in the dark Mod Podge by wrapping the cheese cloth around the bottle in a "mummy" fashion. Saturate the cheese cloth with the Mod Podge. Allow to dry.

Create the hair: Wrap yarn around a 10" piece of scrap cardboard about 30 times. Tie off all the layers with a scrap piece of yarn. Working opposite of the tie, cut through the layers. Grab the hair at the tie and place into the opening on the bottle. the hair should fall to each side of the bottle. You can braid the hair, add layers, cut bangs, etc.

Attach google eyes with tacky glue. You can do one big eye in the center or two eyes off center, etc. The eyes really give the gritters personality so have fun here.


3.  I know, I know, everyone knows about the ghost lollipop but I'm gonna share this anyway. This is from an educational site and I think it's cool because it incorporates lessons with the craft.

Halloween Lollipop Ghost

Toddler Activities using Kleenex and a lollipop...make a cute ghost! Easy activity for a toddler. Perfect for a preschool or kindergarten activity too.

 

DESCRIPTION
Cute as a Halloween treat or even a treat made by your child for the classroom.

MATERIALS

Tootsie Roll Pops

2 Kleenex tissues or other brand (thicker tissues are easier to work with)

6 inch piece of white yarn

Pair of wiggly eyes or black marker

Bow (optional)

Elmer's Glue if using wiggly eyes

OTHER MATERIALS

Newspaper to work on

Art smock or old shirt

STEPS

1. Lay two sheets of tissue on a flat surface.
2. Place the lollipop in the center, candy side down.

3. Place the lollipop with the tissues into the palm of your childs hand. Help your child bunch up the tissue around the lollipop.
4. Using a piece of white yarn tie snugly around the base of the candy to form the head of your ghost.
5. Glue on wiggly eyes or use the marker to make the eyes and mouth.
6. Add a bow if desired.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

I like the Tootsie Roll pops because it is larger and easier to work with although Dum Dum pops will work as well. I'd use one sheet of tissue for the smaller lollipops.

Easiest way to make bow is to get 1/8 inch ribbon to tie with and 1/4 inch ribbon for the bow. Form bow with the 1/4 inch decorative ribbon and tie in the middle with a double knot with a piece 1/8 inch ribbon about six inches long. Use the remainder of the ribbon to tie around the "neck" of the ghost.

EDUCATIONAL TIPS
Talk about the middle or center of the tissue when you explain where to place the lollipop.

If you want to get really fancy with this craft, this tutorial from Craft Elf uses cloth material but still good for kids to make ~

Ghost Lollipop and Ghost Decoration

Easy Kids Halloween craft. This duo of ghosts will help haunt your house.

Ghost Decoration:
Materials:

• 12" Square of white fabric or white plastic tablecloth
• 12" Square of cheesecloth - Double thick
• 10" Piece of thin orange or black ribbon
• Black permanent marker
• 1 ½" Styrofoam ball
• Lollipop stick
• Half of a 5" Styrofoam ball

1) Dip both ends of the lollipop stick in glue. Then, put one end into the 1 ½" ball. This will be the head. Lay the half of a 4" Styrofoam ball flat on the table and put the other end of the lollipop stick in the center of it.2) Lay the white fabric or tablecloth on the table then place the cheese cloth on top. Pick up all layers together and place over the head of the ghost. The cheesecloth should be on the outside.
3) Gather all the layers just below the 1 ½" ball and tie securely with the ribbon. Tie the ribbon in a bow.
4) Draw a mouth and eyes on the head with the permanent marker.

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Lollipop Ghost:
Materials:

• One Tootsie pop
• 7" Square of cheesecloth - Double thick
• 1 tissue or a piece of white fabric similar size to the cheesecloth
• 8" orange or black ribbon
• Black permanent marker

1) Lay the tissue and cheesecloth over the lollipop with the cheesecloth on the outside. 2) Gather all the layers just under the lollipop and tie with ribbon. Tie ribbon in a bow.
3) Draw a face on the ghost with a permanent marker.

4.  And if you'd like to make your own ghost candy here's a fun site with a ghost lollipop recipe ~

Halloween Chocolates Lollipop Recipe

"Kids really love the spooky shapes of these lollipops, and the vanilla and chocolate coatings make a pretty pair," says Sandra McKenzie, Braham, Minnesota.

Ingredients of Halloween Chocolate Lollipops Recipe
* 1-1/2 cups vanilla or white chips
* 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
* Ghost lollipop/candy molds
* 20 lollipop sticks
* 1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
* 1/8 teaspoon orange extract
* Pumpkin lollipop/candy molds

Directions for Halloween Chocolate Lollipops Recipe
1. In a microwave, melt vanilla chips; stir until smooth. Stir in coconut extract. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a #3 round pastry tip. Transfer melted vanilla chips to bag. Fill ghost molds three-fourths full. Press a lollipop stick into each ghost; top with a small amount of melted chips. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Set remaining melted chips aside.
2. In a microwave, melt milk chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in orange extract. Prepare a second pastry or plastic bag; insert tip. Transfer melted chocolate to bag. Fill pumpkin molds three-fourths full. Press a lollipop stick into each pumpkin; top with a small amount of chocolate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Set remaining melted chocolate aside.
3. Remove lollipops from molds. Use reserved melted chips to add faces to ghosts and pumpkins.
Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 20 lollipops.