Halloween is just around the corner and though it may not be a local tradition, raising our children up to feel part of a larger, global family is important. Teach your little ones about other countries and their traditions… and when it comes to Halloween, the best way to do so is by playing around with some easy crafts that both you and your children will enjoy. 

Itsy Bitsy Spider… Web

Collect 3-4 small twigs (or lolly sticks) and tie them together in the centre with a tight knot made of twine or thin rope, to make a star shape. Weave the web by looping twine around each twig, creating hexagons or octagons from the centre all the way up to the top. 

Lollipop Ghosts 

Dress some lollipops up with white material (or kitchen paper) and tie it around the ‘neck’ with a ribbon, in order to let the rest of the material create a white ‘dress’ (or in our case sheet), at the bottom. Draw some eyes on the ‘head’ with a black marker and you’re good to… boo! 

Mummy in a Jar

Remember that glass jar you kept because you knew one day you’d find the perfect use for it? Well today is the day! Draw two eyes on the upper part of the jar (or stick two ready-made eyes on) and remove the lid. Wrap white gauze around the jar for that creepy mummy effect, covering the entire jar - except the eyes. Place a lit candle in the jar to reveal the spooky final look! 

Finger Puppet MonstersCut out the conical cardboard pieces that divide the eggs in an egg carton and colour them using water paints. Draw a large eye in the centre of each piece (or stick one on) and draw out a nose, mouth or any other facial features you like. Add hair with strips of coloured, crimped paper on top of the cone and ‘wear’ your new finger puppets to animate your very own Halloween story. 

Jack-O-Lanterns 

We left the best (and most classic) craft last! If you want to really get into the “spirit” of Halloween, carving your own jack-o-lantern is a must! All you need is a pumpkin (it doesn’t necessarily have to be round), a sharp knife, a marker and a candle.  
1. Cut the top piece with the stem (the lid) and empty out the pumpkin’s insides as well as you can using a spoon, until its ‘walls’ are as smooth and thin as you can make them. (Save the pumpkin mush to make soup or cake). 
2. Use a marker to draw out eyes, nose and mouth. 
3. Carefully carve out the face you have just drawn.
4. Place a lit candle inside the pumpkin, put the ‘lid’ (that you cut out in step 1) back on, close the lights and get ready to hear an excited WOW! 
Halloween may be a mostly foreign holiday, but there is no reason to not seize the opportunity and enjoy it at home with our kids (or friends). After all, it is these very moments fuelled by creativity and shared laughter that will become lasting memories we will fondly remember forever. 

Happy Halloween to all!