Simple Ghost Craft
By: Anna Hall, Hickory, NC Publisher Mom
Anna Hall, Hickory, NC Publisher Mom
We made these simple ghosts with my daughter who was 5 at the time. They were very easy to make and she was even able to do the craft by herself after I showed her how (how often does that happen?). There are a few different materials you can use and you should already have everything you need in house. We hung these around the house and some outside on a big holly tree for Halloween decorations.
Materials:
- ping-pong balls (optional)
- white tissues and/or white shopping or garbage bags
- scissors
- white string
- black marker
- orange yarn or white twist-ties
- lollypops (optional)
- cotton balls (optional)
What to do:
- If you will be hanging your ghosts outside, use a white shopping bag or garbage bag. Cut up the bag into 8in x 8in (or larger) squares. If making for indoor use, just use white tissues.
- Make a small hole in the center of the material and thread a piece of string through the hole for hanging the ghost. Tie off the inside end to keep in place.
- Place ping-pong ball or lollipop in the middle of the square and wrap around, making a head. Make lollipop ghosts for Halloween party favors or to give away to trick-or-treaters. I would use ping-pong balls if hanging outside. I have in years past just stuffed the middle with cotton balls or bunched up tissues shaped into a ball, but they do get wet outside even if wrapped in a plastic bag.
- Tie underneath the “head” with a piece of yarn or use white twist ties like we did.
- Use black marker to draw the ghost’s face on the head. My daughter decided to make hers happy ghosts!
Recycled Plastic Bag Ghosts!
By: Kindle Rising, Publisher, East Tucson Macaroni Kid
Kindle Rising
I really DO try to remember my re-usable bags when I go shopping. But for all the times I pop into Target or Walgreens without planning ahead, I have several bags stashed under my cupboard, waiting to be recycled.
This Halloween I came up with a great use for the white plastic menaces: Plastic bag ghosts! You can re-use every part of the bag with this easy, weather-proof craft, and then store them for use again next year.
You need:
- 1. White plastic shopping bags (be sure use bags with the store logo only on one side. You can also use bags without a logo.)
- 2. Scissors
- 3. Fishing line or thread
- 4. Needle
- 5. Permanent marker
Directions:
These are the steps for a bag with a store logo on one side. Modify as needed for an all-white bag.
- Use two bags per ghost.
- Cut out the store logos on the sides of each bag. Set aside.
- Cut off the bag handles. Set aside.
- Trim the remainder of the bags so they lie flat (the more ragged the cut, the better. It makes the ghost ).
- Place the bags on top of each other, one going vertical and the other horiztal.
6. Wad up the sections of the bag you cut out and place in the center of the flat bags. This is your ghost's head.7. Use the handles you cut off to tie around the ghost's neck and secure the head.
8. Thread fishing line or thread onto a large needle and thread through the ghost's head (make sure it goes through the bags stuffed inside, so it doesn't tear the plastic). Remove the needle and knot. This is what you'll hang your ghost with.
9. Make the ghost's face using a permanent marker. This is a great step to have the little ones help with!
10. Hang indoors or out! We made about 10 ghosts and hung them from a tree out front. We've had so many comments from neighbors about our cute ghosts!
