" Scary and creepy craft ideas for Halloween "

According to legend, the dead return to earth on the night of October 31st to November 1st. To avoid being accidentally taken back to the realm of the dead, people wear scary masks on this night. This is the Celtic origin of what has become an incredibly popular festival. We are, of course, talking about Halloween. In this article, we will show you how to make beautiful and scary masks for Halloween together with your children. craft together.

Family on Halloween

Halloween is a special celebration for young and old alike

What was initially celebrated commercially in the USA is now also widely celebrated in Europe. Today, of course, it is no longer about protecting oneself from the supposedly dead spirits, but rather about having fun dressing up. A Halloween party not only delights the grown-ups, but of course the little ones too. In order to have everything ready in time, you should start planning as soon as possible. Don't wait too long, because crafting for Halloween can sometimes take a little longer and will of course pass the time until the big night. You can not only make masks with the children, but also decorations to make your house spooky.

Halloween is a special celebration for young and old

Instructions for making masks with different motifs

Make a spooky bat mask

A bat is one of the classic motifs. It stands for darkness and, as a typical vampire transformation, is a wonderful motif for a Halloween mask.

You will need the following materials to make the mask:

• Craft cardboard
• scissors
• string
• elastic band

1. First draw the shape of a bat on the cardboard using a template. If you are short on time, ideally use black paper. Otherwise, you and your children can use brushes and paint.
2. Cut out the mask and the cut-outs for the eyes and punch holes in the side edges.
3. Now thread the elastic band through. Please take your child's measurements beforehand so that the Halloween masks fit well and do not slip.
4. Add small highlights by simply attaching black string to the edges. These make it look a little more lively.
5. Finally, use watercolors and/or felt-tip pens to paint on highlights such as the edges of the eyes, nose and individual hairs.

Bat masks for Halloween

It's hard to imagine Halloween without the pumpkin

While real pumpkins are hollowed out and decorated with scary faces as decorations, this motif is of course also perfect for making masks. There are hardly any limits here, as there is no fixed shape. Think about how you want to design the whole thing with your child. It's best to draw different ideas on a piece of paper first and choose the best one together. Once you have decided, transfer this drawing to the cardboard.

1. Cut out the template and the cut-outs for the eyes. If you are using white paper, color it according to your wishes. Naturally, orange, bright red and slightly yellowish tones should be the focus. Simply use a black pen for the teeth and nose.
2. Decorate the mask with a few lentil beads. Use the color orange for this, of course, but also white and black. This will create pretty accents.
3. Finally, thread the elastic band through the holes you punched out earlier.

Family on a spooky evening

The classic: making a ghost mask for Halloween

Alongside the pumpkin, the ghost motif is of course the most popular for this occasion. No cardboard is used for this mask, but papier-mâché is. This makes crafting with children even more fun, as there is a lot of pasting to start with. Make sure your child wears an apron before you get started.

You will need the following materials:

• Craft glue
• newspapers
• balloons
• white muslins
• black lentil beads

1. Start by blowing up a balloon and placing it in a small bowl so that it doesn't roll around on the table.
2. Now it's time for the little ones: let them tear the newspapers into small pieces.
3. Coat half of the balloon with craft glue. Now place the first layer of snippets on top. Then apply more glue and stick on the next layer of newspaper shreds. Continue until a sufficiently thick layer has been created. Note that the last coat should be white - or alternatively painted white after drying. Now let the whole thing dry really well for a day.
4. Pierce the balloon so that you only have the blank for the ghost mask in your hands.
5. Use a pencil to carefully draw the lines where you want to cut. The eye cut-outs and the outline of the later mask will suffice here. It doesn't need to be that precise, after all, it will be a ghost mask that can look frayed at the bottom.
6. Glue on black lentil beads with a little glue. Either as small dots or in the shape of a scar if you want it to look a little scarier.
7. To make the mask look even more authentic, attach white mumble cloths to the bottom edge. You can cut them a little larger to make it look a little scarier in the end. With a few white or black bellsthat make a spooky tinkling sound complete the costume.
8. Attach the elastic band and then all it needs is a white sheet and your child will have the perfect costume for collecting sweets.

halloween mask paper

Wear the matching costume with the Halloween masks

Making the masks is one thing. The other, of course, is to find a suitable costume. As already mentioned, a simple white linen scarf goes well with the ghost mask. For the bat, on the other hand, there are various options. On the one hand, you can choose dark clothing or buy a ready-made children's costume. These are often offered without the matching masks, so the self-designed masks are a wonderful addition.

Children on Halloween

Making Halloween decorations - craft ideas for those on the go

Whether you are planning a Halloween party or simply want to celebrate Halloween with your loved ones. The right decorations are essential. If younger children are involved, you should make Halloween decorations that don't look too scary. It's best to stick to the classics, such as the pumpkin, and make a few ghosts and bats with the children.

Orange and black string and cloth are perfect materials for making simple decorations such as garlands or place mats.