Unique Halloween DIY crafts and treats for kids

Scary Skeleton T-shirt

Glow-in-the-dark paint and glitter work brilliantly for a trick or treat party or whenever the lights are turned out. The paint and sparkle goes a long way, so it is ideal for several friends to have a go at creating decorations or their own scary skeleton T-shirt.

Things you need

• White paper
• Pencils (ordinary and white)
• Scissors
• Black T-shirt (preferably long sleeved)
• Sticky tape
• White fabric paint
• Paintbrush
• Glow in the dark paint

Instructions

• Draw bone shapes on white paper: ten sausages for ribs, seven rough circles for back vertebrae and elbows, and four traditional cylinders with a bulb at each end of the arms. Cut them out and position them on the front of the T-shirt. Tape them down so they do not move. Draw around the shapes with a white pencil.
• Remove the sticky tape and paper bones, and place a piece of paper inside the T-shirt to make sure the paint does not go through to the back of the fabric. Paint the bone shapes with white fabric paint.
• When the paint is completely dry (leave it overnight to be sure), lightly paint over the bones with glow-in-the-dark paint. Add a second coat of paint for an even better effect if you wish.

Variations

Night sky

Glittery glow-in-the-dark stars, moons, and planets are very effective party decorations. Simply fasten them on a wall or window with a sticky tape or hang them from a piece of cord.

Party invitations

Make a party invitation by sticking your motif to a card and complete it with a glow in the dark writing. Give clear instructions on the envelope that it must be opened in the dark.

Image courtesy: mrcostumes

Delicious Halloween lanterns with oranges

Get creative this Halloween with lanterns made out of oranges instead of pumpkins. Get everyone to have a go at creating scary faces for a delicious party treat.

Things you need

• Four oranges
• Four scoops vanilla ice cream or black currant sorbet or set jelly
• Four liquorice Catherine wheels
• Few glace cherries
• Chopping board
• Small serrated knife
• Teaspoon
• Ice cream scoop

Instructions

• On the chopping board, cut a slice off the top of each orange, about one-third down from the top, and put to one side. Using the teaspoon, scoop out the orange flesh and membrane until you reach the white inside of the orange.
• Turn one of the oranges on its side and carefully cut eye and mouth shapes with the small sharp knife. You may prefer to mark these on with a pen before you begin cutting. Do the same with the other oranges.
• Fill the scoops of ice cream, sorbet, or jelly. Replace the lids, place sliced cherries into the mouths, and add strips of unwound liquorice for hair. Serve immediately or put in the freezer until ready to serve.

Other fruits, such as a grapefruit, small watermelons, or yellow-skinned melons, could also be used as lanterns.

Use the unused orange flesh to add to a fruit salad. Alternatively, to make a smoothie, blend the orange flesh with a banana and some yogurt in a liquidizer.

Image courtesy: iloveworkshops