Activities & Days Out / 4 October, 2022 / Nanny Anita

Nanny Anita’s Ghost Leaves & Hanging Bats

Here are two great Halloween arts and crafts posts, perfect for half term.

Make sure you follow my Halloween board on Pinterest for more ideas. Don’t forget to save the pin for later. 

Ghost Leaves 

During Autumn I find that my bag is constantly being filled with leaves of all shapes and sizes that my charges find during our walks. I always feel bad when weeks later I find the remains of these leaves crushed into flakes at the bottom of my bag, so in order to save these leaves (and my bag) from being turned into confetti, and put them to use, we decided to turn them into hanging ghost leaves.

To make your own ghost leaves you will need:

• Leaves of various shapes and sizes
• White paint
• Paintbrush
• Sting
• Black pen
• Glow in the dark paint (optional)

Very carefully cut off any stalks that the leaves might have.

Paint the leaves white and leave to dry, you may need to apply a second coat it the leaf colour is showing though.

With a sharp object make a hole near the top of your leaf (if doesn’t matter which way up your leaf goes, that is a personal preference), and thread the string through.

With your black pen draw on your ghosts face, we did try using googly eyes, but found they didn’t stick very well.

If you have a glow in the dark pen or paint then you can decorate the body of the ghost, but again this is optional.

Then hang them up to help complete your Halloween decorations.

Flying Bats

What would Halloween crafts be without a few bats to hang up here and there? These little cuties are super easy to make and one that even the youngest ones can get involved in.

To make your own flying bats you will need:

• Egg carton
• Black paint
• Googly eyes
• String
• Glow in the dark paint (optional)

Cut out the egg cartons so that you get a row of three holders together. The middle of these will make the body and the 2 outside ones will be the wings.

Turn it upside down so and on the two holders that will make the wings, cut a wave pattern along the front edge.

Paint the whole thing black and leave to dry.

Using something sharp, make a small whole in the top of the bats body, and thread the sting through.

Stick on the eyes, and if you have some tubes of glow in the dark paint, paint on the mouth with some fangs. If you don’t have any then you could always use ordinary paint or pen.

My eldest charge had such a lot of fun making these, and wants one to stay in his room once Halloween is over.

Pin for later: