My favorite thing about this craft is how it provides some structure and inspiration but kids can build on the basic idea and really use their imagination on what to create with the materials provided. I did not expect my son to bedazzle his bat!
My second favorite thing, and why I think this is perfect for a Halloween class party, is how mess-free this craft is. The teacher will thank you!
Materials:
- Tubes (toilet paper or paper towel cut into 3 equal pieces)
- Construction paper
- Pipe cleaners
- Glue sticks
- Markers/crayons
- Stickers
- Hot glue gun (used in advance, not in the classroom)
To Prepare:
Wrap the tubes – Cut squares of construction paper into 12”X14” squares. Apply hot glue to each side and wrap your tube. I’d estimate 2-3 tubes per child for a 20 minute craft.
Cut Shapes – Cut different size circles, triangles, and squares.
Cut Pipecleaners – Cut some in half (spider legs, cat tails) and some in thirds (cat whiskers)
Use the materials to create a cat, bat, spider, and pumpkin that the kids can use as a starting point for their own creations.
Doing the prep is a great way to include volunteers who want to help but can’t attend the event. This craft is so easy that even the non-crafty folks can easily pitch in. No job is too small!
In the Classroom:
Divide the class into groups (4-6 per group works well)
Give each group a selection of wrapped tubes, stickers, pipe cleaners, shapes, markers, and glue sticks. Keeping kids scissors and some paper scraps is a good idea in case the kids want to cut their own shapes.
Show them your examples and suggest they create any Halloween character they like with the materials provided.
You’ll want a couple of volunteers on hand to help with the pipe cleaners. Use a sharp point (I used the tip of scissors) to poke little holes in the tube, this makes it easy to poke in the pipe cleaner.
