1. Glowing Mason Jar Mummies
Transform ordinary household glass jars into spooky, glowing mummy lanterns that light up the autumn nights. This project is exceptionally tactile and perfect for little hands that love to wrap and glue. Kids will love watching their creations transform from plain glass to eerie, bandaged monsters once a flickering LED tealight is dropped inside.
To create these, start with clean, empty mason jars. Apply a generous layer of non-toxic school glue or decoupage medium all over the outer surface of the glass. Have your children wrap strips of white gauze bandage or crepe paper around the jar, overlapping the layers to mimic a mummy’s wrappings. Leave a small gap for the eyes. Glue two large googly eyes in the gap, and let the jar dry completely. Drop a battery-operated LED candle inside to watch the mummy come to life with a warm, haunting glow that is perfect for a front porch display or a bedroom nightlight.
2. Egg Carton Bat Hanging Mobile
Upcycle your empty cardboard egg cartons into a colony of swooping, nocturnal bats. This eco-friendly craft teaches children about recycling while allowing them to construct a dynamic, hanging mobile that dances in the breeze. It is a wonderful project for developing scissor skills and exploring acrylic paints.
Cut an egg carton into sections of three cups each. Help your child trim the bottom edges of the outer two cups into pointed wing shapes, leaving the middle cup intact to serve as the bat’s body. Paint the entire cardboard structure with black washable paint. Once dry, glue on two tiny googly eyes and draw a cute or spooky fanged mouth with a white paint marker. Thread a piece of black yarn or fishing line through the top of the center cup, and hang them from a fallen tree branch to create an enchanting, rustic Halloween mobile for your living room window.