Simple Halloween Crafts: Fun with Paper Plates

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

21 Sep 2008 10:39 PM

When I was in second grade my older brother (by 11 months) was dared by a kid in the school cafeteria to eat a paper plate. My headstrong sibling didn't blink twice and devoured about half the plate before a teacher saw what he was doing and took him to the infirmary. He survived and to this day we still laugh about the incident.

Strange anecdote aside that's not the type of "fun" with paper plates I have in mind for your children. With Halloween fast approaching and the economy in the dumpster I've been looking affordable ways to decorate our home for trick-or-treaters. Save for the pumpkin window clings that I doled out a whole dollar for at Wal-Mart our holiday decor is primarily homemade. Fortunately, I have a preschooler who loves to craft.

If you have children at home or you are simply looking for an easy way to get into the Halloween spirit the following craft projects featuring paper plates, pumpkins and scarecrows should fit the bill:

PAPER PLATE PUMPKINS

Materials:

Any orange paper (tissue paper, old wrapping paper, construction paper, etc.)

Small scrap of green construction paper

White glue or glue stick

Paper plate

Instructions:

Cut the orange paper into small pieces.

Flip the paper plate over. Cover the back of the paper plate with glue.

While the glue is still wet, arrange the scraps of orange paper onto the paper plate.

When the entire plate is covered, go back and glue down any loose edges.

Cut out a stalk from the green paper and glue to the top of the plate.

PAPER PLATE SCARECROW

Materials:

Orange and white paint

Paper plate

Yellow construction paper

Scraps of colored construction paper

Glue stick

Instructions:

Mix together some white and orange paint to make a peach shade.

Paint the back of the paper plate and set aside to dry.

Take some yellow construction paper and cut two arches. Snip either side of each arch into strips (don't cut through the middle). Glue to the top and the bottom of the paper plate as straw.

With the rest of the colored construction paper cut out eyes, mouth, hat, and whatever else you would like to decorate your scarecrow with and glue them to the plate.

Note: If you have a well-stocked craft closet you could get fancy with this project and embellish your scarecrow with yarn, glitter, sequins, googly eyes, scraps of material from old sewing projects, etc. The construction paper method is simply the cheapest alternative.

Related Articles:

Post Halloween Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Ideas For Leftover Halloween Candy

Halloween In The Midwest-Not So Scary After All

Handmade Money Saving Halloween Decorations

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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