Pumpkin carving for easy candle access

Have you ever burned your hand trying to get a candle in or out of a jack-o'-lantern? Try cutting your pumpkin 'lid' a little differently.

Materials:

• pumpkin
• carving knife
  

Instructions:

• Prep the pumpkin for carving.
  
  
  
  
  
• Mark where you're going to cut the 'lid.' The front (shown as top of the photo) will be a semi-circle, while the back will extend all the way down the back of the pumpkin.
  
  
  
  
• Using your favourite method, clean out and carve the pumpkin.
  
  
  
  
  
• Now you're able to put a candle in through the back of the pumpkin, with much less risk of getting burned!
  
  
  

[Remember to keep children away from lit flames and matches!]

Hallowe'en mobile

This was created at our local Ontario Early Years Centre.

Materials:

• white, orange or black construction paper
• orange or black crepe paper
• orange or black string or yarn (yarn shown)
• paper towel roll (shown one is cut to about 20cm in length)
• stickers, crayons, markers for decorating
• glue
• scissors
• masking tape
  

Instructions:

• Have an adult cut out fun Hallowe'en themed shapes and have child decorate with stickers, paper, markers etc.
  
  
  
  
  
• Attach one length of yarn to the back of each shape using masking tape (vary the lengths to make the mobile more interesting)
  
  
  
  
  
• Attach the other end of the yarn to the paper towel roll, using masking tape. Cover the roll with crepe paper to hide the taped yarn. Place a last piece of yarn through the paper towel roll and knot. This last piece will be used to hang the mobile.
  
  
  
  
• Hang your mobile and enjoy! [Remember that long lengths of string / yarn present hazards to young children. Safety is your responsibility.]
  
  
  
  
  
  

Ghost feet

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• large sheet of black construction paper
• white, water soluble paint
• glue
  

Instructions:

• coat child's feet with white paint
• have them make two white foot prints on the black paper
• orient the paper so that the heel part of the print is the "top"
• cut out 6 small black circles
• glue the circles as two eyes and a mouth on the heel of each footprint
• beware the scary ghosts!

NOTE: if the child is reluctant to make foot prints, hand prints can be substituted

Pumpkin book

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• orange construction paper
• black construction paper
• scissors
• white glue
• stapler
• pumpkin seeds
  

Instructions:

• adult to cut out two identical pumkins from the orange paper
• adult to places both pieces of pumpkin one on top of each other and staple together along the left hand side (like a book)
• adult to cut out pumpkin eyes, nose and mouth from black construction paper
• child to glue pumpkin face on top pumpkin
• open pumpkin book and have child glue seeds on the inside "page" of the pumpkin book

Hallowe'en wreath

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• paper plate with centre cut out
• construction paper: red, green, brown, yellow, black, orange, white, purple
• scissors
• glue
  

Instructions:

• adult to cut large leaves out of red, green, brown and yellow construction paper
• adult to cut smaller pumpkins, cats, bats, ghosts, witches' hats, out of orange, black, white and purple construction paper
• glue leaves to wreath as background design
• glue Hallowe'en themed cut-outs on top of leaves