For children, Halloween can almost feel like Christmas has come early. From pumpkin carving and dressing up, to trick or treating and the mountains of sweet treats that come with it, there is no wonder our little ones go crazy at this spooky time of year.
So, for those looking at new creative ways to celebrate Halloween and spookify their homes this year, the team at Essential Living have compiled these seven simple DIY decorations that the whole family will have fun making.
Vampire bat leaves
There is only one thing to do about piles of leaves in the garden – make vampire bat leaves!
Simply gather some fallen leaves from your garden or the local park, and spray them with matte black paint to bring the body of your bat to life. Then, use a white marker to draw on your vampire’s facial features and your work is done. Hang them around the home wherever you’d like, but be warned – your vampire bats will be watching you!
Webbed placemats
This spooky season, it’s time to ditch your usual coasters and get out those webbed placemats during mealtimes. To make these, you only need two things: puffy paint and some parchment paper.
Use your puffy paint to draw out some classic cobweb shapes onto parchment paper. Let this dry and set overnight – this will allow you to easily peel the paper off the back. If you really want to really show off your webbed placements, place them under a clear plate for the ultimate spooky aesthetic.
Pumpkin balloon garland
Whether you’re throwing a Halloween party or just want to set a spooky tone, a pumpkin balloon garland in your home is the perfect addition to your Halloween interiors.
To make one, blow up some balloons (be sure not to make them too big) and draw funny faces on each. Then, to put together your terrifying garland, simply string your balloons together.
ALSO SEE: Things to do this Halloween that aren’t trick-or-treating
Spooky candlestick holders
Before you throw away that recycling, why not consider turning your glass bottles into spooky candlestick holders?
For this, you’ll need to spray paint (or simply paint) your bottles in festive Halloween colours and stick a candle in each one. Then, when the dark night comes, light your candles and watch the wax drip down the sides of your bottles. What a haunting sight!
Creepy crawly candles
You can never have too many candles around the home around Halloween. So, as well as your spooky candlestick holders, why not also feature some creepy crawly candles around the house?
If you’ve got some mini pumpkins lying around, scoop them out and add tealights to them. Then, use pipe cleaners to make your spider legs and attach these to your pumpkins.
Ghost dining chairs
Thinking of throwing a Halloween dinner party? With ghost dining chairs, you’re all set for the occasion!
Hang a white sheet over your dining chair to create your ghost body. Then, using adhesive-backed black felt, cut out your ghoul’s facial features and stick them onto the chair. Dinner is served!
Spookify everything!
It’s Halloween and you can’t go wrong with spookifying every inch of your home. For instance, you and the kids could stick paper bats on walls, put witches hats on mason jars in your kitchen, and perhaps even attach makeshift fangs to family portraits.
Let your imaginations run wild!
Words: Essential Living
ALSO SEE: 60 Things to Do in Cape Town with Kids
ALSO SEE: 7 Spooky treats for a Halloween feast
Feature Image: Paige Cody via Unsplash
