There’s no doubt about it, this year has had its own dose of scariness, so why not add some cheer to Halloween this year with some colourful, not creepy, craft ideas with fun themes and bright colours.
Shannon Wong-Nizic, craft expert and owner of ohcreativeday, an online parenting resource, said that little children can often find Halloween symbols and imagery quite frightening and so lightning it up with fun colours and getting immersed in non-spooky craft can help ease their fears.
“Craft can be so much fun for little ones and you don’t have to go crazy buying up half a craft shop – just a few simple materials are all you need.”
Here are Shannon’s top tips for colourful, not creepy Halloween crafting:
- Process not product – when children get creative, it’s powerful to let them have ownership over their project. Try to avoid micro-managing the process and let them create as they please.
- Get stuck in – roll up your sleeves and have a go along-side your children. Just create what is in your mind and let them create what’s in theirs. It can be incredibly bonding and it’s a great way to have fun and connect with your kids.
- Comfort zone – if the thought of craft sends shivers up your spine then stick to the basics. Forget multiple fabrics, glitter and textiles – just go with the low mess option. Colours, glue, scissors and card are really all you need. I really love Pilot’s Pintor Paint Markers. They have 24 amazing colours including metallics and pastels so you can get even more creative. I have used them this Halloween to develop a Bat Mask, Trick or Treat Bag and a colourful Ghosty Mask and I’m sharing these on my Instagram page, ohcreativeday.
- Boost confidence – if your littlies ask for help, try and use open-ended questions such as: “How can I help you?” or, “Where would you like me to cut/glue/stick?” That means even though I’m helping them with parts of their projects, they still have full control over the process which encourages confidence.
Shannon Wong is a teacher, mum of three and avid crafter.
An enthusiastic fan of pom poms, PVA and paint, she runs popular blog and online parenting resource dedicated to all things creative, https://ohcreativeday.com/ and has over 30,000 followers on Instagram.
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