Halloween School Party Planning

We have just started to look at ideas for a Kindergarten Halloween Party. There are two of us who are working together to come up with a great party for our kid's class, but we want to keep the budget as cheap as possible. We only have so much to spend and so far we only have 4 volunteers to donate items and help for the parties. I have learned in past years you can make a great party for less than 20 dollars, but you have to be very creative.

We are looking at crafts that are made out of recycled or cheap materials. The kids honestly do not care what we make. Most parents do not care, but it should be memorable in some way. One idea I have found is Alien Masks. To make them a little easier for the kids we can make masks in general. We can use items we all have laying around the house to decorate. We can even use egg cartons to make the tips of the antennas.

Another idea I like is have the kids make their own treats. My friend thought it would be cute to have the kids create their own scary monster cupcakes. Or we can have the kids decorate a bag to look like a pumpkin, fill it with popcorn, and twist the top to look like a pumpkin stem.

No matter what we decide to do for the kids, they will love it. I hope I have inspired someone to save a little money and enjoy a fun filled afternoon with their child's class.

Alien Craft

Alien Craft
Originally uploaded by amanky

I think you could make this craft out of eg cartons. The styrofoam cartons would be fun because you could stick your pipecleaners into them without glue. They also come in many different colors, which could be a lot of fun for kids. They could decorate an entire army of them any way they would like.

Thumbprint Chicks Easter Craft

Thumbprint Chicks
Originally uploaded by activityvillage.co.uk

Anything done with fingerprints or handprints is always a winning craft with moms and dads. We love to keep those special little projects that show the size of our children when they made it. For me it doesn't hurt either that this is about the cheapest project you can make.

These chicks can be used to decorate a card, a poster, or just a piece of paper. Kids can make a scene on a piece of paper and turn it into anything they choose. I can't use this project this year, as my kids are not old enough to draw the extra arms, legs, eyes, and beaks on each chick to make them unique. I hope I can make them some day.

Milk Jug Easter Basket

Big E's basket and booboo bunny
Originally uploaded by mslil65

I love this idea for an Easter Basket for school kids. I can make this with things I either have laying around the house, or will have laying around the house soon. I respect any projects that require recycling of household items or food containers. The most expensive thing I would need to buy for these is the green grass for the bottom of the baskets.

You can personalize these as much as you want. I have seen them painted white or grey. The opening have been smaller, so you can fit a few more eggs inside the basket. The faces can be made out of any materials you have at home. Have fun with this one!

Paper Plate Angels

I used this project for Christmas, but think it could be used any time of the year, for religious activities. I saw one on a friend's tree and decided, I can do that! The paper plates only cost a quarter, since I already had some at home and needed only a few. You can decorate the plates with crayons, markers, or whatever you have lying around. Pipecleaners were $1.00 at a Dollar Store. Pictures can be donated from each child, printed for $.15 each, or just drawn on another piece of paper and attached. Last but not least a stapler.

I think I liked the fact that they are stapled together the best because we didn't have to wait for drying time. I will say, it is tricky to staple them together. Also, these look so cute on top of those little Christmas Trees we sometimes put on tables. Especially if you keep one in each kid's room. My kids did this on their own and I left it there the whole Christmas Season.

To make the angels, first let the kids decorate their plates. They need to decorate the bottom side of the plate, if you were eating off of it.

After they decorate it, you cut the plate in half. Then cut one of the halves, in half again. The half will be the body and the quarters will become the wings.

Assemble the body, by creating a cone and stapling it together.

Next staple the winges onto the angel. This is the hardest part. Don't worry if they are not perfectly straight. It's just a fun activity for kids.

You can add a halo, by stapling a pipecleaner inside the angle and twisting it into a circle on top. Glue on your face and you are done.

This project was so cute, cheap and easy that it makes me want to make more with paper plates.