Cheap and Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween on a Shoestring

Halloween is a magical time for kids, but it can also be a time of financial strain for many families. But don't worry, you can still have a fun and festive Halloween without breaking the bank!

We can decorate our homes spooky and sustainably using everyday and recycled items.

Engaging in hands-on activities can allow your little one to practice and develop various skills. Transforming everyday items into something creative can promote their imagination, creativity, and problem-solving and help enhance their motor skills!

These hands-on experiences can also teach your little one the importance of recycling and reusing materials. They'll learn that items we might consider as "waste" can have a second life as fantastic decoration. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Start by collecting items from your home, such as:

• Cardboard

• Paper

• Old Bed sheets

• Fabrics

• Tights

• Toilet or paper towel rolls

• Tin foil

• Yoghurt pots

• Newspaper

Spooky Silhouettes

• Support your little one to create their own colony of bats by cutting bat shapes out of black paper; if you don’t have black paper, painting newspaper black will do the same job, and it will be a lot of fun!

• They can then attach them to the walls, ceilings, or windows for a spooky effect.

• Additionally, they can make various other silhouettes like witches, cauldrons, cats, and pumpkins. 

Ghosts

• Old white sheets or fabric scraps can be used to create hanging ghosts. 

• Cut a small square and drape it on a ball of newspaper, secure it with string.

•  Draw a ghostly face. These will look effective hanging from tree branches or ceilings.

Toilet Paper Mummies

• Support your little one to wrap toilet rolls with tissue scraps of fabric to create mummy decorations.  

• They can stick googly eyes and black paper eyes for extra effect.

Magic Potions

This sensory activity will captivate your child's imagination as they create their magical potions.

• You'll need a large pot to represent the cauldron and various pouring items like plastic bottles, containers, cups, spoons, and ladles. You can also gather a jug of water, oil, food colouring, and glitter to add to the mix.

• Set up the station; it's time to start making potions! 

• Your little one can experiment with different materials to create unique combinations. 

• Get creative by role-playing as scientists, witches, and magicians. Use fun phrases and sounds to enhance the experience.

Seasonal Wreaths

This activity will encourage you to venture outside and explore the outdoors, supporting your child's understanding of the world as they discuss the seasons, natural resources, weather and environmental changes. 

• Go on a nature walk and encourage your child to collect natural objects such as pine cones, conkers, twigs, and different colour leaves.

• Cut the middle of a paper plate (or a circle out of a cardboard box) to create a circular frame. 

• Now it's time to decorate! Arrange and stick the items collected around the frame to make a seasonal wreath.

Pumpkins

We know pumpkins can get expensive, especially when you want to carve multiple. But here's a wallet-friendly alternative that's not only budget-savvy but also a fantastic learning experience for your child. 

Orange Pumpkins

• Paint oranges to look like pumpkins! 

• Use black paint or marker to add “pumpkin” ridges 

• Add different faces and expressions or other Halloween-themed designs.

Jack-O'-Lanterns

Carve oranges or tangerines with your little one; this experience will not only promote sensory stimulation as your little one engages their senses as they explore the inside of the fruit, but they develop fine motor skills while they carefully scoop out the juicy contents. 

• Cut the top of the orange and encourage your little one to remove the fruit from the inside using a spoon or fingers. 

• They can taste and eat the fruit as they go or save it for later.

• Make different expressions and faces on the empty orange for a spooky effect.

• Make two holes at either side of the rim, attach a string and hang.

• Add a tea light inside for extra effect.