Getting Crafty with Class: Halloween Classroom Party Craft

Yesterday I provided a craft for my son’s classroom party.  My ideal craft for a party like this is something that doesn’t make a huge mess, doesn’t have to dry, and has a high success rate.  We made Jack-O-Lantern sun catchers.

I folded  black construction paper and pre-cut a pumpkin shape so that the outside stayed intact. Then I stuck clear contact paper to one side and replaced the sheet I’d peeled to protect the sticky surface (leaving an overhang one edge so that its clear where you need to peel it off.)  Be sure to stick the same side that was originally on the sticky adhesive – if you flip the sheet you peeled it will stick to the contact paper and ruin your craft.  After applying each sheet I double checked to make sure I had done it correctly and had to redo several pumpkins!  But better to discover that before-hand instead of at the party!  Next I precut black shapes

for eyes, noses and mouths.  This eliminates some creative license but kids won’t have time to cut their own at the party.  If you are doing the craft with a small group and don’t have a time constraint I would recommend letting them work on their cutting skills and giving them some room for creativity here.  I cut one inch squares out of orange tissue paper, but after doing the craft with the kids, I would definitely make the tissue paper squares larger next time so the kids can move quicker and get to all the games and food too!

At the party all we had to do was write their name in white crayon, peel the protective sheet and toss it in the garbage, stick the facial features on the sticky adhesive cover the whole sticky surface with orange tissue paper and take it home!  

Not too much of a mess, just a few stray pieces of tissue paper to chase down and no messy glue to wait on.  Each kid’s pumpkin came out great!

Materials List:
clear contact paper
black construction paper
orange tissue paper (cut into 3 inch squares)
white crayon

I got the contact paper from a factory outlet that gives free surplus items to schools so the cost of this craft was less than 15 cents per student!