Variation on a theme: ghostie blobs

**Yikes! I forgot to take pics for the steps with the faces and such. I am so sorry. I got distracted by the beautiful yellow crab spider that was hiding in my pink hollyhock
I'm all about the blobbiness and making old paint tactics look new again. When it comes down to it, children like to play. It's us grown-ups that think we need to reinvent the wheel when we actually don't...most of the time.

So, gather up some black construction paper or any other black paper you have along with some trusty old white paint, acrylic or poster or even some super watered down flour paste and prepare to set up a ghost factory for your wee ones!What you need:
*black or dark paper. The sturdier the better.
*white paint (acrylic, poster, tempera work best)
*splat mat or washable tablecloth for the creation station
*scissors
*colored cardstock, black would be extra nifty
*glue stick, hole punch, those trusty phone book pages (optional)
*doodads like pom-pons, foam shapes, pasta shapes, glitter and/or stickers
*smock, apron, art shirt, or mess friendly clothes (it might get messy!)scrumdillydo-it!

Set up your work area. Kidlets and paint usually make for a mess. Make sure you are okay with them getting paint on themselves or their clothes. If not, you may need to try a different project or set them up with someone else and go grab yourself a latte or a visit out just for you.

Give each kidlet a sheet of dark paper and have them fold it in half like a book. Remember the fireworks paintings? We're doing the same thing only were using white paint only!Next up, blob up one side of paper with paint. Your kidlets can put the paint anywhere on one side, hopefully aiming for the center, but make sure they don't fill up the entire page. We're aiming for ghostie blobs here. Fold the paper in half and rub from the fold outward. Knowing how kids work, this is where the mess comes in. You will probably get paint oozing out of the sides. No worry as long as you prepared for the mess!Open up the paper and check out your ghostie creation. Add glitter to the wet paint while it is still wet if your wee one wants glittery ghosts. Set aside to dry and work on some more. While you and your wee ones do this, talk about technique. How much paint is too much? How little can you use and still get a ghost? Can you make a baby ghost? What about a pink ghost or a pale green ghost? If they wish to add some color, go for it!Once the ghosts are dry, have your wee ones add faces. They can make happy ghosts, scared ghosts, silly ghosts..you get the picture. They can use markers or they can glue on bits from the scraps you assorted. While you are waiting for the faces to dry, go read a ghostie story such as Ghosts in the House or There's No such Things as Ghosts. You can check out the scrumdilly-do bookstore for more fun Halloween titles.

When the ghosts are dry, help your wee ones cut them out and glue them first to a phone book page (not necessary but adds a little depth to the ghost and uses up that phone book!) Cut them out again and glue to heavier card stock. Punch a hole somewhere on the side and loop some yarn or fishing like through the hole. Hang the ghosts in the hallway or by a window. Make a bunch for a neighbor. Run them through a laminator and loop a piece of painters tape to the back and stick them on a window or wall. You've now created a circus of ghosts! Have your wee ones give them names and create stories about them. Ask you kidlets to tell you about them, write it down or record them and save for future Halloweens. Most of all, have fun!
**Yikes! I forgot to take pics for the steps with the faces and such. I am so sorry. I got distracted by the beautiful yellow crab spider that was hiding in my pink hollyhock! I'm so sorry!**

For older kidlets you can vary this to make Sugar Skull blobs for Dia de los Muertos. I'll see if I can muster up a few for you to use as a reference.