Costumes,  Jack-o-Lanterns, Fall Leaves, Corn Shocks, Scarecrows and Pumpkins…

Fall fun has a wide variety of options available for hours of enjoyment.
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Enjoy!
 
 
One year I remember cutting out felt eyes, nose and mouth and stitching it on a pair of orange pajamas whose cuffs were green.  It was topped off with an orange stocking cap that I had sewn a green felt stem onto the top. It was a simple, comfortable costume. My little one left the house that year as a pumpkin to go trick-or-treat. 
 
A quick way to make a costume for role-play, acting out a story or trick-or-treat fun is to make a paper mask.
 
· Paper mask
“Make a mask from a larger brown paper bag.  Open the bag and very carefully slip it over your head and mark the eyes, nose and mouth.  Remove the bag and cut out the areas in the desired shape.  Add construction paper, felt, yarn, stickers, and decorations with marker or crayons to complete the mask.  You can even “fringe” the bottom with scissors.”
 
 
 
Pumpkins:
 

-It is always fun to hollow out a medium sized round pumpkin and use it for stew, or a thick soup as your table centerpiece.
 
-A pioneer spirit brings delight when pumpkins can be picked from a patch, hollowed out, cut up and cooked using the pulp to create fresh baked pies and muffins.
 
-Drawing a face on the outside of a pumpkin provides the fun of making a jack-o-lantern,
 yet still being able to use the pumpkin to bake up a delicious fall dish to eat.
 
 
· Jack-o-Lanterns          
 
 Carve a face or design into a hollowed out pumpkin. 
 
Set a battery operated candle inside and enjoy the glow. 
 
Tips:  A simple coloring book picture can become the design on your pumpkin. Cut the top off of 
your pumpkin and clean out the seed and pulp  (save the seeds to wash off, season and roast).  Make a copy of your desired picture and tape it to the pumpkin side.  With a tooth pick, poke holes through the paper following the outline of your picture.  Remove the picture.  Using a pumpkin carving knife, carefully cut out your design.  Adult supervision required!” 
Have fun… be safe!

 

This Blog Post is inspired from the book:
Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes:
Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share
by Becky B. Baxa
If you would like more fun ideas to share with your children
(that do not require batteries or electronics )
you can purchase this 180 page book,
full of color photos,
for $21.95
from Amazon.com
Or
from the gift shop at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO,
Silver Dollar City General Store in Branson, MO.
This book can also be checked out of the following libraries:
Scenic Regional Library – Pacific, MO
First Christian Church – Washington, MO
Hawaii State Library – Honolulu, HI
Story City Public Library – Story City, IA
Ellsworth Public Library – Ellsworth, ME
Ludington Public Library – Ludington, MI
Denver Public Library – Denver, CO
Pikes Peak Library District – Colorado Springs, CO
 
 
 
 

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