Activity
Footprint Ghost
Unless your house is haunted, you'll probably need to conjure up a few ghosts to give it that spooky Halloween feel. Fortunately, all it takes to create this little bit of magic is a bare foot and some paint. This activity transforms your child's footprint into a whimsical ghost with just a few artistic flourishes. In the process, he'll engage in tactile sensory exploration and creative expression. The completed ghosts also make great keepsake gifts for parents or grandparents.
What You Need:
- Colored paper
- White paint
- Small paintbrush
- Rags or wipes
- Markers
What You Do:
- Before you begin, make sure your child's bare foot is clean. Set up your craft area on a washable workspace with wet rags or wipes nearby.
- Sit with your child on the floor, placing his foot in a comfortable spot where you can easily reach it. Explain that you're going to brush a little paint onto his foot and that it might tickle a bit. If he is curious about what his foot looks like as you paint it, place a small mirror in front of his foot so he can watch the reflection.
- Use a small craft paintbrush to apply an even coat of paint to the bottom of his foot.
- After the paint is applied, help him carefully press his foot onto the paper. You may want to have extra paper and paint on hand in case the first attempts are smeared.
- Use a wet rag or wipes to clean his foot when you're done.
- Allow the footprint to dry completely.
- When the footprint is dry, place the paper on your work surface with the toes pointing down. The heel forms the ghost's head and the toes are the ghost's billowy bottom.
- Invite your child to draw eyes, a mouth, and any other features he can imagine.
Hang your ghost on the fridge, use it to decorate a wall or door, or turn it into a Halloween card to give away. Boo!
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See this activity in a set:
10 Ghastly Creations