I love Halloween. LOVE IT. I begin planning for the World’s Greatest Holiday months in advance. How will we decorate the house this year? What spooky treats can I bake? Will I be able to convince all four of my children to go along with the costume theme I’ve chosen? (Admittedly, this is getting harder and harder to pull off.) And what spooky-fun activities can I set up for my kids?
If you’re not like me, however, and Halloween snuck up on you this year, this spooky ghost resist art is the perfect Halloween activity for your little goblins. It is super easy to set up, not very messy, and pulls doubly-duty as both an art project and Halloween decoration that you can hang on your wall. Your children will love that the ghost “magically” appears out of nowhere. Spooky…
To make your ghost resist art, you will need:
- watercolor paper or other thick, white paper
- a white crayon or oil pastel
- watercolors
First, use your white crayon or oil pastel to draw a simple picture of a ghost on the paper. You will need to press down hard and go over your drawing a few times to make sure the lines are thick and solid. (To keep the ghost a surprise, make the drawing when your kids aren’t watching.)
Next, cover your art table (with newspaper, paper towel, plastic cloth, etc) to protect the surface. Supply your children with the secret ghost image and a set of watercolor paints. You can tell them that a hidden image will magically appear as they paint, or you can let them discover the ghost for themselves.
My 5-year-old noticed the ghost materialize immediately, although it took a while for her to figure out what it was. My 4- and 2-year-olds needed a little more guidance on covering the entire paper with paint to reveal the hidden image.
My 5-year-old chose to paint her ghost purple and black.
Once the paint is dry, frame your ghost resist art and hang it proudly on the wall!
