arts & crafts help

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 10/13/07 at 7:49pm

i'm throwing a halloween party for the eos support group at the children's hospital.
these kids are all under the age of 7.

they're bringing sugar pumpkins to decorate...

what is the best thing to decorate with for kids that young?
will crayola markers rub off? is that too young for paint-pens?

Posted: 10/13/07 at 7:51pm

Crayola will definitely wipe off and get all over everything. Paint pens would be good except that if they are bringing the pumpkins home that night, it will also all rub off. Sharpies won't wipe off, though. They sell colored ones. You just have to watch their clothes.

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 10/13/07 at 8:18pm

i was thinking sharpies... i just dont want them to ruin their costumes.

if we did the pumpkins at the begining of the party and the party lasted 2 hours, do you think they would be dry in time to take home at the end?

Posted: 10/13/07 at 8:20pm

Depends on what you use...paint pens? Probably not. Crayola? Maybe. Actually, crayons might work. Try it out and see. The wax will stay, and not get on anything.

If that doesn't work, Sharpie is still probably the best way to go. They could wear smocks over hteir costumes or something.

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 10/13/07 at 8:21pm

hmm... i never thought of crayons! i'm going to test that out and see how it works. thanks!

[artscallion]

Posted: 10/14/07 at 9:05am

How about glue or paste. you can have piles of pre-cut out eyes, noses and mouths in all kinds of variations. These can either be your designs on construction paper or cut ourt from magazine pictures. Kind of like a Mr. potato Head deal. You can have yarn to glue on for scary hair, etc.

Posted: 10/14/07 at 9:14am

i think sharpies will be best, jsut supervize to give it a chance to dry...maybe "lets do the eyes now!" & then another activity...then "lets do the mouth now!" & then sing a song, etc

paintpens are expensive & when they make a mess, they REALLY make a mess!!!

[Mamie]

Posted: 10/14/07 at 9:33am

finger paints might be fun. Of course you'll have to come up with aprons or smocks or old tshirts for them. You could end up with a bunch of psychedelic pumpkins! Clean up would actually be kind of easy. (Finger paints clean up with water).

Updated On: 10/14/07 at 09:33 AM

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 10/14/07 at 11:11am

i like all those suggestions!
i'm going to buy a sugar pumpkin this week before the party to test those out on :)

Posted: 10/14/07 at 11:14am

maybe mamie's idea with the smocks & all, but with tempra paints?

i thought sharpies first because that will be the most economical with the least clean-up, but if you are gonna go to paints, tempra or poster paints will dry the quickest.