Need Halloween Ideas For 2 Year Olds

[busymomof2]

In the past I have always had preschoolers around the holidays. This year my kids are 2 year olds. I would like some fun activities, crafts for Halloween that they can do through out the month. Also planning a Halloween party. Most of what I have found are are for older kids. Any ideas for me?
So far I have:
painting- orange, blk, purple
sponging with Halloween cut outs
Halloween stickers
painting pumpkins (going to pumpkin patch)
BTW: my kids don't really like to color...boys, LOL.

[My3cents]

In the past I have always had preschoolers around the holidays. This year my kids are 2 year olds. I would like some fun activities, crafts for Halloween that they can do through out the month. Also planning a Halloween party. Most of what I have found are are for older kids. Any ideas for me?
So far I have:
painting- orange, blk, purple
sponging with Halloween cut outs
Halloween stickers
painting pumpkins (going to pumpkin patch)
BTW: my kids don't really like to color...boys, LOL.

keep trying at the coloring. Its a fine gross motor skill that many boys really need for school. Mix it up. Use different coloring crayons, oils- the kids can see the colors more vibrant. Chunky crayons for little hands, two year olds, try giving one color, try giving three colors to choose, try having a community bowl of crayons. Show them how to focus on one thing they are coloring, the feet, eyes, tail, sun, etc..... Color with them so they can see what you do, how you hold the crayon, how you make it work, show them how to push down. Take out the small crayons to mix it up.
Pinterest has tons of idea, for two's the simpler the better. Attention span is just not formed yet but the interest is a bit there. I introduce at an early age. It keeps verbal communication going and gives everyone something to look forward to not to mention all the other benefits of being exposed to different things. My two's have tried safety scissors. Did they cut well with them, did they cut somthing out? No but they are growing an interest now. They did what their ability was able to do. One just cut into the paper, making a feather. One cut tiny pieces, one did nothing and one did not have the dexterity to even hold them. They loved it. They touched something usually off limits and learned. Gluing, glue is non toxic and not going to hurt a two year old. I let them try. My interventions are for keeping them safe and not putting things into the mouth.
You can take a glue stick and then let them glue onto the paper that you have applied the glue. They love it. Painting, chalk, marble painting one of my favorites to do with the littles. put a paper in a box with a marble and a little paint, then let them shake the box. Neat effects, esp is you use clear see though box. Same with a string, rubbings, I often just put some materials out and let them have at it. See what they can do. Open ended art. I never expect a master piece, to them it is. Two year olds I let them set the time they want to put into creating. For some it is just not there and others could do it all day. Sensory boxes are fun at this age too.

Have fun, happy to see another provider doing a lot with the two's. They are a fun little bunch.
Best-

[Mommy2One]

What about ghost mud? It's just toilet paper and Ivory soap that makes slippery doughy sort of material (http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/...ghost-mud.html)

Sensory bins would also be cool. If they're past the putting everything in their mouths stage you could color rice orange and black. Otherwise maybe generic Cheerios? You could hid little pumpkins/gourds, plastic Halloween figures, tongs, small cups, etc.

Pin (tape) the nose on the jack-o-lantern?

[jojosmommy]

Dress up a pumpkin. Hats, mr potato parts etc.
Color a face on a pumpkin. Washable markers, spray bottle and paper towels.
Pound a pumpkin. Golf tees and mini hammers from the tool set. We use our pounding stuff from lakeshore.
Pumpkin stuff in sensory table. Guts, seeds etc.
Spider web marble painting, cut a black spider web shape. Put it inside a shoebox with a lid, dip a marble or golf ball in white paint. Put the lid on and he kids shake he box, making white spider web marks on the black web. May have to dip in paint more than once.

[Nickel]

I love the spider web idea. will have to try that with my group! Also the mr potatoe head idea. Will it make the pumpkin go bad. How soon can you do it. I would like to do that and then right before halloween scoop out the insides and investigate, but i dont want it to be all yucky by then, kwim?

For sensory bins i went to the dollar tree and got leaves in the packages. 4 bags filled up a shoe box size tub almost too much. Then i got mini gords and pumpkins and added that in too for fall. Closer to halloween i will swap it with out and do orange and blacl crepe paper (streamers) with mini rubber bugs and skeletons and bats and stuff. I got everything for.both boxes and some other supplies for about $20. I brouht the first box out and its been a big hit!

[DCMama]

These are the fun activities i remember doing for halloween at a center that kids love. We call it the harvest fesitval:

-Face painting
-Paint small pumpkins
-Paint one big pumpkin together as a class and glue jewels and gems on them as a class month long project
- find the mini toys in the haystack ( you can use sand or anything esle instead to) basically hidden toys like uunsharpen pencils, eaiser, stickers, spider rings, and mini parachute are hidden in the haystack and kids take turns to dig out these goodies
- dig pumpkin out together clean it cook it eat it and use pumpkin core to hold stuff

[bunnyslippers]

Footprint ghosts - paint the bottom of a bare foot white , make footprint on black paper. Make eyes with a black marker near the heel.

Handprint spiders - palm and fingers of both hands black. Press then wrist to wrist to make spiders

Pumpkin PlayDough - Make homemadfe orange playdough and add some pumpkin spice and nutmeg

Pumpkin Patches - shake cotton balls in orange powder paint. Glue along a construction paper vine

Big candy Corn with homemade puffy paint - Tint shaving cream/glue mizture with yellow and orange paint. Paint a triangle shape to look like candy corn

Trick or Treat Bags - let them decorate cheap canvas bags with fabric markers

[lovemykidstoo]

Footprint ghosts - paint the bottom of a bare foot white , make footprint on black paper. Make eyes with a black marker near the heel.

Handprint spiders - palm and fingers of both hands black. Press then wrist to wrist to make spiders

Pumpkin PlayDough - Make homemadfe orange playdough and add some pumpkin spice and nutmeg

Pumpkin Patches - shake cotton balls in orange powder paint. Glue along a construction paper vine

Big candy Corn with homemade puffy paint - Tint shaving cream/glue mizture with yellow and orange paint. Paint a triangle shape to look like candy corn

Trick or Treat Bags - let them decorate cheap canvas bags with fabric markers

How does that work with the shaving cream? Is it a certain kind of shaving cream and what is the mixture of glue to it? How well does it dry?

[Soccermom]

Handprint spiders - Trace hands on black construction paper and cut them out. Cut out a circle and glue both hands on either side of the spider...voila, handprint spider

Pumpkin bowling - Decorate some toilet paper tubes ( Ghost, witch hat, bat...) and have the kids roll a small pumpkin into them to knock them down.

Ghost in the pumpkin game - Make little kleenex ghosts and have the kids try tossing them into a gutted pumpkin.

Paper Bag pumpkins - Fill some paper bags with paper and tie the end. Have the kids paint them orange. You can then help them glue on some jack-o-lantern eyes and mouths. You can top it off with a green leaf at the top

[Size18]

Felt pumpkins, where little ones can apply the felt stems to the felt pumpkins any which way. Fun, no-fuss, no-mess, interactive.

Paper cutouts. Applying holiday or celebration cutouts to windows is always so much fun! Fun for kids and parents!

[Size18]

Clothesline ghosts! A white sheet draped on the line, with a balloon tucked inside for the head, and someone shining a flashlight on the sheet as someone else draws the clothesline out and in.

We do a clothesline ghost every Halloween!