Perfect craft for the Kindergarten set - plus a classic Halloween poem

Mr. B and I spent some time yesterday doing a Halloween craft - and let me tell you, we both had a GREAT time! We did a paper plate skeleton. You can find instructions and downloadable templates at the Pick Up Some Creativity blog. (Do take some time to look around - she is one very talented, creative person!) The only supplies you will need are about 15 cheap paper plates, some string, a marker, and a one-hole paper punch, and the templates for the various parts. (I had difficulty downloading the templates, so just eyeballed them and drew them directly on the paper plates.) Four year old Mr. B's jobs were to trace his hands and feet, to punch out the holes on the "bones", and to "sew" the string through the holes to tie the pieces together. Although I had most pieces pre-cut before he arrived, the project took us close to an hour, but his interest was held the entire time. With a four year old, that is always a good sign!

Punching holes for the first time is F-U-N!

Putting string through the holes to join the "bones".

Finished! and Mr. B is so proud!

Here's a classic Halloween poem to read to your kids - preferably in the dark with a flashlight under your chin!

The Little Orphan Annie

by

James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphan Annie’s come to my house to stay.
To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away.
To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep,
and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep.
While all us other children, when the supper things is done,
we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun,
a listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about
and the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!

Once there was a little boy who wouldn’t say his prayers,
and when he went to bed at night away up stairs,
his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl,
and when they turned the covers down,
he wasn’t there at all!
They searched for him in the attic room
and cubby hole and press
and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess,
but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts
and the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!!

 Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned
and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin,
and once when there was company and the old folks was there,
she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn’t care.
And just as she turned on her heels and to go and run and hide,
there was two great big black things a standing by her side.
They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about,
and the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!!

  When the night is dark and scary,
and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo,
you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear,
and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears
and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about,
or the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!!!