How to Make a Haunted House Out of a Happy Meal Box

We made our quarterly trip to McDonald's earlier in the month. My son found his Happy Meal box to be fascinating. (Great prize, by the way – it was a Batman "mask" that doubled as glasses.) He told me it looked like a house, and wanted to play with his action figures in it when we got home.

That got me to thinking. Since it's Halloween season, why not grab some acrylic paints and turn this into a Halloween project?

Step 1. Remove any remaining hamburger grease from Happy Meal Box as best as possible. I shook some baking soda into mine, then emptied. It wasn't very messy anyway.

Step 2. Tuck the handles in and close up the roof with tape.

Step 3. Use a pencil to trace arched windows and a door into the sides of your Happy Meal box.

Step 4. Cut the bottom out of your Happy Meal box using age-appropriate scissors.

Step 5. Carefully use the scissors to cut the windows and doors out of your Happy Meal box.

Step 6. Squirt some black acrylic paint onto a paper plate. Fill a cup with water in case you need to wet your brush. Have paper towels on hand for blotting excess water out of the brush. Use a paint sponge or thicker brush to paint your haunted house black, including the roof.

Step 7. Squirt some black and some white paint onto the paper plate. Mix together to make gray. Use a smaller paintbrush or a Q-tip to paint little gray stones onto the roof of your haunted house.

Step 8: Set the haunted house on top of newspaper or paper towels and let dry.

Take it Up a Notch!

To make this Halloween project even cooler, get a large shoebox, stand it sideways horizontally and paint a spooky scene on it. Dangle plastic bats from the ceiling of the box. We haven't gotten around to this phase of the project, but if we do, we'll be sure to post and share!

Are you doing any fun Halloween crafts at home with the kids? Share your link here!

Quick and Easy Roasted Peppers at Home

Has your September garden become a veritable bell pepper factory?

If you have so many peppers you don't know what to do with them all, then check out this quick and easy method for making roasted peppers. Do it on a night when you're already using the oven.

Step 1. Go out to garden or local nursery. Procure peppers.

Step 2. Rinse and pat peppers dry.

Step 3. Place peppers in baking pan in oven. Bake at 350.

Step 4. When skin of peppers is soft and wrinkled, remove from oven and let cool.

Step 5. Peel skin from peppers. Remove stem and seeds. Slice into strips or chunks. Place all in a clean jar with lid. I like to use the jars from my Bon Maman preserves. They're pretty!

Step 6. Smash a clove of garlic with the back of a wooden spoon (or your fist). Place in jar with peppers. Add vinegar, olive oil, and salt to taste. Put lid back on and place in fridge.

The more time your peppers are allowed to marinate, the better they will taste!

What do you typically do with an abundance of peppers from your garden?

Chinese Takeout Inspires Cute Craft for Kindergarteners to Make and Enjoy

So about a month ago, we were sitting there giggling over our fortunes after just having eaten a meal of Chinese food. Suddenly, I was hit with an idea. We had this can with a lid that I'd been saving in the cabinet. The can previously held coconut macaroons. It was the perfect size and shape for a fun and easy craft project with my little boy.

We turned the can into a "Fortune Picker," in just a few easy and kid-friendly steps.

What You'll Need:

One can with lid – coffee can size is good
2 pieces of construction paper
Safety scissors
Pen or pencil
Colored Markers
Tape or glue
More paper – any kind will work


Step 1. Make the sign. Get a piece of construction paper. On it, have the child write the words "CHOOSE YOUR FORTUNE" or whatever fun, fortune-related phrase you can think of. Let him or her draw a picture or decorate in some other way if they feel inspired.

Step 2. Size your can cover. Get a second sheet of construction paper. Take this one, and hold it up to the can so it wraps around (covering the product label), making sure the paper is lined up straight along the bottom edge of the can.

Step 3. Trace and cut. With a pen or pencil, have your child trace along the line where the paper meets the can. Be sure the line goes all the way around the can.

Step 4. Cover the can. Have your child cut the line that you previously traced. Take the paper that you just trimmed, and wrap around the can so that the entire label is covered. Tape or glue the paper to the can, along the vertical seam.

Step 5. Decorate the Can. Let your child write the same words, CHOOSE YOUR FORTUNE, on the outside of the can using the markers. He or she can pick whatever colors, or add stars, moon, or another fun design idea.

Step 6. Make fortunes. Take the other paper and cut strips from it. As many as you think will fit in the jar. For each strip, think of a fun fortune and write it on the paper. Fold in half and place in the decorated jar. Your fortunes can be funny, silly, inspiring or complementary. They should make the reader feel happy! Moms may want to take over, as this is potentially a lot of writing work for a young child.

Step 7. Have fun with it! When friends come over, ask if they would like to have their fortune told. Take out your Fortune Jar and Sign, and have them close their eyes and pick. They can even help by adding their own fortunes to the jar, and letting you take one!

Skills practiced:

Planning | Eye hand coordination | Handwriting | Fine motor | Cutting and Pasting | Writing | Creative play | Sharing

What's your idea for a great, kid-friendly craft? Leave a comment, get a link. 

xo,
Mom